Cyber Bullying

This is taken from my Tumblr... I posted it there but thought that the message should be put here as well. 

  Going through different fan tags these days I have found that some of them have become a rather unpleasant place to visit. I find this very frustrating on a couple of different levels. The main one being to begin we are all here for the same purpose. Or maybe not. I visit the tags to see new information, pictures, etc. I as most people do not come to see the drama that has become common place in so many tags.

When you hear people say that they have to scroll past the text posts because they do not want to read the negative comments it is depressing. I mean I used to love to read what people were saying now though what most people are saying has something to do with negativity towards others. Surely, a lot of people have noticed this. I have seen the words stalking. bullying, crazies, psycho, and so forth thrown out with such regularity that I have begun to wonder if people really do realize that their words have an impact on others. To purposely set out to hurt someone else is a terrible quality to have as a human being. Those words are the beginning of a nasty path that many people go down and can never get off of. To specifically set out to hurt someone just because something they said or did is not something you would have personally done is not okay. Sure disagree, we all have that right but to try and lay a verbal foundation that breeds contempt and hate is not something anyone should strive for.

Have people forgotten that there is such a thing as cyber bullying? Of course you haven't. Maybe it is just something that is ignored. It shouldn’t be though. Did you know that people have committed suicide over that very issue? Anyone remember Phoebe Prince, Megan Meier, or Ryan Halligan? These three kids took their own lives in part it is believed to be because of cyber bullying.

In order to make a difference you have to care. Being the one to take the steps to make a difference is what is important. So, often people say they won’t be the one to tear others down but when it comes to the actual moment of truth more often than not if their friends are doing it then so are they. Someone has to stand up and say "this isn’t okay" because the truth is it most certainly is not. This is the one time when standing up and not being part of the group can truly make a difference.

Words are weapons. They have been for as long as words have been around. You can use them for good and for evil. Depending on how you use them is what the most important aspect of a person is. Abraham Lincoln Good.. Adolf Hitler Bad.... Of course with both it can be said that their actions spoke volumes. I just hope that everyone realizes that what you put on a screen.. They aren't just words to some. Yes you need to think of that when you put something up. If you are joking or not there is a time and place for a joke.

"For me, words are a form of action, capable of influencing change." Ingrid Bengis. The other thing words are capable of is causing irreparable damage to others. Never should it be okay to cause this damage.

For more information on cyber bullying go to: http://www.stopcyberbullying.org

For more information on the stories of the people listed above go to: http://www.puresight.com/Real-Life-Stories/real-life-stories.html

or  http://www.meganmeierfoundation.org for Megan’s story.

This is not something that should ever be taken lightly or with a grain of salt. Don’t be the bully and don’t condone the bullies.