My 1st Comment to Article

This comment refers to http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/02/21/cyberbullying.ap/index.html

As technology grows faster, our life become easier, we tend to use our facilities maximally. In good way, we can double our work. In the other way, it might be abused, and sometimes it is harmful. This journal refers to tragic story of a boy named Ryan Patrick Halligan.

Ryan Patrick Halligan is 13-years old teenager from Rhode Island. What is so mysterious about this boy? The reason why he committed suicide (police still trace the true reason instead of his sensitive heart).

As the change of technology, it is also affect the chance of technique doing wicked things. Fist fighting, class taunt, all of these are old fashioned. Now we tend to use our computer to bully others. It is a sad thing in the growth of technology.

His terror started when his friends sent him e-mails and instant message, that contain a tease about his manner (rumor said that this person is a gay). My opinion is this person might have mental problem, oversensitive, I can not fully blame his friends that cyber-bullying (cyber-bullying is simply bully other via electronic media, such as internet) him, he shouldn’t take it so seriously. But still cyber-bullying is bad; it is so because as you see, he died because of this ridiculous thing.

Cyber-bullying often insult people by his physical’s appearance, fashion, friend, or sexuality. What an unpleasant thing, they humiliate innocent people behind the advancement of technology.

There was also another quite serious thing happened in New York. Two schoolboys listed about ‘sexual secrets’. Unfortunately the prosecutor decided not to charge them because of free-speech concern. But if you think carefully, how come this nasty conversation is included in Free-Speech right. Does it make sense?

Of course not, then this case motivated the speaker, John Tassoni introduced a bill of cyber-bullying, and hope that his idea would be published as a law to judge cyber-bullying. But he did not think that publishing this law would be effective, I quoted his wise statement, “You can't legislate norms, but you can only teach norms”. I am fully agreed with his statement; actually we do not need law as if the society understands the importance of norms.

I prefer the decision of some local schools in South Carolina rather than some schools which are waiting for law to make decision. This some local schools allowed the Oregon (powerful lawmaker) to withdraw cyber-bullies’ privilege in school. I agree with them because I think we must solve this problem as fast as possible to prevent another tragic case to happen.

Patricia McCormick, assistant principal of St. Philip School, has contributed her brilliant idea. I think this solution will help us in much; this is the best way to stop cyber-bullying. Just like expression “preventing is better than curing”, understanding is better than punishing. She taught the students the internet’s safety, including cyber-bullying. Therefore, parents play a big role to stop this problem totally.