Monday, March 29, 2010

Miscellany: 3/29/10

First, We Barely Knew Megan Meier;
Next, We Hardly Knew Phoebe Prince

15-year-old Irish Immigrant Phoebe Prince
Victim of Statutory Rape and Bullying
Suicide, South Hadley, MA 1/14/10
Rest in Peace, Sweet Angel Girl

Remember the case of Megan Meier? The sweet 13-year-old young lady become the target of a hoax perpetrated by the mother of a former friend; the mother, Lori Drew, invented a character, Josh Evans, whom befriended Megan, exchanging messages daily, building a rapport over better than a month (the private information gained from Megan would later be circulated to humiliate her)--when Josh abruptly ended his relationship with Megan, over things he heard about Megan's cruelty to others (i.e., allegedly spreading gossip about Drew's daughter): "Everybody in O'Fallon knows how you are. You are a bad person and everybody hates you. Have a shitty rest of your life. The world would be a better place without you." Twenty minutes later, Megan ended her life, after having replied: "You’re the kind of boy a girl would kill herself over." Cyberbullying is just one form of bullying, and we need to ensure that public awareness and policy reflects our goal of more respectful, safe learning and social environment for young men and women.

I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult it must have been for a young Irish immigrant girl like Phoebe Prince to fit in, starting a new life away from her lifelong friends and native country and culture. Phoebe, a South Hadley High School freshman, drew the attention of the Mean Girls for "not knowing her place" in briefly dating a senior football player. Those girls and their male allies engaged in nonstop physical abuse and harassment (even by cellphone at home and cyberbullying, on Twitter, Facebook, Craigslist, and Formspring), ethnic and other slurs ("Irish slut" and "whore"), stalking, and intimidation. The final straw was when one of the Mean Girls pulled up in a car next to Phoebe walking home, throwing a Red Bull (energy drink) can at her and calling her names. Like Megan, Phoebe hung herself (in a stairwell). What's particularly heartless over what these young people did, over and beyond torturing her living years, was what they did after her passing: intruding on her Facebook memorial page, publishing snide comments.

Nine teens were charged today (including 2 males with statutory rape) by Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel. Ms. Scheibel also disturbingly noted that school administrators were aware of the abusive conduct and did nothing to stop it. Kudos to the Massachusetts legislature and Governor Deval Patrick for recently taking a long-overdue first step in mandating an anti-bullying program and related reporting requirements for high school administrators.

I do not know what to tell the grieving Prince family, which laid Phoebe to rest on her native soil, or the people of Ireland and other countries, whom have sent us their sons and daughters in good faith. This unconscionable behavior does not reflect our founding ideals and culture, the original melting pot which celebrates the America of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I regret that Phoebe never got to know the silent majority whom celebrate her all too brief life and mourn her untimely passing, that she was never alone, that she had the honor, respect, and support of all those whose opinions really matter.

What happened to these young ladies is unforgivable and unforgettable; the world is a slightly uglier place for the tragic loss of two promising, beautiful young women. Tomorrow it could be our own sister, daughter or niece.

Bonus Video: Billy Joel's "You're Only Human (Second Wind)"
Let's prevent teenage suicide....

The Civility Project

I encourage all readers of this post to visit the Civility Project website and affirm the following:

Take the Civility Pledge

will be civil in my public discourse and behavior.
will be respectful of others whether or not I agree with them.
will stand against incivility when I see it.

Political Cartoon

Mike Lester knows that President Obama must be pleased at ObamaCare's condescending endorsement from the Communist dictator of Cuba. (Next thing you know, he'll endorse Obama's economic policy.) You have wonder why people have literally died trying to leave this health resort and worker's paradise for an America without ObamaCare.

Quote of the Day

The two terrors that discourage originality and creative living are fear of public opinion and undue reverence for one's own consistency.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Musical Interlude: BJ Thomas Songs

"The Eyes of a New York Woman" (dedicated to my first girlfriend, whom was from NY)