Thursday, April 1, 2010

Phoebe Prince



I kept seeing her face online but didn't read the article until today. Phoebe Prince is the 15 year old Irish native who hung herself in a closet after being bullied by her peers at school. When I hear of suicides I can empathize with the suicide victim. I don't always think of suicide as a victim creating circumstance but for the most part it is. I mean a person who willingly will forsake their own life and go against their natural instinct for self preservation is a victim of some illness, melancholy or ailment in a way.

So it is reported, Phoebe moved from Ireland to Massachusetts with her family. She started at a new school and began to date one boy briefly and the another briefly. Shortly after these brief relationships a Bullying campaign began against Phoebe.
It is reported both her exes, her exes girlfriends and some other girls called her "Irish Slut", "Irish Whore", sent malicious texts and Facebook messages. By all accounts, Phoebe was under attack. According to Boston.com even after Phoebe's death the bullies attended school bad mouthing her, they slammed her on Facebook and even at a dance held 2 days after she passed.

I have been bullied and bullied as a kid. Some of it I can't believe we got away with. And some of it I can't believe was done to me. Even now in adult hood I deal with Corporate bullying and mobbing. Basically, in laymen terms, people tend to get a "Lord of the Flies" mentality when in groups. I can understand how a person can reach a point of thinking about ending it all but I just can't find a real purpose for doing it. It doesn't make a good enough point, as these bullies show, they could care less they drove a girl to kill herself. Alternatively, they chose wisely, as they selected a person who destructs inward rather than out word as we have seen in recent decades, school shootings are often chosen by the outcast.

It all saddens me. The fact that people would go so far as to abuse, molest, accost, or dehumanize another human being in this "free" North American world. The fact that bullying is allowed to escalate in what are supposed to be "safe"environments like school, organizations and workplaces. The fact that a girl could take her life and everyone is trying to skirt the blame sweep the issue under the rug.

After much outrage internationally,nine students are being criminally charged for bullying Phoebe Prince. Her family has opted to bury her in Ireland, which I think is best, they have opted to lay her to rest away from her bullies and their lies.

I hope you finally found peace Phoebe, I don't agree with giving your life to these thoughtless, void kids but I hope you have found some peace.



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