Bullying and teen suicides

[goddess_nemesis]

There's a thread about an 18-year-old Rutgers student, Tyler Clementi, who committed suicide after his roommate outed him on the Internet by filming his gay sexual encounter live on the internet.

In the month of September he was one of four teens who committed suicide after being bullied because of their sexual orientation: Billy Lucas (15), Asher Brown (13), and Seth Walsh (13). In Minnesota, one school district had three gay teenagers commit suicide within one year.

Something needs to be done. Parents need to be teaching their kids to be tolerant and that bullying is wrong. Schools need to heed complaints by students who are being bullied. It's hard enough to be a teenager in today's world and trying to figure out who you are. It gets even harder when you're being bullied constantly for being different and in these cases, for being gay.

"One death lost in this senseless way is tragic. Four is a crisis." ~ Ellen DeGeneres

 

[General Zod]

If anyone wants to know what I think should be done about bullies,please PM me.

 

[SlaverTickler]

If anyone wants to know what I think should be done about bullies,please PM me.

I'm not sure, but I think it would involve some rope, a highway, and a automobile going "88 MILES PER HOUR!!".

 

[Doubledutch]

It's going to take time to change the culture, and that means more than just implementing zero tolerance policies.

 

[SlaverTickler]

Depression is a horrible thing. I went to a predominantly white Catholic school in Ontario Canada. Back then I was a pretty quite kid, and was bullied into the grown, I still fell the effects on my self esteem today. If hand guns were legal, and my folks had owned one back then, I probably wouldn't be here today. I was roughed up in the school yard, had girls pretend to like me only to make fun of me later, and had somebody I thought I could trust betray me for popularity's sake. So unlike some, I have an idea of what these kids went through. Even if I had been the annoying (but lovable) prick I am now I wouldn't have deserved the abuse I had taken then

Just think, these people were basically "my own kind", so race, religion, colour or even sexual orientation has little to do with it. Just being a little bit different is all you need to be the target of these scum bags.

 

[badreligion]

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[SlaverTickler]

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Based on this video, I would guess they probably didn't handle it the right way.

Just to give you and idea on how bad it really is, I simply did a search for "the school slut" and this is what cam up on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+School+Slut&aq=f

 

[Driver Ed]

Talk of legislation with regards to bullying is scary at best. How do you define "bully?" The way I've always understood the term, there had to be physical violence involved, or at very least, the threat of it.

But now days, especially here on the Internet, the term is grossly misused to describe what is nothing more than teasing.

Where do you draw the legal line between bullying and teasing?

 

[General Zod]

Talk of legislation with regards to bullying is scary at best. How do you define "bully?" The way I've always understood the term, there had to be physical violence involved, or at very least, the threat of it.

But now days, especially here on the Internet, the term is grossly misused to describe what is nothing more than teasing.

Where do you draw the legal line between bullying and teasing?

To me teasing is between friends.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

perhaps using the same terms harrasment would fall under? Repeated negative actions. Granted, the person in question would have to tell the bullies to stop first before anything was done, mind you. Just an idea.

 

[General Zod]

perhaps using the same terms harrasment would fall under? Repeated negative actions. Granted, the person in question would have to tell the bullies to stop first before anything was done, mind you. Just an idea.

How many times does that work? Not asking that to harrass you .

Like when I was growing up,older kids would just take something of mind. It was just a joke they would say.

Stealing is not a joke.

 

[goddess_nemesis]

perhaps using the same terms harrasment would fall under? Repeated negative actions. Granted, the person in question would have to tell the bullies to stop first before anything was done, mind you. Just an idea.

How is work place harassment handled? Does the harassed have to tell the harasser to stop first before reporting the harassment?

 

[Cosmo_ac]

How is work place harassment handled? Does the harassed have to tell the harasser to stop first before reporting the harassment?

Generally speaking, yes. Essentially you have to tell the person to stop or what they are doing is making you feel uncomfortable. Once you've done that, you've made them aware of how their actions make you feel. At that point, if they continue, you can address your boss and tell them that you have talked to them about it before. It's also good to have a witness present so they can back up that you indeed said something to them.

