(From a scholarship application)
How has cyberbullying personally affected you?
Free speech and social media combine
to create a culture where humans believe is it acceptable to speak all thoughts
that come to mind without consideration for others. Unfortunately, cyberbullying
is not confined to school age humans. Bullying has occurred throughout the ages
for all age groups. However, with the popularity and accessibility of social media,
it occurs more frequently and is more vicious.
As someone who has experienced bullying throughout life, social
media brings history into the present. Humans hide behind screens to attack
others, particularly strangers. On a post for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, my
House of Representatives representative wrote about equality for all, to “recommit
to his legacy of compassion, love, and service,”[1] to help everyone, and to promote minorities. My comment
asked him to “remember all those oppressed in the US and around the world and
those without basic human rights.”[2] It continued to ask him to look at the Israel/Palestine
situation. One comment was on “my hate” that came through in this post. Additional
attacks came from strangers with many assumptions. Granted, nothing in this
post threatened my life, my wellbeing, or my family. I know many on social media
experience death threats and are put down or humiliated. This is one little way
that many people assume things about others because of a belief that is
expressed.
In these days of the pandemic for COVID-19, the worst
sides of people are shown all the ways. Often these are tied to politics. The
democratic Governor Whitmer of Michigan has been called a Nazi, dictator, and
vulgar feminine terms because of the stay-home stay-safe orders enacted under
her constitutional rights during the emergency declaration. Some of these comments
are done by other representatives and leaders. If this can be done, then what
does that teach other humans, especially the teenage ones who are watching and
old enough to remember what is happening as they grown into adults.
The change is systemic just as the idea of bullying is
systemic. Humans, for the most part, continue the attitudes and carry on the
values learned in the home. There are times when change occurs though the “black
sheep” in the family that turns either for the better or the worse. Changing
the bullying is difficult. Yes, it has been around since the beginning of time.
There has always been a power struggle; however, through examples of love,
compassion, positive expressions, and tolerance will slowly change the lives of
other humans. Leadership and those in power need to be the be the beacon of
hope. Someone who can overcome the negative, hatred, nasty comments, and
address those with love, compassion, positive expressions and tolerance. I will
emulate those examples in my life and work toward a more accepting world.
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