suicide via myspace (a story)

Can't see how you can hold the kid responsible, she is like 13 as well. I'm sure she thought it was no big deal.

 

I'm not holding her responsible.

I'm saying her parents are responsible. Their behavior reaches a lot further than just Megan. And now, it will shine on their daughter.

Don't want your daughter judged? Don't act like a 13-year-old on the internet and tease a child.

 

I agree with all of that, I'm just not sure if you can name them because then you are potentially ruining another child's life.

 

Here's, I guess, my larger point.

Outside of that neighborhood and that school, who will know that girl? And how many people INSIDE those places don't already know it's that family?

Is saving that girl from maybe 1-2 people giving her shit worth protecting the identities of the assholes who did this? I argue no.

 

The internet, though, is a powerful tool.

You put the name in there and anytime anyone ever googles her, guess what article is coming up?

 

But who will be googling her??

 

So their own child escapes the horror of embarrassment, while they caused another family's kid to commit suicide?

They set out to embarrass someone else's child, leading to that child's death. That would be too bad if they had to deal with their own daughter experiencing some shunning and loneliness.

 

I don't understand who is withholding the names of the adults....the police or the newspaper? Can't anyone else get the names and put them out there? (Not that they should or shouldn't, just wondering how you could possibly protect anonymity here).

 

And you say it better than I did.

 

In reading the story, it seemed as if the unnamed mother threatened the reporter by saying, "You should be careful with what you write." The unspoken message was that she and her family would sue the writer and the paper.

 

Classmates, friends, co-workers. I google pretty much every single person I ever meet. I thought everyone did that.

 

Um, no.

And like I said, the classmates and the friends already know. And coworkers? She's 13.