Lauren+Letter

Lauren Public Letter

Dear Bullies,

And yes, you know who you are. You are the person that pushes the smaller kids down, the kid who calls out “hey fatty” to the overweight boy at lunch. You are the person that gives the mean look to the girl that had on a shirt that was out of style because she couldn’t afford the hottest trends. You’re the kid who belittles others because it makes you feel better about yourself. You may not realize it but even the smallest things are considered bullying. These are things as simple as talking behind someone’s back even though they don't know it, or possibly giving a dirty look to someone. For instance that judgmental look, and yea, most girls you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s that look that starts from the head to the toes taking in every inch of a person only to judge them. Then, when you are finished looking them up and down you look them straight in the eye and just pull your lip up just a little and possibly lift your eyebrows; this is a universal look for disgust. By doing these little things it makes a person question themselves and it makes them hurt and it makes them angry. All of these feelings a person should never feel at the hands of someone else. Being nice and respecting others is taught in many forms, by Jesus as “loving your neighbor” or taught by Confucius as “shu”. It all ends up in the same way as the form of the golden rule. Treat others, as you would like to be treated. And I know that no one would like to be pushed down and hurt and talked about, or scrutinized. No one wants to be bullied. I know, because I have been bullied myself. One day in 5th grade 4 boys, or the male population of Alyssa's posse, came up to me while I was innocently swinging from the monkey bars on the playground. I immediately got off because I senses danger. As soon as I was climbing down the steps I was forcefully pulled off and then was pushed around in a circle. Each boy shoving me off onto another boy, I tried to get out but they just kept pushing me, kicking me every once in a while and laughing. Finally, I was shoved onto the gravel and they walked away, towards Alyssa, laughing. Another day I sat down at the lunch table with a bunch of my “friends” or girls who I thought were my friends. As soon as I sat down, all seven girls got up and walked to a different table, leaving me alone at the table. So I got up and walked again to the table they stat down at. All seven girls once again got up and went back to the original table when I sat down. This happed two more times before I realized what was happening and I just stopped following. So I sat down alone at the table at ate, while they laughed. Both of these things were simply because Alyssa (the leader) decided that she didn’t like me that day. It made her feel better because she had that power and people would follow. She had that power to make me feel little and out of control, when she felt so big and powerful and such in control. I also know the power she felt because I myself bullied people once too. I know what happens. And I know that feeling of making other feels small just so that you can feel bigger and better. In high school and even middle school, my friends and I would give other girls weird looks because they had really frizzy hair or they talked funny or didn’t wear makeup and their acne showed. We would walk down the hall and if someone was wearing something funny we would just give this look to each other like “oh my gosh, can you believe what she is wearing?!” and after they would pass we would hold it in till we broke out in laughter. Or talk about them behind their backs but just loud enough so that they knew we were talking about them. Although I never pushed a girl or laughed at someone in their face, what my friends and I did was still bullying. Even though it was all just talking behind someone back. That still is a form of bullying. And the thing is, is that most people are guilty of this form of bullying. They are guilty of laughing behind someone’s back because of something “wrong” with them. And now hopefully you realize that this is still bullying and it still is harmful to the victim. However, the thing is that bullying causes a lot more long-term damage then most people think. It effects more students and children now a days then it ever has in years past. This can lead to the victims feelings of hurt and embarrassed to turn into aggression and anger. According to Parents Advocating For Safe Schools, “harassment and bullying have been linked to 75 percent of school-shooting incidents. (“Bullying Statistics”). And that lead 87% of students to say that say shootings are motivated by a desire to “get back at those who have hurt them” (“Bullying Statistics”).Most of the kids that have been bullied are going to have a much higher level of depression, loneliness, lack of friends, difficulty in school and also have a higher chance of getting into drugs and alcohol. And as you bullies might say that this is only a small statistic, it still is peoples lives that are being put into danger and that is never all right. There still are repercussions of you actions that will cause permanent damage to your victims. This is an extremely high statistic and it should be addressed as soon as possible. So I’m starting with you. Realize that what you are doing to make yourself feel better is just causing extreme damage to others. They are people too with feelings and these feelings that you are harming are ones that could change into anger and aggression; which can lead to the harming of innocent others. So please, think again before you push someone down or even just give a dirty look to a girl or boy who wore a shirt that you didn’t like.

"Bullying Statistics: Effects of Bullying." //Bullying Statistics//. Blogspot, 19, November 2007. Web. 9 Oct 2011. .