Tyler Clementi’s suicide sends a message far beyond the campus of Rutgers University. His death, tinged with anti-gay bias, sheds light on a number of similar tragedies in other schools: kids harassed to the point where they end up taking their own lives. The psychological impact of harassment is traumatic, regardless of who is targeted. It is also compounded by the inaction of those around the victims, and the feeling of isolation that accompanies their inability to find support in their peers.

There’s no question that the people who are actively involved in harassment deserve punishment. The two students involved in harassing Clementi over his sexuality have been charged accordingly and could face a prison sentence in excess of five years for their actions. Nevertheless, responsibility lies also with the students who chose to watch the video of Clementi, and the university officials who stood by idly and did nothing. Although they are exempt from legal liability, they are still morally responsible for Clementi’s death.

The current culture is too tolerant of people who go out of their way to add hardship to the lives of others. The problem is not that people are bullying and harassing others; that problem has always been in schools and society as a whole. Rather, the problem lies in the fact that the vast majority of people will not step in to do something to end the harassment. The fact that mistreatment of others has been so trivialized only leads to more inaction.

It may seem alarmist to think that harassment of others – something that happens very often – will lead to suicide. We’ve seen, however, five suicides in a single week due to anti-gay harassment. The routine insults and arguments are anything but trivial if the consequences are so grave. Psychotherapist Mike Dow told CNN in an online article that “the lack of acceptance is cumulative, [and] eventually, these little hurts can even lead to suicide.”

Instead of being indifferent to things that are obviously wrong, people should be able to stand up and take action for what they think is right. Joel Burns, a Fort Worth city councilman, risked his political career and personal integrity to deliver a 13-minute speech on the recent suicides. Unlike most politicians, who are willing to put aside their beliefs to preserve their political tenure, Burns stood before the Fort Worth City Council and called attention to an issue affecting so many people. We shouldn’t need another reminder to act; the safety of the people around us should be enough of a cause.