An open letter to all celebs on twitter

Dearest friends,

I write to you today not just as a fan, but as a ambassador of change, not just as a human being, but as someone who is seeking your support with grace and humility from the depths of my life, i seek for you to read this sincerely from the depths of your life and from your heart:

I am a survivor of a horrific nightmare that now is being addressed in the social consciousness … bullying.

I know about bullying because I have endured this due to a mental challenge that I have called infantile autism (*NOTE: Autism is a lifelong challenge that affects several regions of the brain in particular). The first time I was affected by bullying, was when someone whipped me with a rubber snake causing red welts all over my back and shoulders. When my mother saw the welts, she asked me who did this, at this time, the kind of autism that I had, didn’t give me the language abilities to address me being affected by bullying of such a scale, I told her who did it and my mother came on the bus to address the person who had the snake and asked to give it to her and more. I thought that was just the end of this, but I was wrong.

As I grew older, the bullying got worse and worse, some people called me names such as “Retarded”, “Slow”, etc. Some even made fun of me trying to have a lady in my life, and one in particular cut my ponytail off when I was trying to grow one, and I couldn’t even tell the teachers who it was, and it hurt so bad, till finally I yelled. I even busted out crying to mom, it took some time, but finally I told the teachers what was going on. I was trying to live my life, but the bullies were trying to destroy my life, but they failed in doing so.

I was one among the lucky ones who had the support of teachers, peers and those who cared & I also refused to hear the word “Surrender. Some of the bullies who even taunted and teased me have approached me to ask for the forgiveness and atonement of the slanderous errors they have endured upon me. When I was older, I felt that there was no one (as far as I can recall) that spoke out for those with challenges, I ran for the NJ assembly seat as the first person with autism on a political party ticket, and won 15% of the vote from the people.
Tragically though, the nightmare that is bullying has reached levels that are considered criminal and worse, in fact, according to the website: Stompoutbullying.org the statistics are totally alarming and is clear evidence that something MUST and SHOULD be done:

1) 1 out of 4 kids is bullied

2) 9 out of 10 LGBT students experienced harassment at school

3) Child and teen Bullying and Cyber bullying are at an all-time high

4) Some kids are so tormented that suicide has become an alternative for them
5) As many as 160,000 students may stay home on any given day because they’re afraid of their bullies and/or they just can’t take the pain anymore
6) 43% fear harassment in the bathroom at school
7) A poll of teens ages 12-17 proved that they think violence increased at their schools
8) 282,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month
More youth violence occurs on school grounds as opposed to on the way to school.

That is why as an advocate it was my immense good fortune to create one of the toughest anti-bullying bills in the nation along with Assemblywoman Valerie V. Huttle.

The recent stories of youth taking their own lives because of the bullying, harassment and cyber-bullying prompted me to become a voice for the voiceless. The names such as Tyler Clementi, Phoebe Prince, Jamey Rodemeyer, and numerous others are the names of those who we shall never ever forget as long as we live.

This tragedy is growing and growing at such a rate that SOMETHING has to be done to protect the lives of our future leaders of change, justice, peace and more, regardless of gender preference and more, we must call upon our national and international leaders to make bullying and bully-cide deemed criminal and that the laws should be toughened for older youth who do mental and physical damage to the youth because of their gender preference, religion and more by facing a student court based on the school constitution and the laws in the constitution as well.

The youth of America have always gone to school to follow the three "R's": Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, all the things that make going to school very important. The youth of America and the world are tired of living their life in fear and it is time to give them a voice to stand up against bullying without the usage of violence. There are those who feel they do not have a voice to speak up feel that they lose hope and cannot speak up for themselves because they are not taught how. So they need our help.

On a grassroots internet petition website called change.org, I have been collecting signatures to bring to Washington D.C. and to other leaders of the world to address this issue strongly and so far (as of publication) over 1,187 people have signed my petition at this website.
In conclusion to my editorial and more, I am appealing you, all of you to come to: http://www.change.org/petitions/give_the_youth_the_rights_for_justice_against_bullies# and take a firm and united stand with me to address this crisis of significant urgency and tell our national and international leaders to hear the cries of the youth and help them sincerely, so one day, this law that can be passed, will not only be my testament to the great impact what one person can do, but what the world can do.

There are two people in my life (including my mom) among many who have been in my life and I have taken their quotes as my mantra to my mission, the first is John F. Kennedy who said in his inauguration speech in 1961: “And so my fellow citizens, ask not, what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country!” and to conclude my editorial is a quote from a Japanese Buddhist philosopher named Daisaku Ikeda who said: “A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of an entire nation and further will help achieve a change in the destiny of the entire human race.” If one person can start that positive change in the world, then many, many, more can achieve what I have achieved in my 33 years upon this earth with such a challenge.

Your voices can be a part of history, and to make a message loud and clear. Every single night i got to sleep, i offer a sincere prayer from my heart that someone will step up and tell others and make a mission of mine closer to being successful and for all youth, regardless of sexual gender preference, religion, etc. can go to school in peace and safety, and it is our voices that can be possible.

Thank you for the opportunity to give me this platform to share my story and my mission. I can only pray and hope that my story has inspired you and inspired others to help those who feel alone, sad and more to let them know: “Someone is out there to help you and someone is out there to give you the voice you need!”

I sincerely ask for your response and more. #YOUTH #JUSTICE #CAMPAIGN #HOPE

Very sincerely with all my heart and my soul
Christopher C. Gagliardi

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