A paper is taking heat for this story about a teen's suicide after she was targeted in a scheme to set up a fake MySpace character. The character was used to gather information that was then used against her socially. She killed herself about a year ago.
The story is tragic, but the paper is being criticized not for running it, but for not naming the adults involved in the fake account.
Read the piece and tell me what you think. Then read the comments posted at the bottom and tell me if that alters your view. Then go to some blogs (here's one), which have outed the offending adults, and follow the comment threads. What do those add to the equation?
I have pretty strong feelings on this one ...
Sunday, November 18, 2007
MySpace Suicide
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Consolidated information. Let ‘em know how you feel.
Curt and Lori (The Bitch) Drew: 636-272-2670 - home
Curt Drew: (314) 520-8688 - cell
(636) 379-8500 - office
Lori (The Bitch) Drew: (314) 520-7916 - cell
This is a hornet's nest.
It is sick that anyone, much less an adult, would seek to humiliate someone in that manner, particularly a child known to have emotional problems.
I kept hoping the article was a hoax designed to get people's dander up.
I think the family who made up Josh should have had their names printed. The names are on the police report, which are public record. Wanting to protect the family's daughter is noble, even though it appears she was complicit though perhaps coerced. Still, her friends seemed to already know all about it thanks to her mother and, again, perhaps herself.
One of the commenters (whose comments changed my mind about nothing) said he questioned the veracity of some of the statements by the dead girl's dad. I had the same doubts. It's hard to believe that whatever he saw on the screen suddenly did not exist or could not be subpoenaed from MySpace.
MySpace is also complicit. They should require a credit card or something to register. Maybe they do. I don't know. But it appears you can just sign up, even if all you have to do is lie about your age.
Parents should keep their kids the hell off MySpace and other social network sites.
Lawyers need to hit the books and find some laws to enforce on these people. Politicians should introduce new ones.
I'm torn on this one. Lori Drew obviously did something truly despicable. The fact that she hasn't subsequently shown remorse is even worse. Yet when something like this gets released to the general public, most of whom are sane, there is a chance that a few of the unstable among us will take matters into their own hands and do something dangerous. That would of course be wrong.
I think ultimately the town should deal with the Drews as it sees fit, barring, of course, violence. Lori Drew should have no dealings with the Chamber (such as she apparently does now) and no one should buy homes from Curt, if he is still in the real estate business. Certainly no one should advertise their business in the magazine that the Drews own. If the Drews in turn lose money because of the egregious way they have conducted themselves, that is perhaps as it should be. I also think the Meier's have one heck of a civil suit here. They should definitely take that to the next level.
But who among us on the internet can cast the first stone? I pride myself on being a decent person, but I've certainly said my fair share of stupid things online. Online stupidity is just a stone's throw away from insulting, then malicious, then cruel. Most all of us are guilty of this kind of thing to one degree or another.
People everywhere need to calm down---two wrongs never, ever make a right.
It is important to remember that there are two sides to this story. Megan's mother needs to let this matter drop.
The other side
I really hope that some charge was invented or created to fit this case. I thought i was going to vomit while reading it. I had two friends who committed suicide and this case just makes me want to hurl something at the adults who were responsible. they have no idea how this affects, family, friends, neighbors, and others who are thinking of committing suicide.
I really hope that some charge was invented or created to fit this case. I thought i was going to vomit while reading it. I had two friends who committed suicide and this case just makes me want to hurl something at the adults who were responsible. they have no idea how this affects, family, friends, neighbors, and others who are thinking of committing suicide.
Post a Comment