Charlie Blondell
STOP
We all know that one kid. The kid who, by choice or by
chance, wears old, off-brand sneakers, ripped jeans, a t-shirt that doesn’t
fit, and broken glasses. His backpack is from K-Mart. He doesn’t use deodorant.
He doesn’t speak much. When he does, it is because someone has spoken to him,
or he is talking to himself. His acne medication must not be working. His teeth
resemble those of a rabbit. His eyes are so beady you could put them on a teddy
bear. Geek. Nerd. Loser. Weirdo. Sure, these names might fit him in the mind of
any average teenager. And why shouldn’t they? That’s what everyone is calling
him, right? Join the crowd. Fit in. Be popular. That’s what matters most. Or is
it?
Hate to break it to you. Being “cool” in elementary school,
middle school, or even high school, means nothing. Take your self-made
reputation and throw it out the window. Trust me, I know how important it may
be in one’s mind. You will eventually realize how little significance it
actually holds in your life, though. With all of that being said, to pick on
someone just to be a part of the crowd, or use that as an excuse, is completely
ignorant and unacceptable.
For starters, odds are you barely know this boy. You know
what he looks like, and under some circumstances, maybe how he smells. However,
you don’t know why he owns the clothes that he does. You don’t know why his
shoes are not Nike. You don’t know why his backpack is three years old. So, what
gives YOU the right the judge him at all?
Again, hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you do NOT
have that right. There are hundreds of reasons why he might look and act the
way that he does. His home situation isn’t great. His father recently got laid
off. His family is budgeting their money for personal reasons. He may even
choose to dress this way and barely speak a word because he refuses to buy into
the social dichotomy that kids and adolescents have created throughout
America’s education facilities. The system that has brainwashed millions of
kids into wearing “cool” clothes and into believing that being overly social
and brought into the “in-crowd” is what is needed to survive. So what happens
to those who don’t make the cut? They are the victims of an epidemic in our
nation: Bullying.
Bullying is, by definition, using superior strength or
influence to intimidate someone, typically to force another to do what one
wants. I think there are some loop holes in this definition. The crime can be
committed, I believe, without the intent to get something tangible out of it,
or to get the poor fellow to do something they desire. That the incentive may
only be to put the person down, ruin his self-confidence. If that is your
desire, then you must have a truly hateful spirit. In my opinion, most bullies
do not victimize others because they intend to hurt, or because they believe
their prey can get them something they need. I believe that the root of
bullying lies under the covers of the bully themselves. When someone picks on
someone else, I do not think it is usually a decisive attack. Because their own
self confidence is so low, they must put someone down in order to rise above
them, because their need for self-worth must be fulfilled. In the process, yes
they do hurt the other person, but it is not their main goal. The victim is
simply used as a scapegoat for the bully to feel better about themselves. The
bully doesn’t take into account how the “dweeb” might be affected. It’s almost
like war. A mighty soldier (the bully) takes down a weaker one (the victim) in
order to gain territory (self-confidence) for their own country (desire to be
on top). Is war ever really justified, though? Is killing human beings ever the
only answer? Just as if one asked this question with bullying, “No” will always
be the answer in my book.
What does bullying lead to? Walking through the door in
tears. Hugs with one’s mother while she repeats “It will be okay. Everything
will be alright.” Countless nights, staring at the ceiling with sleep out of
the question. Thoughts of “Maybe they’re right. Maybe no one would miss me. It
would all go away. No one would hurt me then” cycling through one’s mind. This
was the story of 17 year old, Tyler Long. In the documentary Bully, the tragedy
of the late young man was unveiled through descriptions and details by his
parents. Year after year of being unaccepted (to the standards of his
classmates), Tyler had had enough. He had to put a stop to it. But not to them.
They won. They got the best of this boy, and he took the fall in the end. These
bullies killed Tyler.
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among
teenagers. According to the Youth Risk Behavior surveillance system, 2.6% of
students reported making a suicide attempt that required medical assistance.
About your class size. Probably between 500 to 700 students. If this statistic
stays true, between 15 and 21 kids theoretically have tried to kill themselves.
Homicide and overdose are behind this act of taking one’s OWN life. In this
scenario, they don’t need drugs or someone else to do it. They’ll just follow
through themselves.
This tragedy is not only in the top 2 causes of death for
ages 15 to 24, but it is the number 1 most preventable cause. This massacre of
teenagers could virtually be taken out of the equation of deaths among this age
group. It could be ended. Right here. Right now. But that starts with you. You
have to be the one to take a stand and promise yourself and your fellow peer
that you WILL think about what you say BEFORE you say it. By simply not telling
that one kid that he needs to get some new glasses or fix his oversized ears,
you could possibly be saving his life. Think about what you COULD do by simply,
not.
Bully (2011) directed
by Lee Hirsch
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