So now it's "Kick A Ginger" day. Because I have been reading the articles in the Globe, the Vancouver Sun, and looking at other comments pages, I am saddened to see that a group of people who are defined by their hair colour are being targeted for violence. Some say that the media is to be blammed, so bann SOuth PArk and other such programs. Others say that cartoons like SOuth PArk are designed to teach us moral lessons. At the end of the day, I end up asking myself, "What needs to happen in the world so that we don't have to hear that kids have had to defend themsleves because someone thought it was a joke to "kick a ginger"? What needs to happen in the world to be sure that we never hear about people who were unable to distinguish between a "joke" and a criminal act of assualt or violence against another?" How do we get to the place where people know the difference between right and wrong and do the right thing,even when no one is watching?
Yesterday, one of our local News Stations contacted me to do a bit of a commentary on a good story about two brothers. It seems that one of the brothers, the older one, is a boy with special needs, and he was often targeted by students in his class and his school. Teased. Mean, unfreindly, unwelcoming behaviour directed toweards him from others. Well his younger brother decided that this year, instead of doing his public speaking on skateboarding, he was going to do his talk on his brother. This younger brother delivered an emotional, pogniant talk about the great things about his older brother, his challenges, and how hard it is when others don't accept him. Apparently, the talk brought tears to the eyes of his classmates and teachers. Younger brother was asked to deleiver the same speech to his brother's class, and guess what? It had exactly the same effect. The kids understood their classmate in a different way. They became more understanding; kinder. The bullying and targeting slowed WAY down.So I begin to answer the question that I asked yesterday? How do we make changes? Part of the answer, at least, is that we need to get personal about what is going on for us. We need to share our stories and help others understand, at an emotional level, what goes on for those we love and how life can be tough. What do you think? That's only the beginning!
Today, the trial of Lori Drew was closed, with a mistrial being declared. You remember Lori Drew? She was the mom who allegedly set upa fake "14 year old boy" identitiy on MySpace and started conencting with Megan Meiers, a 14 year old girl, who fell completely for this boy "Josh". Ms. Drew allagedly set up this conversation because she was upset at what Megan may or may not have been saying about her own daughter. Megan committed suicide when "Josh", her online boyfreind, recanted his love for her and told her that the world would be a better place with out her. Megan proceeded to make that wish a reality and hung herself in her closet. Her mom found her there, dead.
Lori was never actually charged with murder, rather she was indicted under the federal Computer Use and Fraud Act. Part of the reason for this was because, at the time, Missouri had no state law against cyber harrassment. They do now.
Instead, Federal prosecutors claimed jurisdiction under MySpace,located in Beverley Hills, claiming that Ms. Lori Drew was guilty of violating the agreement thorugh MySpace which states there should be no harrassment or identity fraud. Instead, Drew was chaged with 3 lesser misdemenors. Megan Meier's mother sat in the court room and listened to the verdit. How hard must that have been.
The good news, if there is any, is that this case was the first national case of Cyberbullying in the United States, and we can be sure that there will be more law developed around this challegeing phenomenon. Sadly, it has come at the cost of a youg girl's life. Your comments are welcome.
3 comments:
So now it's "Kick A Ginger" day. Because I have been reading the articles in the Globe, the Vancouver Sun, and looking at other comments pages, I am saddened to see that a group of people who are defined by their hair colour are being targeted for violence. Some say that the media is to be blammed, so bann SOuth PArk and other such programs. Others say that cartoons like SOuth PArk are designed to teach us moral lessons.
At the end of the day, I end up asking myself, "What needs to happen in the world so that we don't have to hear that kids have had to defend themsleves because someone thought it was a joke to "kick a ginger"? What needs to happen in the world to be sure that we never hear about people who were unable to distinguish between a "joke" and a criminal act of assualt or violence against another?" How do we get to the place where people know the difference between right and wrong and do the right thing,even when no one is watching?
I welcome your responses.
Cindi Seddon
Bully B'ware Productions Inc.
Yesterday, one of our local News Stations contacted me to do a bit of a commentary on a good story about two brothers. It seems that one of the brothers, the older one, is a boy with special needs, and he was often targeted by students in his class and his school. Teased. Mean, unfreindly, unwelcoming behaviour directed toweards him from others. Well his younger brother decided that this year, instead of doing his public speaking on skateboarding, he was going to do his talk on his brother. This younger brother delivered an emotional, pogniant talk about the great things about his older brother, his challenges, and how hard it is when others don't accept him. Apparently, the talk brought tears to the eyes of his classmates and teachers. Younger brother was asked to deleiver the same speech to his brother's class, and guess what? It had exactly the same effect. The kids understood their classmate in a different way. They became more understanding; kinder. The bullying and targeting slowed WAY down.So I begin to answer the question that I asked yesterday? How do we make changes? Part of the answer, at least, is that we need to get personal about what is going on for us. We need to share our stories and help others understand, at an emotional level, what goes on for those we love and how life can be tough. What do you think? That's only the beginning!
I welcome your comments.
Today, the trial of Lori Drew was closed, with a mistrial being declared. You remember Lori Drew? She was the mom who allegedly set upa fake "14 year old boy" identitiy on MySpace and started conencting with Megan Meiers, a 14 year old girl, who fell completely for this boy "Josh". Ms. Drew allagedly set up this conversation because she was upset at what Megan may or may not have been saying about her own daughter. Megan committed suicide when "Josh", her online boyfreind, recanted his love for her and told her that the world would be a better place with out her. Megan proceeded to make that wish a reality and hung herself in her closet. Her mom found her there, dead.
Lori was never actually charged with murder, rather she was indicted under the federal Computer Use and Fraud Act. Part of the reason for this was because, at the time, Missouri had no state law against cyber harrassment. They do now.
Instead, Federal prosecutors claimed jurisdiction under MySpace,located in Beverley Hills, claiming that Ms. Lori Drew was guilty of violating the agreement thorugh MySpace which states there should be no harrassment or identity fraud. Instead, Drew was chaged with 3 lesser misdemenors. Megan Meier's mother sat in the court room and listened to the verdit. How hard must that have been.
The good news, if there is any, is that this case was the first national case of Cyberbullying in the United States, and we can be sure that there will be more law developed around this challegeing phenomenon. Sadly, it has come at the cost of a youg girl's life. Your comments are welcome.
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