Cyber-Bullying

[cobdogred]

We live in a world full of technology, this can lead us down very different roads. *A lot of times we are on the road of peace and happiness but sometimes we take an unexpected detour down the road of cyber-bullying. *Cyber-bullying is when the internet, cell phones or other devices are used to send or post messages (or even pictures/video) intended to hurt or embarrass another person. *Cyber-bullying can even be as simple as continuing to send e-mails to someone that has said they don't want to talk anymore. *In the worst of cases, it may also include threats, sexual remarks, racist comments, ganging up on one person by ridiculing them in forums, and posting slanderous statements to embarrass or humiliate someone. *Cyber-bullies are not just teenagers, even kids as young as 7 have been accused of it.

Statistics show that 42% of kids have been cyber-bullied; One in four of them reported that they've been bullied more than once. *In the last two years alone bullycide has claimed the lives of four students in the same Ohio school district.

• Bullycide is a suicide motivated by the torment of bullies.

Suicide won't solve any problems, if you or someone you know is being bullied, find the nearest person in charge and tell them (for this website, that's The_Hokage or any of the moderators). *Don't be afraid to tell someone about it, you're not the only one being bullied and asking for help does not mean you're a wimp. *If you are feeling the pain of being bullied you need to tell someone immediately!

Cyber-bullying is no different than any other form of bullying, it is just as wrong as bullying someone in person. *Some of the people that can help you with bullies are your parents, a teacher, your school's principal, or a police officer.

Please don't become a bullycide statistic!

Here are some great resources to help with cyber-bullying:

• http://www.stopcyberbullying.org
• http://www.wiredsafety.com
• http://www.ncpc.org
• http://www.stopbullyingnow.com

*

I'd also like to take the time to allow anyone to come forward and tell their cyber-bully experiences (if you're comfortable with doing that). *Tell us if you've ever been bullied and what you did to solve the problem.

[TigerC10]

*stickied*

I think it's important for us to have this discussion with our peers.

The first time I was ever bullied was in 6th grade. *We had to change-out into different clothes for gym class. *In order to keep our clothing and other valuables secure, we'd put them in wireframe baskets on some shelves and put padlocks on them to prevent them from being taken out. *The baskets were numbered, so each basket had its own spot. *The coach had told us that someone was putting their basket in the wrong spot and that we needed to make sure we were only putting them in the correct places. *That next week, I found a kid putting his basket in my slot. *I asked him what he was doing, and he said he was putting his basket away. *I said to him, "right, but that's my spot." to which he replied, "what are you going to do about it?" *I walked up to him and said, "I'm not going to let you." *Then I pulled his basket out and put mine in and locked it up. *Later on, he walked up to me and shoved me against the lockers. *It was a long time ago, but I remember he was slinging the same insult at me over and over again - a couple of his friends were standing behind him like they were backing him up or something. *I turned around to a couple of my friends and said, "this guy needs a bigger vocabulary". *My friends didn't even see what was going on, they were busy talking about something else - so they didn't even know I was getting bullied at the time. *But the bell rang and we all left. *I told the coach about it, and he said, "well next time just change faster" - like it was my fault that this bully was taking my basket's slot. *I told my mom about what happened and she went to the school and talked with the guidance counselor and principal - needless to say the coach came back and apologized to me.

When I finally got into high school I remember the first month I was there I was wearing a nice uniform suit - dry clean only kind of thing. *Someone threw food at me in the cafeteria. *I never did see who did it, but it occurred to me that I didn't want to see anyone else get treated that way. *I spent the next few years standing up for people in my high school. *Any time I saw a kid getting made fun of, I would step in and stand up to the bullies. *With a group of friends and some very cool teachers, we stopped the bullying epidemic in my high school. *After my friends and I graduated, and the teachers left the school - the high school was hit with bullying problems again... *It was sad. *But it proves that you can make a difference. You have the power to change the hearts of people... *All you need is the courage to take action.

• "Smiles are the best way out of a difficult situation." - Sai*

My cousin is a tall kid. *In 7th grade he was as tall as I am now, and there was this little punk that would harass him and bully him at school. *It was surprising because the kid was so much smaller than my cousin. *Usually you think of bullies as being the biggest meanest kid around. *But this bully would shove my cousin and tell him to watch where he was going and other terrible things like that. *My cousin pulled the bully aside one day and said, "look, I'm not going to stand for this anymore. *I've never done anything mean to you, and I don't even think we've spoken to each other. *But if you keep bullying me, then we're just going to have to get some teachers and the principal as well as our parents involved. *If you don't want that to happen, then this has got to stop." *The kid left my cousin alone after that. *I was so proud of him!

