You've probably seen a link floating around - on Facebook, on Twitter, on Youtube - links that lead to a phone video of girls fighting. Some of the fights are two-sided, both girls throwing blows to each other, some girls going at it like crazy, some look like all they need is possibly a kiddie pool of jello or mud.
But within the past year (some just this past week), I've been seeing one-sided fights. Bullying fights. I'm talking about videos of groups of girls ganging up on a single individual. I'm talking about a young girl catching another girl off-guard and throwing a severe punch, knocking said girl to the ground, and continually beating and kicking her. About a girl cornering another girl and railing on her, leaving her with nothing but defensive moves. A transgendered Male to Female getting beaten into a seizure in a McDonald's.
And people will sit and record these videos, not once flinching, and make commentary in the background.
What I'm talking about are young girls that have a ruthless attitude with zero direction. Girls that know and believe a Jesus exists, but aren't taught that hatred is a bad thing.
I'm talking about a society where violence like above seems acceptable, yet we cover children's eyes when a love scene comes on in a movie but why? Is it okay to see hatred but not be taught the fundamentals of love?
What I find even more sickening than these young girls thinking it's okay to beat each other to a bloody pulp, is the amount of positive attention they receive. By allowing these videos to go viral, by praising a girl's brazen attitude toward the repercussions of their actions, by telling them it's completely okay (and in fact, cool) to be able to throw a knockout punch, we are telling them to MAKE MORE OF THESE VIDEOS.
Speaking as a woman who was once a young girl with an IDGAF attitude, I will say - if one girl sees the amount of attention another girl gets by beating someone senseless and putting it on Youtube, she might make her own video as well.
I have seen grown adults sharing these videos - MEN that have daughters of their own, sharing these videos and thinking it's funny. Men, I do not wish any harm like this to ANY woman or girl in your family. It's sickening, it's shameful, and it hurts ones pride so bad that some young girls will commit suicide over incidents such as this. I pray that you never have to see your daughter's broken jaw or wipe away her tears when she's ashamed to go to school. I hope you never have to place lawsuits against others and have years of medical bills of reconstructive surgery.
When I was six, there was a girl that lived across the street from me. An older girl (probably closer to my brothers' age, who are seven years older than I). I adored her and thought the world of her. I did not know what types of mental issues she may have had at the time, but one day, while we were playing in her parents' bedroom, she decided it would be fun to pin me down (my arms pinned under her legs) and beat me in the same manner as the girls mentioned above.
I'll remind you before I continue - I was six.
I remember the adrenaline rush, not the pain. I remember the high-heeled shoe she picked up to swing at my face with. I remember running to the bathroom and seeing the bloody lip I had. I remember begging her to stop - because right after she apologized, she did it again.
When I ran to the bathroom (after the second time), I devised a plan. (I believe this is why I'm a quick thinker now in stressful situations!) I knew I had to distance myself as far as possible at that very moment from this crazy, deranged girl.
She "made" me promise not to tell (honey, I looked a mess!) and I told her I wouldn't (I did immediately after. Some lies are meant to be told).
I walked home, crept through the front door, ran into my bedroom and cried. I wasn't sure what to do. I felt battered (I was), abused (I was), and weak (I was not). But most of all, I felt ashamed. I felt like I had done something horribly wrong.
When my mom came into my room to see what I was up to, I hid my face. She asked what was wrong - she saw my face anyway. She told me if someone had hurt me, she wanted to know. I cried and told her everything.
That evening, I watched as my family (three brothers, one sister, both parents) stared at me as I struggled to eat. It was embarrassing. I had bruises behind my ears, a busted lip, a bruised and sore jaw, a bite mark on my cheek (though I don't remember her biting me), my eye hurt but I don't remember what it looked like. I avoided any mirrors.
I thought I would finally tell this story because I feel like I have grown a lot from this situation - even becoming a stronger woman. I have forgiven the girl after many years of hatred. It wasn't worth it.
But from a young, beaten girl's perspective, it fucking sucks. It really, really does. Nothing about it is funny and honestly, I would probably be in therapy (even now) if there had been a video circulating around. The adrenaline rush is one thing - not knowing what's going on and avoiding mirrors, but the idea of seeing it everywhere you look, is too much.
That much pent up hatred is never good. Not for anyone, but especially not for young people. And to find it funny. But even more disappointing, sad, and shocking are the amount of adults that allow such things to get such a high circulation. Even they find it funny.
To the young ladies that do these things: Understand that it doesn't end with beating that b**ch's ass. Know that if you hit someone hard enough, you will kill them. And you will end up in prison for a long time with hardly anything to look forward to.
You wanna fight? Take a martial arts class to get out some of that anger.
You wanna fight? Fight with your mind. Pick up a book and educate yourself.
Or play chess ;)
Google Rochelle Ballantyne, a 17 year old girl that hasn't gone as viral as some of those videos, but fully deserves it. She is on her way to becoming the first African American female chess master.
To Rochelle: I am proud of you. You give me hope in today's youth. You should be every young girl's role model. You deserve all the praise the Internet has to offer. Keep playing.
(http://www.corvalliscommunitypages.com/Americas/US/Oregon/corvallis/Benjamin_Stagl.htm - Image)
No comments:
Post a Comment