Mad. I am so mad. Some things just make me so mad that I want to scream from the highest mountaintop and demand the world go make things right.
I'm mad at the arrogant people who feel the need to bash others because they're different from them. Maybe they're taller than you, shorter than you, maybe they speak with a different accent or are of a different skin color, maybe they believe in a god and you don't, maybe they couldn't open their locker on the first day of school when you could, maybe they don't excel at all the things you do but have talents in other areas. It doesn't matter. No one on this planet has the authority to deem anyone lesser than anybody else - ever.
I'm mad at the insensitive people who hide behind the internet and can't or refuse to realize that their senseless words and actions are demeaning real people. There is a REAL person behind those pixels and a given name behind the screen name, even if it's not quite so clear to you a million miles away.
I'm mad at the Whyvillians who give in to this attitude, the ones who judge others because they sound like a 10 year old or, heaven forbid, are wearing a remade face part. I'm mad at the ones who pick fights for no reason because they think it's funny or amusing, and I'm mad at the ones who join in because they think it's cool. I'm mad at the passive people, the ones who don't necessarily harass others but ask the City Workers to keep a thread open because they want to see how far the fighting and name calling will go, and the ones who announce they're "getting popcorn to watch the show". I'm disappointed with the ones who post support on an anti-bullying thread and turn around 3 minutes later to laugh at someone because they're wearing an in stock doodelle.
Most of all, I'm mad at myself. I'm mad at myself for having taken part in name calling and judging others because they had a different skill set than me. I'm angry that I've consciously passed on helping someone open their locker because I had "more important things" on my mind. I'm ashamed to say that I've witnessed arguments where I stuck around to see how far the fight would go, instead of standing up for what I knew was right, and I wish people would have been mad at me.
But I'm done being just mad. I don't want to have to look back anymore and regret doing certain actions or not taking action when I knew I should have. The next time I see someone belittling others, I'm going to get mad and I'm going to use that passion to do something about it, but in a way that's still peaceful and respectful and doesn't bring me down to a bully's level.
I want everyone to get mad! If someone's name calling or laughing or pulling out the popcorn, take a firm stand and tell them that's not right and tell them why. Maybe they won't listen to you, maybe they'll laugh at you too. Sometimes arrogance gets the better of us and fogs our right judgment. But in your heart you'll know it will have made a world of difference for everyone who's ever been put down. So get mad.
