RIP Amanda Todd

@Gargantua:

I believe Robbie may have misunderstood my first post.

And as this is an incredibly serious conversation, I’ve PM’d robbie with my personal information so that if it’s needed, we can process this event as effectively as possible.

I’d rather deal with this discussion head on.  And if someone wants to take me to task on my stance for whatever reasons - they deserve every oppurtunity to do it, and be treated with respect.

Good on you, when ever someone has passed, respect is the foundation all conversation must be balanced on.

Ok I’m going to chime in here.  I’ve run into a few suicides in my day and seen it from a few angles.  What I think we should remember is to look at the situation from the point of view of this little girl.  To us as grown men, if we were to be ostracized we would probably just tell the people picking on us to piss off and move on.  But to a teenager who hasn’t formed a solid sense of her own identity yet, being the outsider can seem inescapable and unbearable.  The cutting behavior and any drug or alcohol abuse would be typical escapes.  We are left to wonder how much of her decision to do it was a) well thought out or impulsive, b) motivated by her need to escape her situation, c) meant to inflict pain or vengeance on her tormentors, and/or d) meant to inflict pain on her family and those who cared for her.  One more thing: the behavior of the young man who took advantage of her is really bad and his father should take him out to the woodshed for that.  Its a very very sad outcome all around.

I recommend watching “Once Were Warriors”. The young girl in that film had very few options.

YG,

I take your comments to heart. Coward probably is the wrong word. I apologize for using it.

I don’t know that selfish is the right word either though…?  I’m going to need to think on it.

That jerk that slept with her derserves a fist in his face, not to mention the guy that flashed her tits all over the net.  If you were half a man you’ld hold him for me.

Robbie, from a few things I heard last night I believe this just came true…

You’re a big man G.

@Gargantua:

YG,

I take your comments to heart. Coward probably is the wrong word. I apologize for using it.

I don’t know that selfish is the right word either though…?  I’m going to need to think on it.

Maybe desperate is the word?

I would submit, misguided. She was too young to understand the broad sweeping ramification of her actions, and based on what she had perceived from culture, she felt that suicide was the only option. It was hardly right, but she didn’t know of any other option, so she was misguided in her solution.

GG

I hear now that the bullies continue to torment her even in death, by posting rude comments on her memorial face book page, comments like “I’m glad she’s dead”. Seems like Amanda wasn’t the only one misguided.

Glad to see you’re coming around a bit G. I hope you continue to.

@Gargantua:

Am I still going to have to feel sorry for Amanda, if this leads to her mother killing herself? Because it might?  And then how are we all supposed to feel for Amanda’s brother. Do we let him kill himself too and say it was ok by giving our sympathy?  Answer me that question Robbie? Personally I think the answer is NO.

This quote made me pretty sick though. Because my answer is absolutely yes. If this tragedy lead to her mother or her brother killing themselves, I would feel a lot more fucking sorry, for everyone involved. It would never make me turn on her because she has no control of what they do with their lives. Would those be cowardly and reprehensible acts as well? Or would they be the fault of Amanda? If in the turmoil of this her mother commits suicide will you call her mother a coward too? Think about what you’re saying.

I get your point about suicide negatively affecting others but COME ON! Let’s try not to loose sight of the fact that a little girl DIED. Some people will deal with grief in their own ways but it is insane to think that anyone else suffered as much as she did. Someone lost a daughter, someone lost a sister, SHE LOST HER LIFE.

And clearly no-one has yet been affected as much as SHE was.

God-willing, no one will.