James Niedzinski
Equinox Staff
With N.H.’s primary elections inching closer and closer, many candidates are making the rounds at Keene State College.
History was made on Thursday, Oct. 20 when Fred Karger, the first openly gay presidential candidate, made his way back to Keene.
Karger spoke at Central Square in Keene, along with several members of the community, to address the suicides of those who have been bullied due to their sexual orientation.
“It’s happening in our country [teen suicide]. It’s becoming, somehow, an acceptable norm, and that’s terrifying,” Susan McNeil, the regional director of PFLAG (Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), said.
In the past year, a total of 10 teenagers took their own lives due to bullying and harassment in schools, including Jasmine Roger of Plainfield, N.H. who died on Oct. 11; bullying is being investigated as the cause of her suicide.
“It’s a very somber time as we think of all the tragedy that is taking place in this country, and around the world,” Karger said.
Previously, Karger has worked as a political consultant for Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Gerald Ford.
Karger shared his experience growing up as a gay youth in the 1950s, and the experiences of others who have been bullied as well.
In addition to Karger speaking to a crowd of roughly 50 people, residents of N.H. also spoke out to address the bullying issue.
Perry Cohen, of West Chesterfield, was one of the audience members who decided to speak out against the bullying of the gay community.
Cohen stated that she has been married three times in three different states, all to the same person, her partner Brooke.
There was a marriage in 2004 in New Mexico; it was not a legal wedding, however. In 2005, Vt. recognized them as a legal civil union.
“We realized it was important to get an actual marriage, so that Brooke could be a parent to our children rather than a legal guardian. We feel really lucky that N.H. recognizes us as a legal couple,” Cohen said.
She also pointed out how lucky she was to be able to afford a lawyer to handle all of this, as straight couples do not have these problems.
“People get bullied, people get depressed, people get suicidal when they’re not allowed to be themselves,” Cohen said.
Perry Cohen is currently the vice president of human resources at C&S Wholesale Grocers in Keene.
Scout Landry, the 14-year-old winner of the 2011 Keene Karaoke Teen Idol contest also performed the Taylor Swift song “Mean” at the event.
Karger also spoke about his political past.
“I went to Maine to fight the National Organization for Marriage, probably the biggest bully in this entire country, funded by tens of millions of dollars, from where we do not know. I accused them of money laundering in the state of Maine when Amendment One came up in 2009. I’m fighting them every step of the way,” Karger said.
Karger stated that he hopes to move the Republican Party back to more of a caring and progressive direction.
James Niedzinski can be contacted at jniedzinski@ksc.mailcruiser.com.