How Has Destroying Lives Become a Spectator Sport?

InevermetTylerClementi,butIwasprofoundlymovedbyhisstory.

Hewasason.Hewasabrother.Hewas,byallaccounts,agentlesoul--aloverofmusic,agiftedviolinistwhoseworkwascalleddistinguished.

Andthe18-year-oldfreshmanatRutgersUniversitywasalsothekeeperofasecret.RobertRighthandknewaboutthesecret.HewasTyler’sfriend--theygrewuptogetherinRidgewood,NewJersey.

“Icantellyouthatwhateverstatehewasin,hehaditinreserveforaverylongtime,”RighthandtoldtheNewYorkPost.

“Youneverthoughthewasdepressed,”hesaid.“Youjustthoughthewasquiet.”

DharunRavialsonewaboutTyler’ssecret--andonSeptember19th,hedecidedtodotheunthinkable--hesharedTyler’ssecretwiththeworld.

Intheprivacyofhisdormroom,theyoungviolinistengagedinaromanticencounter.ButTylerhadnoideahisroommatewasengagedintheultimatebetrayal.Everymove,everyintimatemomentwasbeingsecretlyrecordedandstreamedliveontheInternet.

Ravi,andfellowfreshmanMollyWei,remotelyaccessedthefeedandsawTylerandhisfriend.

“Roommateaskedfortheroomtillmidnight.IwentintoMolly’sroomandturnedonmyWebcam.Isawhimmakingoutwithadude.Yay,”Ravitweetedtohisfriends.Inamatterofmoments,Tyler’sprivatelifebecameverypublic.

It’sunclearhowmanypeopleactuallysawthevideo.Butthedamagehadbeendone.Wordbegantospreadandstudentsbegantogossip.ForTyler,itwasthebeginningoftheend.

ForTyler’sparents,itwasthebeginningofanightmare.

ApoliceofficerarrivedattheirNewJerseyhomeanddeliveredthenews.

TheofficerexplainedtothecouplethattheirsonhadparkedhiscarontheNewJerseysideoftheHudsonRiver.TheysaidhepostedafinalmessageonhisFacebookpageandthenbeganthelongwalkovertheGeorgeWashingtonBridge.

“Jumpingoffthegwbridgesorry,”hewrote.

Andsoithappenedthatthesoft-spokenboywithsandyhairstoppedandclimbedovertherailing.Awitnesssaidtheanguishedyoungmanpausedforamoment--andthenTylerClementiplungedintoeternity.

DharunRaviandMollyWeiwillanswerfortheirallegedcrimes--butthedamagethat’sbeencausedisirreversible.

Inthisageofsocialnetworking,privacyisbecominganancientrelic.Livescanbechangedbythepostingofasinglephotoorprofileupdate.AndinthecaseofTyler,livescanbelostin140charactersorless.

Whatkindofapeoplehavewebecomethatwefindjoyandcomfortinthemisfortunesofothers?Whatkindofpeoplehavewebecomethatwefindpleasureinexploitingthesecretplacesofanother’slife?

Havewereachedanageinthisnationwheredestroyingliveshasbecomesomethingofaspectatorsport?

Inthecomingdaysthepunditswillpontificate,thepoliticianswillpoliticandtheadvocateswilladvocate--alltryingtotwistandturntheprivatehurtsofTylerintowhateverfitstheiragenda.

Butfarawayfromtherantingandtherhetoric,aNewJerseyfamilyenduresheartbreak.Weknowthattimepassesandseasonfade,butfortheClementifamily--timestandsstill.

Theymournforasonwhowillnevercomehome,alifethatwillneverbelived.ThemelodiesandharmoniesthatoncefilledtheirRidgewood,NewJerseyhomearegone--replacedwithahauntingsilence.

AndasIwritethesewords,Ican’thelpbutwonder--howmanymoreTylersareoutthere-waitingforsomeonetopushthemovertheedge.

ToddStarnesisaFoxNewsRadioreporterandbestsellingreporter.FormorefromTodd,clickhere.

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