|
|
Harassment. It's a word avoided by most and abused by others,
but it's everywhere -- even where you least expect it. Whyville was a place
built for great virtual education, but several people all over the world have
turned it into a living nightmare for all the other people who go on Whyville. It's
really because it all leads back to harassment.
Sometimes it starts with adults going on Whyville. I really don't need to tell
you that articles about this have been written dozens of times before.
Obviously, though, it isn't getting through to some of you people. Not only
because you don't read the newspaper, but probably because you just don't care.
Why does it matter that people of all ages go on a web site? When did it say
that Whyville was created for only children to visit? If even I have accepted
the fact that all people can and will go on this site, why can't others? The
worst thing anyone can do is abuse their Internet privileges to hurt other
people they don't even know at all -- calling them cruel names, teasing them,
and causing friends to turn on friends. That includes kids and adults.
People *should* be extremely proud of all that they have accomplished, and you
can't be if you act that way.
Sadly, the harassment and torture doesn't stop with the adults. Oh, it really
doesn't. It always spreads to others. Everywhere I go, there's always cruel
remarks and so-called "cool" comebacks that everyone spits out as if it meant
nothing to them. It hurts. "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words
will never hurt me." That's a lie, because words hurt the most. Why can't
Whyville always be a happy place that people look forward to going to, and not a
dreaded and hurtful site? Don't you ever get sick and tired of reading articles
like mine, articles that criticize your criticisms? I'll admit it openly that
I've read articles like these and wished that people would stop making them. To
me, they were a waste of internet bandwidth space, but since then I've realized
that they were all written with good intentions.
Every person has to admit, they've been hurt before, they've been insulted by
someone they barely even knew. Sometimes you go into a room and the first thing
someone says when they see you is to tell you to get out. Why would anyone have
to get out of a room? That really isn't a comment that lifts up your spirits;
it's something that would more likely cause you to fight back and just make
things worse. I know -- I've done it before, too. I admit it, but why can't you?
Pope John XXIII wrote in "Pacem en Terra" that through
prayer, if we saw each other the way that God saw us, there would be no hatred
and no war. Think about it for a second -- why would he say this? If you were
God and saw part of Your creation, would You hate it the way you hate some
people? Would You hold grudges and call people names and spread horrible rumors?
I highly doubt it.
Think about everything that you've done so far. Think about every person that
you've hurt and every person that has hurt you, and let it all slip away. Think
about all the good things about people, and think about all the good things that
you can do. Help a newbie, help a friend, help a person you don't like. Be a
better person and at the same time, make the world a more bearable place. There
is always so much going on, so much confusion. Make it less confusing by being a
humane person.
-c0cac0la
|
