Community | May 18, 2012 | 20 comments

Woman's poem about being bullied as a child prompts former classmates to make amends

source: http://online.wsj.com/article/AP1068894c668a4c128511df746c344ec2.html

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HarukoHaruhara

http://online.wsj.com/article/AP1068894c668a4c128511df746c344ec2.html

Such a touching story. Former classmates reminded how they did nothing when they saw this girl being bullied, and now they want to make amends, including flying her to a class reunion. She grew up in a religious and sounds like abusive household and so the other kids all thought she was weird.

This is her poem:
that little girl who came to school with the clothes she wore the day before
instead of asking why.. you picked on her
the little girl who had to walk to school while others rode the bus
instead of asking why.. you picked on her
the little girl who had bruises and was dirty
instead of asking why.. you picked on her
the little girl who was always crying
instead of asking why.. you picked on her

http://online.wsj.com/article/AP1068894c668a4c128511df746c344ec2.html

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/__NEW/_News%20Channel/nc_bull...
  1. groups:
    Community,   News and Politics,   Off Topic/General Discussion,   Positive
  2. tags:
    Bullying
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20 comments // Woman's poem about being bullied as a child prompts former classmates to make amends

  • EmperorThan
    • +1
      EmperorThan  

    • If I made a poem they'd pick on me via Facebook and act the exact same even a decade later. lol No one from my high school grew up whatsoever from what I can tell.

    • 12 months ago
  • Born_Harlot
  • Andover
  • uppityprogressive
    • +2
      uppityprogressive  
    • Andover:

      "She grew up in a religious and sounds like abusive household and so the other kids all thought she was weird." The other clues are, bruised and dirty. She was abused as a child and she was despised for the symptoms of abuse.

    • 12 months ago
  • HarukoHaruhara
    • +5
      HarukoHaruhara  

    • A couple of quotes from the story:

      "Looking at her being bullied horribly and thinking ... I feel so bad for her. But never thinking in my head that I could stand up for her, and not once did anyone back her up."

      "One bully tried to keep tripping her. I could have said something; never did."

    • 12 months ago
  • RevKen
    • +7
      RevKen  

    • I do not recall ever being a bully in school. I remember trying to stand up for kids being bullied. When I now read about bullies and what it really is I just hope I never crossed the line and hurt others by being insensitive and stupid.

    • 12 months ago
  • kalamama
  • RevKen
    • +3
      RevKen  
    • kalamama:

      True but no amount of good would be able to erase any wrong. Mostly I tried to keep to myself in high school but knowing how people misunderstand my moods and actions today I wonder if someone thought I was being a jerk when I was just being me.

    • 12 months ago
  • kalamama
    • +3
      kalamama  
    • RevKen:

      Words can often be misunderstood and taken to a whole different level, but to be a bully is quite different.
      If you stuck up for those getting bullied for real in school, I would say you are alright.

      People misunderstand me a lot because I talk fast and type worse. :-)

    • 12 months ago
  • DeliaTheArtist
  • KB723
  • kalamama
    • +8
      kalamama  

    • Good post Haruko!!

      It IS a touching and real story. It's a shame when things like this happen because a real bullying attack can hurt a person for life.
      It's the people who claim being bullied just for attention or some type of victim card that people start turning a blind eye and then the ones who are truly being bullied don't get the help they need.

    • 12 months ago
  • jackhole
    • +6
      jackhole  

    • Bullies come in wolf packs, they instill fear on by standers who rather not get involved. Some victims learn to fight back, some use their words, some write down their emotions.

      I guarantee that the bully if confronted would try to paint him/herself as a victim, maybe because now they feel bullied on Facebook.

    • 12 months ago
  • Libertarian_O9
  • jackhole
  • kalamama
  • freehit
    • +15
      freehit  

    • Reminds me of a classmate in elementary school. It was obvious that his parents couldn't afford clothes for him as he only had two or three "outfits". He also was a little "different" from the rest of us; a major crime when you're trying to fit in with the pack. While I didn't bully him, I didn't protect him either, to my now shame. Russel, if you're still with us, I'm sorry I let you down all those years ago. Last name ommited to protect the wronged parties privacy, but I still remember it after all these years while forgetting 98% of all the other "popular" in crowd kids' names.

    • 12 months ago
  • HarukoHaruhara
  • kalamama
  • Born_Harlot
    • +1
      Born_Harlot  
    • freehit:

      I have a similar story from about the 6th grade...this brother and sister were so dirt poor... their clothes were always filthy, they were filthy, they were very different... and their parents were severely abusive... neighbors talked about hearing the kids scream in the night and could hear it from half a mile away... i just feel so terrible that I didnt stand up for them, but I was trying and failing at fitting in myself... but I should have been better than that, and I wasnt... makes me feel like shit

    • 12 months ago
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