Crazy Life

I wanted to write about bullying tonight because it’s in the news again, but primarily because this topic is something that disturbs me due having experienced it when I was younger, and now my daughter is going through something similar.

 

The girl in the piece below, Amanda Cummings, jumped in front of a bus to kill herself. Bullying was a part of why she chose to end her life. We can think our children and young teens are doing fine up until the moment in which they commit suicide and then it’s too late.

When I watch the news, I’m stricken at times with just how out of control everything is becoming. Violence is off the charts. Parents are murdering their children daily. Children are murdering their parents. Another child has died because he bought a gun to school; it was a pellet gun but the police didn’t know that,  so they shot and killed the middle school-er. 

Violence like this didn’t happen when I was a girl growing up. Bullying existed, but there was no social media sites or computers to spread viciousness, lies, and rumors for the entire school and the rest of the world to view.  Children weren’t killing themselves off like they are now. Parents weren’t doing their own children in. They were more involved in their children’s lives.  There was a family structure that was sound and strong.

 

At least one parent stayed home and it was usually Mom, and Mom’s knew what was happening to their children and dealt with it. I’m aware what’s occurring with my child daily and have discussed it with the school in the past.  Should this bullying of my twelve-year-old continue, my child will promptly be removed from the public school she attends and home-schooled or enrolled in an alternative locale. I won’t wait until she is yet another statistic.

We as Americans have to wake up and understand that something is very wrong in America. People’s hearts have grown cold, exactly as the bible told us that they would.  And it’s going to get worse. 

  12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. – Matthew 24:12-14

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A 15-year old teenager from Staten Island died after being struck by a bus while carrying a suicide note on Monday evening.

NYPD officials say a witness saw Amanda Diane Cummings jump in front of the bus on Hylan Boulevard by Hunter Avenue. She was rushed to Staten Island University Hospital where she was in critical condition and ultimately died from her injuries.

Cummings was a sophomore at New Dorp High School and according to the girl’s uncle, Keith Cummings, she had been bullied by peers.

The relative spoke to the Staten Island Advance on the alleged bullying and said Amanda was tormented after bullies stole her possessions including her jacket, phone, and shoes.

He said they were even posting cruel, inappropriate comments on Amanda’s Facebook wall while in the hospital after being struck by the bus.

The uncle said he would be seeking legal action against the bullies and said, “I’m not going to tolerate this. I’m gonna go full force. Kids can’t do this to each other.”

Amanda’s family described her as a kind teenagerwho loved animals and enjoyed poetry. A family blog has been created in her memory.

Bullying, specifically cyber-bullying, has been a growing problem for young adults across the nation, as social networking sites become centers of harmful taunting and insults.

In 2010, The New York Times reported that one of out five middle-school students said they had been victims of cyberbullying and while most states have bullying prevention ordinances in place, less than half provide guidance on what should be done about bullying on the internet and electronic communication devices.

Pop superstar Lady Gaga has been an advocate of anti-bullying measures and recently launched theBorn This Way foundation with the help of the MacArthur Foundation and Harvard University to highlight “issues like self-confidence, well being, anti-bullying, mentoring, and career development” and help empower young people.

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

http://tinyurl.com/7jaaj6h

Related articles:

• Bullying Of Staten Island Teen Leads To Her Death (alan.com)
• Bullied Girl Steps In Front Of Bus In Apparent Suicide [Bullying] (jezebel.com)
• Bullying Blamed for 15-Year-Old’s Suicide (abcnews.go.com)
• Uncle Blames Bullying For Staten Island Teen’s Death (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• It Has Happened AGAIN!: Amanda Diane Cummings, We Love You!! R.I.P. (ronskemp.wordpress.com)