The Bullycide Project

The greatest problem today is not crime. 

Hear that? (cue whispers: "Not crime? How can it be? The world is rampant with morons with guns!")

Guns aren't the only thing that can kill oneself. 

Today, my school hosted this absolutely moving presentation about bullying, by a group called the Bullycide Project. So I cried and cried and cried through it all. (Quietly, of course.)

And it started me thinking, as several things do, about this glorious city I live in. 

Flint's rate of bullying isn't worse than other places. In fact, I'm sure it's better here than some of the elite cities of rich kids like Rosewood. (shoutout to you if you love PLL.)

And that's what affects everyone most today, I believe.
To me, bullying is worse than a bad crime rate or a few unnecessary shootings. 

Don't get me wrong. Are those things horrible? Yes. 

But are they absolutely the core of everything evil in this world? Absolutely not. 

Okay, okay. So Satan encourages all evil, all these bad things originate with his horribleness and corrupt self. 

But don't you think those people pulling the trigger on others in this city have at one point or another wanted to pull the trigger on themselves? 

That's only natural, I think. I know that I'm not the only person who has thought at one time or another: "Maybe it would just be easier if I was gone." 

Those bandits certainly have felt the same way. If they're going as far as to wreak havoc on other families, they've got to be going through some intense mental pain. 

Really, those criminals are just what we talked about today. Big bullies. 

A student dies every thirty minutes of their own hand because of bullying. 

We've all heard the stories. Dharun Ravi's, who videotaped his roommate at Rutgers. Phoebe Prince, who I assure you was not an Irish whore. Carl Joseph Walker-Hoove. 

This is not okay. 

So why are so many bullies let off the hook while adult bullies spend lifetimes in jail? It doesn't make sense to me. If they're going to dole out punishments, they might as well be fair about it. 

We all need to realize that life isn't easy for anyone. Everybody has issues sometimes. It's not a simple world to live in. 

I need to improve myself most of all. I generally feel like an okay person, but gosh I can be mean. And I hate that!! I don't want to be considered mean! I need people, I love people, I love human nature. We're a perplexing and wonderful species. 

A species that can dance and laugh together. 

A species that cries together. 

Takes punishments for each other. 

Smiles at each other. 

How can that be the same species that makes each other cry?
Trips each other in the hall? 

Breaks each other's hearts? 

Kills each other? 

What happened to humanity? This amazing place isn't likable all the time. 

That's not my fault. 

It's not your fault. 

It's not really anyone's fault entirely. 

So bullying. Everyone does it, and everyone is a little bit of a victim of it. 

However: it's up to us to stop it. One comment at a time.