I read this story... *And I come really close to crying. *Warning, this news article does discuss death so if you don't like to read that kind of stuff, don't.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...ocId=D9INNH880

I think the worst part is that these kids were bullied just for being themselves, and that even after their deaths the bullies still laugh at them...

What do you all think of the word "bully". *Is it embarrassing to think of yourself as being bullied? *Does the word "bully" sound like only little kids get bullied (like how the word babysitting might make you feel embarrassed if you're the one being taken care of)? *Personally I never liked the word babysitting because of the "baby" part, when I was a kid I didn't want to think of myself as a baby! *I personally thing that bullying is a word adults throw around for kids - and when it comes to themselves adults call it "harassment" because the word "bully" is too juvenile.

[naruto321]

I was actually bullied since Kindergarden. And now I am in the 11th grade. Its weird how people change. But I don't really talk to the people who bullied me. So now they try to be friends with me now. So That is what they get for bullying me.

*

So now I don't know what to do if I can be friends with them and act tough.

[TigerC10]

I know where you're coming from naruto321. *The kid that bullied me in 6th grade and shoved me up against the lockers decided he wanted to turn his life around in the 12th grade. *He joined a club that I was an officer for and I just despised it. *He went through a whole 12-step program too, and I remember on the step where he went around apologizing to everyone he had ever hurt - he skipped over me. *I told some friends of mine about what he did and how offended I was that he didn't apologize to me and that here he was joining the honorable club that I was one of the top officers for... *Well those friends asked him about it and he said he didn't even remember the fight he tried to start with me.

He came and spoke to me about it later (my friends idiotically went to the guy and told him what I said), and he talked about not remembering what he did - but he never did apologize for what he did. *What's worse is that he had the nerve to ask me if "we're cool", even turned it back on me, "I'll apologize if you want me to apologize". *It just bothered me to know that while I will remember it my whole life - he didn't even think about it. *Not once.

At the time I was upset by it. *But now, I just feel sorry for the guy. *He had bullied so many people during his life that he couldn't even remember all of the people he bullied. *What a sad existence. *Things between me and him won't ever be super-cool. *There isn't anything he could do that would make me want to hang out with him. *But I'm glad he decided to change his ways. *At least no one else has to be bullied by him.

[naruto321]

Wow, what a jerk

*

See that is something what I just said. Even though he doesn't remember he still apologized. MEaning now he wants to be your friend. And not accepting it which was the right choice. Because, why would someone have them as a friend and treated you like crap for so many years.

[TigerC10]

See that is something what I just said. Even though he doesn't remember he still apologized. MEaning now he wants to be your friend. And not accepting it which was the right choice. Because, why would someone have them as a friend and treated you like crap for so many years.

No, he never did apologize. *He asked if I wanted an apology but he phrased it in such a way that it was trying to make me look like the bad guy.

But I didn't ask for him to say sorry. *If he's really sorry, he would have just said so - I won't ask him to say sorry.

[naruto321]

Then if he actually had the balls to apologize to you then I would probably take it and just forget about things. But I wouldn't be his friend at all though.

[ShiroTonzura]

Because in person I'm relatively antisocial (due to anxiety) and I'm extremely retentive and contemplative to the point of withdrawn I was always ridiculed for being different. Until eighth grade where I stood up for myself. From then on I've always stood up for those being bullied or chastised and have never again let anyone mock me or anyone else for being different. Unique is a gift and the spice of life after all. I think we all have some experience with this that not only makes us stronger people but better people for it. And I personally contribute each said experience like that to part of the reason I became nin. To reduce if not wipe out all discrimination so that everyone can coincide relatively peacefully.

*

Side note: I was never a bully but I did become very defensive leading up to said change, since then I've done all in my power to atone for those misdeeds. Everyone's flawed right? We're only human but it's through learning from our mistakes we grow and become better.

[cobdogred]

He was probably still mad that you turned him in.

[TigerC10]

Great outlook,*ShiroTonzura. *I'm right there with ya'.