For those folks who were morally offended for the few minutes it took you to read about the Gay Pride Parade in Potsdam, I would suggest some empathy is in order for our LGBT youth in St. Lawrence County. While you were offended for a just a few moments, these young people are being teased, harassed, and bullied everyday in school and on social media. In fact, 9 out of 10 LGBT teens have reported being bullied at school within the past year because of their sexual orientation. Gay and lesbian teens are two to three times as more likely to commit teen suicide than other youths. About 30 percent of all completed suicides have been related to sexual identity crisis. Perhaps the Gay Pride Parade provides these vulnerable young people with a sense of acceptance? If the parade provides hope and comfort to just one teen who is facing daily, chronic bullying, I believe that has the potential to save a life.