How many times does that work? Not asking that to harrass you .

Like when I was growing up,older kids would just take something of mind. It was just a joke they would say.

Stealing is not a joke.

I agree that some cases are more open and shut then others. Still, by telling them not to do it anymore, it more or less covers your own ass in that you've told them not to repeat the behaviour.

 

[Driver Ed]

So, what you are in essence saying is that the world should be moderated.

 

[NonConRon]

I went to a predominantly white Catholic school in Ontario Canada. Back then I was a pretty quite kid, and was bullied into the grown, I still fell the effects on my self esteem today. If hand guns were legal, and my folks had owned one back then, I probably wouldn't be here today. I was roughed up in the school yard, had girls pretend to like me only to make fun of me later, and had somebody I thought I could trust betray me for popularity's sake.

This explains a lot.
Like why Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold are your heroes.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

So, what you are in essence saying is that the world should be moderated.

Children and other people have the right to live their lives without harrasment.

 

[Driver Ed]

Children and other people have the right to live their lives without harrasment.

Since when? Where are you getting this information?

 

[Cosmo_ac]

Since when? Where are you getting this information?

http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/H/Harassment.aspx

http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/C/CriminalHarassment.aspx

Criminal Harassment definition:Unsolicited annoying, alarming or abusive conduct or words which are threatening.

The 2008 General Laws of Massachussetts defines criminal harassment at Chapter 265, §43A as follows:

"Whoever willfully and maliciously engages in a knowing pattern of conduct or series of acts over a period of time directed at a specific person, which seriously alarms that person and would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, shall be guilty of the crime of criminal harassment....

"Such conduct or acts ...shall include, but not be limited to, conduct or acts conducted by mail or by use of a telephonic or telecommunication device including, but not limited to, electronic mail, internet communications or facsimile communications."

 

[Driver Ed]

I know what criminal harassment is. None of this answers the question I asked you. From what source do you derive that everybody has a right not to be harassed? Maybe it's in Canada's Bill of Rights? It's definitely not in America's.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

It is in our human rights code, i believe. That asside though, i wasn't speaking so much literally about "Right". Simply stating that people should be able to live their lives free of harrasment. Do you feel differently?

 

[Driver Ed]

I do. While I agree that people shouldn't have to live in fear of violence, I think it's way too much to expect never to hear things that offend or annoy you.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

I do. While I agree that people shouldn't have to live in fear of violence, I think it's way too much to expect never to hear things that offend or annoy you.

Bullying usually tends to fall into repeated behaviour, as oposed to the occasional action. Do you feel that repeated verble abuse is acceptable?

 

[Driver Ed]

I believe in freedom of speech, yes. Listen to any political commentary and you'll hear some serious "verbal abuse." It's all legal and sanctioned.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

I believe in freedom of speech, yes. Listen to any political commentary and you'll hear some serious "verbal abuse." It's all legal and sanctioned.

First, freedoms only extend so far. Hence why there are harrassment laws. However, it's good to know where you stand and that you support verble abuse of people.

Second, we're not really talking about politics, we're talking mainly about teenagers. Big difference.

Third, i'm not exactly sure where the legal standing on what your talking about is. Sometimes what a politician says can be construed as slander. I'm not sure where that line is drawn on public officials and celebrities though.

 

[Driver Ed]

First, freedoms only extend so far. Hence why there are harrassment laws. However, it's good to know where you stand and that you support verble abuse of people.

I support freedom of speech and make no apologies for it. If somebody doesn't like what you have to say, they are free to disregard it.

Second, we're not really talking about politics, we're talking mainly about teenagers. Big difference.

My apologies. I thought we were talking about laws that would apply to everybody equally. Normally, that's a given.

Third, i'm not exactly sure where the legal standing on what your talking about is. Sometimes what a politician says can be construed as slander. I'm not sure where that line is drawn on public officials and celebrities though.

Wherever that line is drawn, it's definitely far away from your definitions of harassment.