Something terrible has happened at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
A talented, freshman student -- a seemingly mild-mannered young man and accomplished musician -- has committed suicide after two classmates allegedly taped him having sex with someone without his knowledge and then posted the images on the internet.
The two students have been charged with illegally taping sexual activity and posting the images on the web. The freshman, Tyler Clementi, 18 left a final goodbye on his Facebook page that read "jumping off the GW bridge, sorry." Clemente's car and belongings were later found at and near the bridge.
The two students charged in the incident are Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei. Ravi was Clemente's roommate. Wei is a friend of Ravi's. Ravi and Wei were classmates at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School in West Windsor, N. J.
The two are charged with invasion of privacy. But since the images show Clemente having sex with another man, gay rights advocates are demanding that hate crime charges should be brought as well.
Young lives are fragile and complicated enough without the added element of hate.
Though we call them young men and women and grant them considerable freedom and discretion, university students are still sometimes subject to and/or tempted to engage in impulsive, reckless and even destructive and hateful behavior.
But be sure of this: The university -- any university -- is no place for hate!
And this message must be taught and reinforced (and, if necessary enforced) if we are ever to live in a just and caring world.
Click here for more on this story from CBS News.
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