Anti-Bullying Message at the Beach
@DeborahDiane (40321)
Laguna Woods, California
April 27, 2016 10:54pm CST
Today, an anti-bullying group put up a moving exhibit on the Laguna Beach plaza. All those little cardboard "people" represent children who have committed suicide as a result of bullying. The faces are actual photographs of children who committed suicide.
The large sign in the back of the picture says "How Many More Children Do We Need to Lose to Bullying Until We Wake Up?
The people who created the demonstration are a group that provides anti-bullying education. A couple of young men came up to my friend and me and talked about their demonstration. They told us we could learn more at LearnToStopBullying. com.
I told them I would give them whatever publicity I could, because I think this is such a scary situation. One young man said that kids as young as 9 years old have committed suicide because of cyber bullying.
That is such a tragedy.
If you have children, you owe it to them to discuss bullying and cyber bullying with them ... and teach them how to block people on the internet who write disturbing or offensive things. No one needs to put up with mean people, especially ones on the internet.
19 people like this
16 responses
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
28 Apr 16
I agree that we cannot do enough to get this message across. There are so many kids suffering out there.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (51392)
• Canada
28 Apr 16
@DeborahDiane Its just so heightened because of the demand to have information so quickly that their little minds cannot process that plus the emotions. There have always been bullies, but the way that they go about it today is disgusting.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
28 Apr 16
@Juliaacv We had "slam books" in junior high. Teachers took them away whenever they saw them, and those who wrote hateful comments were suspended. Cannot do that with cell phones, the parents would get angry.
3 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
29 Apr 16
@AnneEJ - Even if this only saves a few lives, I think it will be worthwhile.
2 people like this
@AnneEJ (4917)
• Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Quebec
29 Apr 16
@DeborahDiane That is true
1 person likes this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
29 Apr 16
@DeborahDiane
It is terrible to even think about,how sad we lose them so young.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
30 Apr 16
@Marcyaz - Yes, that is so sad that it could happen. It's terrible.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
29 Apr 16
@Marcyaz - I agree that seeing all these little faces was unbearably sad. I could not believe so many kids have killed themselves because of bullying.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
28 Apr 16
There is a great short term solution to cyber bullying. Take away the electronics until the problem is resolved. If kids do not see the horrid comments, they cannot be bullied by them. But this would require parents to pay attention to their kids.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
29 Apr 16
@ElizabethWallace - If it were just the cell phones, that would probably be easy. But today, kids do their homework on computers and they can see all this stuff on the computers, too. Parents would have to sit with their kids all the time when they do their homework. I don't see that happening ... not in every single family.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
29 Apr 16
@DeborahDiane True, but even on computers, the nasty comments do not appear by magic. Filters can be installed, so the parent does not have to sit there all the time. It's a struggle to be a parent now, but it's just part of the deal.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
30 Apr 16
@ElizabethWallace - I'm sure there are controls, but I don't know of any parents who even try to do that with teens ... who are so much more technologically advanced than they are and can undo filters and get around them when they want.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
30 Apr 16
Yes, this is a message that people need to take into their hearts.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
29 Apr 16
@JudyEv - Yes, it was a very moving exhibit ... and so sad!
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63643)
• United States
4 Jun 16
@DeborahDiane I had reached the point a few years before that I either had to change or kill myself, and 47 years ago, that wasn't quite the option that it seems to be for these kids. I still have my introverted issues, but I'm not so afraid to stand up for myself anymore.
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
4 Jun 16
@ElicBxn - That was very brave of you and a great way to put a bully in his place!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
29 Apr 16
@jaboUK - Yes, bullying has gone to a much higher level and it is very frightening.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
28 Apr 16
jest heart-breakin', aint it? there's been bullies 'round fer centuries, but with the invention'f smart phones 'n most all young'uns havin' all those fancy gadgets, they're 'xposed to such 24/7 :(
personally, i think there ought to be a hotline where what's bein' hatefully written by folks can be reported anonymously 'n the culprits hunted down via their i.p. address 'n dealt with swiftly.
i don't envy anybody raisin' young'uns these days!
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
29 Apr 16
@crazyhorseladycx - I agree that the idea of a hotline people could call to report cyber bullies would be a great idea!
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
4 May 16
How tragic that kids have to deal with that. Nine is terribly young to be on the internet, it seems to me. Cyber bullying is such a widespread practice among kids.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
5 May 16
I agree that it is tragic that children have to deal with cyber-bullying. I also agree that nine is awfully young for children to be using the internet without close parental supervision.
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
29 Apr 16
Yes, I feel sorry that a child so young would kill themselves. I hope the bullying can be stopped, too.
1 person likes this
@sathviksouvik (19703)
•
3 May 16
It is a very good effort. Children should not be bullied against. Unless they can get freedom in the beach, they will never venture there.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
5 May 16
I agree that children should never be bullied. It is so sad!
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
29 Apr 16
@Skrysekh - That may work with physical bullies, but it is harder with cyber bullies ... some of whom you may never meet. In those cases, kids need to learn to disconnect.
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
30 Apr 16
@Skrysekh - I agree. We all need to teach our children how to ignore these evil people.
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Mar 18
@Hannihar - I'm glad there are people who try to stop bullies, too. It is so sad that some people feel they have to bully others. There is something wrong with them.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
9 Mar 18
@Hannihar - Being a bully is actually a type of mental illness. I wish they required bullies to go to therapy when they were children. It could avoid a lot of problems later in life, for them and everyone else.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
8 Mar 18
@DeborahDiane
You are right on that Deborah-Diane, that there is something wrong with them. I believe they do not see it. It is sad that they have find someone and that they think it is ok to do what they do to the person.
1 person likes this
@jillybean1222 (6407)
•
28 Apr 16
it's so sad. people don't think about the consequences that their treatment of others can have. and kids just think it won't get better. i feel so sad for them
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40321)
• Laguna Woods, California
29 Apr 16
@jillybean1222 - I agree. Kids are so short-sighted. They just don't realize that things will get better.
