Attention students: Permitting your peers to be bullied is the moral equal to "joining in on the fun" or bullying the victim yourself. It leaves a lifetime worth of scars and in this case led to an accidental suicide.Either say something or report it.
In Wenatchee, Washington Antonio Reyes is dead. He will never get a chance to be cool, kiss a girl, go to a prom, or be a man.
Where the F*** were the lifeguards, coach or adult supervision?
In Wenatchee, Washington Antonio Reyes is dead. He will never get a chance to be cool, kiss a girl, go to a prom, or be a man.
WENATCHEE, Wash. — A Wenatchee freshman who drowned in the high school pool missed the swimming assessment in the first week of class while sitting on the bleachers and was kidded when he said he didn’t know how to swim, according to a police report.
Antonio Reyes had entered the pool Nov. 17 with other students in his physical education class and was last seen treading water. Students in the next class found him at the bottom of the pool.
[Link]
13 comments:
Your blog is no different than those teenage bullies. You don't check your facts before you present them as truth. I get the feeling that you are amused by the hurt you cause. You support people that bully others. It's OK because they are your friend, right?
How would you feel if your posts contributed to someone's suicide or death?
None of my posts every have led to anyone's suicide accidental or otherwise. In fact, I think I am pretty good with referencing my opinions as simply opinions and providing links frequently as well.
You differ on that, hence you have my permission to move on and read some other blog.
Qualifying as 'opinion' doesn't mean that your 'opinions' aren't bullying behavior.
That shows me.
I am anon from comment #1 and I totally agree with anon from comment #3.
Labeling a comment as an opinion doesn't make it one, particularly in the eyes of the law. Check with your favorite attorney if you don't believe me.
I'm not surprised by your response, it is typical of what a bully would say. You are focused only on generating a name for yourself, not on the effect your posts might have on innocent people.
Are you god? You seem so sure your posts haven't hurt anyone. Can you prove it?
Someone wouldn't have to be reading your blog to find out about your posts, other people will tell them. Reading "some other blog" won't mean an innocent victim won't be hurt by your words.
My dictionary says bullying is "using strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker." Ruffling the feathers of those in positions of power is not the same thing. I have been following your blog for several months now, and have never seen you attack someone weaker than you. If you have hurt the feelings of those who feel they govern the sport of swimming by divine right, good for you.
The right to voice opinions or any other fair comment on a matter of public interest is what keeps our society honest (i.e., it keeps the deluded thieves of USA Swimming from having the right to completely obscure a horrible organization).
While some may not agree with what is said, can you imagine what Chuck Wielgus would come up with if all he had to do to avoid Tony, Chris, Splash, 20/20 and others was say "I don't like what you said so you can't say it."
My view is that Tony is saying that peer pressure is bullying, supervision in this accident (both to stop the peer pressure, not easy, or to keep a kid from sinking) failed to the point that someone died, and it is horrible that this young man is gone.
Unless you wish to argue that...
1. Bullying and peer pressure are OK.
2. We shouldn't be responsible for watching our charges in the pool.
3. There was no loss associated with this death.
...it seems that Tony's comments are right on the mark.
You have every right to an opinion even if it defies reality.
If Tony was off base nobody would listen.
If you don't want to listen...go away.
If you respond to an opinion and someone disagrees, they have a right to voice their opinion of you.
The one thing you shouldn't have a right to do is use force to quell another's opinion. That includes the use of law (governmental force).
Tony, good job.
Anonymous #1 and # 2, you're a moron and idiot respectively. My opinion.
Anon, you write so well. Please feel free to guest blog ANYTIME; Anon even if you like!
Jon, thank you. I do take comments personally and as constructive criticisms when they are constructive.
bullies bring out the best in us. they give us cause to unite and stand strong. They will always exist! ...it is human nature. Everyone is a bully, and will release this behavior on another at some time in life (denial may be a sign you are currently a bully). Thus we learn many good lessons from being a bully. The biggest bullies have the softest hearts, they have hardened them typically because of something that is picking on them(it is yen&yang and thus it is so).
I think Anon #1 and #3 failed to realize that Tony is not the bully, the folks Tony is standing toe-to-toe with are the bullies(in this case). Of course, the shoes can always change feet.
Now, you will say i encourage bullying. Not at all. I learned to stop them in their tracks(as we all learn to do). I also learned that even the most respectable people unknowingly become bullies at times. Bullies can become great allies, unless we harden our hearts ...which is likely to make us bullies.
If attacking our leaders verbally is bullying, then we have many great men of American history who are honored with holidays that were nothing but bullies.
hmmm... perhaps. America land of the woos, home of the bully.
I think the term is called "unifying threat" - there is a movie called The Watchmen" which had an ending based upon that concept.
I did a bunch of research on bullying and to my surprise boys obviously pick on the weakest but girls pick on the strongest. I also found that bullies are actually in need of help as our their victims.
* Depression, isolation, low self-esteem, lack of hope, fear, insecurity, and violent or self-destructive behavior are just a few of the mannerisms evident in victims of bullying (Espelage & Swearer, 2003; Nansel et al., 2001; Olweus, 1993).
* Victims of bullying often avoid hallways, restrooms, and even switch schools in an effort to distance themselves from other students (NMSA, 2001). Instead of being visible to others, they will "hang out" in the office, other classrooms, or a secret corner during lunch and break time.
* Some students will create a map of safe havens and plan a circuitous route through school to escape being victimized (Wessler, 2003).
* Most victims will not report incidence of bullying (Shakeshaft et al., 1997).
* Aggressive victims will internalize the continuous victimization until they can no longer cope. Once they have reached their limit, they resort to violence (i.e., shooting a gun, starting a fire, or becoming bullies themselves). Others may choose self-destructive behaviors such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, or taking drugs (Olweus, 1993).
That is the best you can do? I did do the research,and I got my facts right and I put my name on the post and I included a reference to the Washington Post.
The boy died unsupervised essentially killing himself doing whatever he was trying to do after being bullied. References:
"Another student was quoted in the report as saying that Reyes was heard to say that he did not know how to swim “and was being kidded about it.”
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/dec/13/police-report-drowning-victim-missed-swim-test/
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/antonio-reyes
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/nov/18/teen-dies-in-apparent-drowning-at-wenatchee-high/
Now go prove me wrong!
If he was your cousin, I am so sorry for your loss. I was so upset by it that I made the post in the first place. I felt bad for days over his death and quite angry that the school was so incompetent.
To clarify, the word suicide does not necessarily mean that a person intentionally took their own life. I think this is where your upset lies. You feel i have accused him of intentionally killing himself. I do not think that.
They way the term suicide was used in the Washington Post article and my post was written to reflect the unfortunate death was an indirect suicide not a willful suicide:
For example, if someone dies in a car accident as a result of speeding down the road, are they responsible for their death? Or was it simply an accident? My interpretation was that he was teased and went swimming to overcome his lack of ability. Consequently, and due to lack of supervision; (not his fault), he engaged in a very dangerous activity and died.
Indirect suicide defined: http://www.english.umd.edu/interpolations/1808
My apologies for the misunderstanding. My sincere condolences to your family and i home his parents win that lawsuit.
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