Comments for Queer Visalia

Comment on Visalia youth succumbs to suicide: Eric James Borges by Bella Lozano Ariaz

Bella Lozano Ariaz — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:15:56 +0000

Perfectly said and beautifully written!

Comment on Visalia youth succumbs to suicide: Eric James Borges by faithlowery

faithlowery — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:47:05 +0000

RIP Eric James…. You were such an amazing person, and I hate that your pain was this extreme, I hate that this world is such an ugly place. I was blessed to have known you, and the world is a sadder place without you in it. I hope you have found the peace you need on the other side….. I hate that it came to this for you.

Comment on Visalia youth succumbs to suicide: Eric James Borges by faithlowery

faithlowery — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:31:10 +0000

I agree Cody.

Comment on Visalia youth succumbs to suicide: Eric James Borges by Sherry

Sherry — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:38:21 +0000

As a mother I must say my heart hurts. The story of this young man taking his life over anything saddens me. What potential….yet it seems even in his short life he touched the lives of many.

Comment on Visalia youth succumbs to suicide: Eric James Borges by Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:54:35 +0000

The easy thing for a gay kid to do is move away. The hard thing to do is stay and fight. I moved. I’m sorry.

Comment on Visalia youth succumbs to suicide: Eric James Borges by Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:14:41 +0000

I grew up in a small valley town and couldn’t wait to be an adult to move away.I am not gay and did not know anything about the existance of a guy person when I was young. I do know how cruel citizens of small towns can be. The distruction due to rumors that usually were untrue about people that lived in the town. The assumption of things people would create due to lack of proper information. I can only begin to Imagine how brutal it was if you were gay during the time I lived in the valley. The reality is it hasn’t gotten better and that was 50 years ago.Humans are suppose to be the highest in the animal kindom; but the mentality of a large portion of their suppose kindom does not bear the resemblance of this discription.The family of this young man has Lost a very vital part of their their existance as a family. RIP EricJames your new family will love and accept you unconditionally for who and what; a fine young man you have become.

Comment on Visalia youth succumbs to suicide: Eric James Borges by Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:48:36 +0000

I am a very conservative, Republican, Christian woman who is HORRIFIED at what the family of this precious young man did to him. Though I struggle (in a confused kind of way) with homosexuality, I do know that we are ALL human beings, we ALL have issues (some straight people are flat-out heinous individuals… so because they’re straight, this makes them “better” than gays??), and the most important thing is how we love others. Who are we to believe we are better than another? Jesus, by the way, wasn’t keen on these types either. Please try not to judge Christianity by judgmental people like ErikJames’ parents…. please.
My heart is just broken… this boy never knew love from his parents, the very ones who are to love you UNCONDITIONALLY. If they had loved him, accepted him, embraced him, and certainly had NOT kicked him out of the house…. he’d be alive today. (This is coming from a 50-yr-old mom.)

Comment on Visalia youth succumbs to suicide: Eric James Borges by Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:32:59 +0000

The insidiously hostile culture in small towns like Visalia, CA, needs to change. Not everyone is a straight, white religionist. I can’t believe this young man had to endure rejection from his family, a lifetime of torment and an exorcism…just because he was himself – a loving, artistic and promising individual.

If you are treated like dirt in a small conservative town, do yourself a favor and don’t give up! Move away, go to school in the nearest large city, take a one way ticket to a place you’ve always wanted to see, start over…but don’t give up! In the end, your absence will be that narrow-minded small town’s loss but your life WILL GET BETTER.

EricJames, I’m sorry your heart broke under the pain of living in such a close-minded community…I pray you have found peace and have met the Maker who made you in His image.

Comment on Visalia youth succumbs to suicide: Eric James Borges by Rachel Collette Baker

Rachel Collette Baker — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:14:27 +0000

I was born in Visalia and raised in Three Rivers. I am so sorry to hear about EricJames; it is devastating that he felt he had no other options. His parents should be ashamed of themselves for how they treated him. Gay or straight: it shouldn’t even matter. We’re all just people who want to be loved by our family & friends. God Bless you, EricJames.

Comment on Visalia youth succumbs to suicide: Eric James Borges by ashley duarte

ashley duarte — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:33:38 +0000

THIS IS A HORRIBLE THINGTHAT HAS HAPPENED.. PEOPLE SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR MAKING HIM FEEL SO UN WANTED AND UN LOVED AND DRIVE HIM TO DO THIS. HE WAS NOT ANY DIFFRENT THAN ANY OTHER MALE OR FEMALE IN THIS WORLD. THE 1 THING THAT DID SEPARATE HIM FROM HALF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE,IS HE HAD HEART AND ONLY NEEDED TO KNOW HE WAS IMPORTANT,WANTED AND LOVED. I HOPE THAT THE ONES WHO HAS CAUSED HIM TO DO THIS IS ASHAMED AND HUMILIATED SORRY FOR ALL THEY HAVE CAUSED. THAT GOES FOR HIS FAMILY. MAY YOU NOW BE IN A GREAT AND BETTER PLACE ERICJAMES WHERE YOU ARE WANTED AND LOVED AND NO LONGER IN PAIN. YOU WILL BE MISSED DEARLY……