Bullying/suicide/self harm.

I have a lot of opinions about bullying, suicide, self harm, the works. I guess you can say I'm pretty passionate (meaning against!) it. So when the subject was suggested as a school speech, I thought I'd take the opportunity. Respect is a given right to everyone (Have you looked at the Constitution in a while? ;). God doesn't want us to hurt others or to be hurt by others. He loves us deeply and cares when harsh words are said against us. Take this to heart when someone says some mean thing in your direction. God will judge them when the time is right. It is not your job to judge them.

So here's me paper! The teacher said to make it convicting. I did my best:

In the United States, forty-nine of the fifty states have passed school anti-bullying legislation. The only state that does not have this legislation is Montana. The prevalent bullying problems are not being controlled by this legislation. Millions of kids are bullying, and millions of kids have been bullied. 1 in 6 teens have been bullied at one point in their lives. 1 in 5 teens admit that they have bullied other kids. There are countless people affected by this crisis. Miraculously, America is doing nothing about it.

    An average of 32% of the nation’s students from the ages of 12-18 has been bullied. 7% of teens are being bullied daily, 10% being bullied weekly, and 21% being bullied monthly. If someone is being bullied once a year, it is still too much. Bullying of any intensity takes a toll on anyone, whether mentally or physically. The mind will slowly give in to the angry words many people feed into the minds of innocent children.

    Bullying is not the only concern; it is just a small part of a much bigger picture. Not many people realize that bullying is connected to many other actions that bullying victims feel led to do. People must be aware of any and everything that can occur about bullying before they make their opinions.

   Suicide-related actions are prevalent in teens that are being bullied. In a typical 12 month period, according to CDC, nearly 14% of American high school students seriously consider suicide; nearly 11% of teens make plans about how they would end their lives; and about 6% actually attempt it. Suicide is not the only concern. The statistics concerning self harm are even worse.

    Self harm is an ineffective method many people use to take away the emotional pain by creating physical. 1% of the entire U.S. population has self harmed in their life. That’s over 3 million people. Many people are addicted to it. They go through with this horrible process in the hope that it will distract them from the pain inside of themselves. It does, but not for long. It forms into something bigger; it becomes an addiction.

    Statistics for bullying, self harm, and suicide have not improved since said bullying legislation was passed. These laws have not been enforced- since they were passed, there has not been a measurable improvement- people are still getting attacked. People are not being punished.

    There have been several cases of bullying where the bully is set free because of either age or lack of severity. It seems to be the judge does not take into account the damage the victim has mentally.

    Can’t you see how bullying is related to the worthless pain and innocent deaths of these people? The emotional pain caused by bullying drives people to create physical pain. Can’t you see how sick that is; how twisted emotional pain leaves people? Can’t you see how many lives are at stake? Don’t you see what needs to be done? Yet do you see any action?

    There should be definite consequences for these actions. There are laws against bullying- why aren't they enforced? Treating other people with respect shouldn’t be a privilege that people have to struggle for. Equality for all men is Constitutional! It is not something to be earned. It is something denied by many, and the toll it is taking on kids is frightening.

    People don’t realize how related suicide and bullying really are. The pain of vicious comments and actions take a toll on a child’s self esteem, happiness, and overall well being. It is not enough to stop bullying. The entire source of bullying needs to be exposed.

      Isn’t it obvious bullying is caused by insecurity? Bullies bully to feel better about their flaws. They degrade others for their own ‘personal gain’. They think it will make them seem superior. They are not as tough or as strong as they seem.

    Long story short, bullies are cowards. They bully out of their own insecurities. They don't want to face their insecurities and accept them for what they are. Kids should know that it’s okay to have flaws, but we should accept them and move on.

    There is more to bullying than mean words and harmful actions. Kids need to understand for themselves that there is nothing good about hurting another person; they shouldn’t simply restrain their actions. The actions should never want to come out in the first place! Whether tall, short, fat, or thin, there is no reason to verbally or physically abuse someone. There are always going to be people that are higher up than you and lower down than you. Accept them for who they are; for better or for worse. You will be rewarded for it. As the great Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

    It needs to be clear; when someone is being verbally or physically abusive to you, there is no reason to become angry back at them. There is also the option of going to someone older and wiser to step into the situation. Whether you like or not, you may not know what to do all of the time in these circumstances.

    As you can see, there are solutions to this crisis, but not many people seem to be taking the hint. We don’t have to live in constant fear of our friends and family. We don’t have to run away from them anymore; we can face them with the knowledge that comes from being informed.

    First, people need to understand that they are worth something. Everyone is worth something, whether in a big or small way. We all have something different to bring to the world.  People need to understand that their self esteem is nothing to play with. For some, it could be a matter of life or death.

    Secondly, people need to be honest. Honesty saves lives. If someone is hurting you in any way, speak up. It could save your life. Tell the one who is bullying you, a friend, or a trusted adult or parent. They could give you wisdom and insight as to what your next move should be.

    Finally, everyone needs to understand that it is 100% wrong to think you’re better than anyone else. Respect someone for whoever they are, because there are always going to be people in your life better than you. There are going to be people that are less than you in life as well, so make sure to respect them too. People are all different, unique, and special; all of them need to be handled in a different way.

    Remember to think before you speak. It could save their life.