There are some people who reach a limit when they feel like they cannot go on with their life anymore. Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi met his breaking point last week when he jumped off the George Washington Bridge.

Clementi committed suicide following shifty acts of deception by his roommate Dharun Ravi. Ravi allegedly filmed and live-streamed a sexual dalliance over the Internet between Clementi and another man.

This is a troubling situation to confront with Clementi’s privacy invaded and the bond of trust broken between two roommates. Ask yourself: can you trust your roommate? How would you feel if your intimate, private moments were filmed without your knowledge and distributed for the entire world to see?

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A complete lack of tolerance and respect are at the forefront of the reprehensible action conceived and administered in the hands of Ravi and fellow freshman Molly Wei. In a more tolerant and welcoming society, Clementi may not have felt the need to end his life over the careless actions of two people.

Had this situation occurred between a man and a woman, one must wonder if the fallout would be the same. Would there have been an overwhelming curiosity or need to film the encounter in the first place? Would the male or female experience so much shame like Clementi did that they would be brought to the point of suicide? Teenagers who are gay or bisexual are four times more likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual peers, according to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Network.

The measures against Clementi not only violated a common courtesy among roommates, but decency toward human beings, in general. Both Ravi and Wei should be held accountable for their role in driving Clementi to suicide. While they didn’t physically kill Clementi, their bigotry did, and that should be enough cause for justice. The two are morally corrupt.

In a statement released to the press, Clementi’s parents hoped this incident would serve as a call for compassion, empathy and human dignity. I hope those at Quinnipiac will take the message and spread the word. What if this happened to a person on your floor or building, your friend or even a member of your own family? Stop and think what you can do now to prevent these acts of bigotry from further taking place.

Photo credit: MTV News