In May, 14 year old Jamey Rodemeyer posted this:
Somehow, despite his work to embrace himself and help others find hope, someone felt the need to take that away.
I feel like nothing I could say would come close to expressing my reaction to this news.
What baffles me is that somewhere there was a kid on the other side of the computer who was capable of posting such hurtful material. Do we live in a culture where something wrong becomes acceptable when you know you won't be caught? I can't stand to believe that. I suspect the anonymity of the internet swells users with a false sense of power and reality. As face-to-face interaction continues to be replaced by digital media (I cannot believe some college classes are taught by video now) I worry that we are losing our sense of human value.
My heart weaps for Jamey, his family, and everyone who loved him. Among the most tragic aspects of this situation is that Jamey was apparently actively working with therapists and social workers to handle the pain of being bullied. His friends reported the bullying and supported him. Despite all the right moves, his attackers won.
Jamey: I wish I could have talked to you. I wish I could have told you to take down your Tumblr account or sat and listened to Lady Gaga with you for hours. To anyone considering suicide: the bullies are wrong. My email is missny2011@missny.org and if you have no one else, know that you have me. I am fighting a war in your honor and will use every resource I have to help you remember just how wonderful you are. Whether those around us see it yet or not, we are all on our way to being something amazing. No one has the right to take that away from you.
RIP Jamey. You did not deserve the hurt you felt. As I continue my fight to improve resources for victims of cyberbullying and create a safer internet, I will forever keep you in my heart.
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