Sticks, Stones, and Words -- Bullying and Suicide

Today I want to talk about something serious and not related to writing.

Bullying and suicide.

We've all heard the phrase "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Most of us know -- some more than others -- that the saying might be true for physical pain, but words can hurt emotionally.

Bullying is a very serious issue. Just last week I heard of another case of a teenager committing suicide because of bullying. The girl had been raped and the guy that did it made fun of her and blamed her for getting into trouble. Another day, a friend of mine told me a story about a girl she knew that was being bullied for turning in a bunch of kids that had come to school drunk. Both of these cases were extremely close to home for me. After I watched the Glee episode, Never Been Kissed, I knew I had to write about it.

Bullying should not be taken lightly. We're all human beings and tearing each other down is disgusting. But what's more disgusting than bullying is watching it happen and doing nothing or even joining in because it seems like the "cool" thing to do. There is nothing less cool than making someone else's life miserable because it somehow makes you feel better.

If you are thinking about committing suicide or know someone that is, get help. Find someone to talk to. You are not alone, not by a long shot.

And remember what Eleanor Roosevelt said. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

Danah Boyd blogged about bullying this week in a way that I'd never thought of before. I'm having a serious light bulb moment right now.

This is one of my favorite songs and music videos of all time. Don't Laugh at Me by Mark Wills.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Week in Short

Hamilton

To All the Bookstores I've Loved Before