My open thread topic question will be about something that most people know about all too well; bullying. I have been following a case about a teenage student from Rutgers University, Tyler Clementi, who jumped off the Ben Franklin bridge in 2010 after his room mate hid a web cam and video tapped him having an intimate relationship with another gay man.
I followed this case from day one because I was working the day the student jumped off the bridge, and I was around the corner from the Ben Franklin bridge in Philadelphia when the police shut the bridge down causing all kinds of crazy traffic. When I turned the radio on and found out what had happened I was shocked to find that a kid jumped from the bridge and now the search was on to find him in the Delaware River.
Less than a month after the suicide, President Obama released a videotaped message condemning bullying, and In November, Clementi's family consented to the use of his name on federal anti-harassment legislation called the "Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act," this law would require schools that receive federal student aid "to create policies prohibiting the harassment of any student.
The open question I have is what would you do if you noticed someone being bullied? Would you go get help? Would you engage in the bullying yourself? How would you make a difference?
Everyday there are children who are treated so wrongfully, it does not matter your age, gender, sexual orientation, or race, everyone at one point in their life was bullied. You can ALL make a difference in one person's life just by talking to them, be sociable with everyone, smile at people in the hallway or even hold the door open for someone who is struggling with a ton of books.
I will not stand for bullying, I will befriend anyone and anyone who is willing to listen to me, and I hope everyone in this world can help to be the change they wish to see in this world!
There are so many outlets for helping to spot and stop bullying, but to hold it all in and not tell anyone is the worst thing you can possibly do. Tell an adult, tell a friend, tell your priest, tell who ever you are comfortable with, and there are also many support groups associated with helping to aid those who were bullied.
I want to live in a world where I am not afraid to speak my mind, dress how I want, listen to whatever music interests me, or date who ever I want, I will NOT let ANYONE stop me, nor make me feel inferior.
:)
Here are some links about bullying and how you can help!
Bully Free Zone
Bullying Facts
HopeLine
After going through hell from grades 1st-12th, I can honestly say I would definitely help people. No one deserves it.
ReplyDeleteNow that I'm an adult, I'd say of course I would stop the bullying. I can't imagine why people our age think it's okay to do it after all the education we received about bullying growing up and how much we hear about it on the news today. If I was ten years younger, I would probably not stop the bullying but I wouldn't join in either...depending on who it was. If it was a friend or a sibling, I know I would have stepped in. I think it takes a lot of courage at a young age to stand up to bullies and I give any child credit who has. It is a shame people are so mean.
ReplyDeleteI hope that I would step in and stop it. Bullying is messed up.
ReplyDeleteI was bullied. I became so down myself that it led to depression and a low self-esteem. I admit in order to feel "ok" I made fun of people right back. Until I hit high school. When I hit high school it became worse. I ended up in counseling, than group counseling after my dad died. It got to the extreme that a "friend" told me I wold be better off dead. I debated it until I realized I was put here for a reason. I have my life for a reason. I am now an advocate for the campaign to Write love on Her Arms, and going to school to become a counselor. I want people to know bullying isn't right, life experiences happen and you are who you are for a reason. Taking your own life is never the answer. Because do infact wonder "why? what would I have done differently." I've been on all sides of this subject, the thinker, the sad to say do-er, the one who sat at the funeral of a loved one, and now I'm the helper.
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