Boy Bullied for Being a Brony Attempts to Take Own Life

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

A self-centered deterrent is still a deterrent, yes.

Humanity is self centered as a whole, just look at the SJW craze, a contest to be the most victimized. And all laws focus on individual punishment.

[Koelath 444]

Shoboni is right. If you punch someone in the face in retaliation, no matter the circumstances, no matter if they deserved it; you're becoming a bully yourself. There are better ways to punish a kid. Taking their special privileges away after having a long talk with them is an especially effective method.

 

Nope. A bully attacks innocents for no apparent reason. Retaliation is a matter of justice, not malevolence.

 

And really? "Oh, have a long talk with them!"

 

Let me tell you a story. I spent PLENTY of years being bullied by all manner of little s###s for a number of reasons. You know what telling adults got me? The bullies were scolded, and often sat down for long talks. Know what that got me? Jack s###. Know why? Because bullies don't care what people say to them. They're bullies. That's like expecting gun laws to stop shooters, as if they adhere to those laws in the first place!

 

Very few may get lucky and stop bullying with words but if that were a truly legitimate method, would there still be anti-bullying campaigns in 2014? No, because people would just talk them all down. The vast majority of bullies understand only two things: Fear, and pain. Words just go in one ear and out the other. Scare or hurt them enough, and they will learn.

 

I knew this guy, real pain in the neck, big guy. He was a bully. I must've gotten him stuck enduring countless talks about how bullying was wrong and he'd be punished and all that. Guess what? He never stopped. Not even for a day.

 

One day, though, I was weary of it. I stood up, I approached him calm as ever, I (accidentally) tore his shirt half-off getting a grip on the collar, and I took a swing at him like he was one of those test-your-might carnival games. He never said another word or did another thing to me, ever.

 

Talking things out is the cliche society likes to vomit forth as if it cures everything, because it's easy to advocate useless tactics when you're not the one enduring this sort of stuff. But in the real world, talking just doesn't get through to these people. Bullies go after vulnerability. And no matter how well-spoken you are, no amount of words can fend them off because they know they can just keep it up. The words do not hurt them so they do not deter them. And taken privileges? A band-aid at best, and often one that will only create vengefulness. Retaliation and reprisal are what deter a bully because that is what will hurt them. Pain creates fear and fear will be remembered, unlike a few hours grounded from the TV.

[Winged Dragon of Ra 55]

That poor boy. All this because of a TV show he likes to watch?  Anyone that bullies other people whether it is physically or emotionally should be dealt with by the proper people in charge. The school should suspend any kids that bully/hurt other kids especially to this extend and they should have presentations in school about this. Where I live they have commercials on TV all the time showing how bullying is wrong and how kids can end up with a lengthy visit with the school detention office.  I don't have any money and if I could  donate the most I would donate is a dollar (I am poor) which wouldn't help

Edited February 4, 2014 by Winged Dragon of Ra

[FlutterFerret 39]

I would donate all my money if I could, but I don't have any way of getting it to him.

[Castle Bleck 19,173]

(...) All this because of a TV show he likes to watch?  (...)

 

Yeah! What the buck, man?! Just... what the buck?!

[Koelath 444]

That poor boy. All this because of a TV show he likes to watch?  Anyone that bullies other people whether it is physically or emotionally should be dealt with by the proper people in charge. The school should suspend any kids that bully/hurt other kids especially to this extend and they should have presentations in school about this. Where I live they have commercials on TV all the time showing how bullying is wrong and how kids can end up with a lengthy visit with the school detention office.  I don't have any money and if I could  donate the most I would donate is a dollar (I am poor) which wouldn't help

Wow, those must be some useless commercials.  "Oh, you could end up in DETENTION!" - Not a single bully cares, at all. And suspension? That's a vacation to them.

 

The people in charge, more often than not, are idiots who don't actually have any understanding of how to handle these things. They generally just parrot the same useless crap about talking and getting an adult that has consistently failed to benefit anyone for decades now.

[TorqueEffect 112]

But fear of repercussion is what keeps rapists in jail. It is what keeps most people from murdering their ex wife. Those kids don't care about Micheal's family, or what they caused him to do, they just don't. They only care about what evils may befall them for their actions, they care not for how it effects others, only how it may effect them. People like that will never be remorseful for their actions, only for how they get treated as a result. So yes, a violent deterrent would work greatly in most of these cases. 

 

Thank you, someone who makes some sense.

[Coco Pommel 669]

Here's another article about this poor child from 'The Raw Story'. The injuries he suffered are quite terrible and may not be recoverable. This is why stories like this demands cultural change and serious action from society towards how children are treated and taught to behave. No longer should children be held to standards they do not wish to meet or be met with ridicule or even violence. Everyone needs to stand together on this.

Being a child in western culture sucks. It isn't negative in the sense of living impoverished, well not mostly, but children receive so much information how to live and what to like, that rarely can they simply be.

 

Until children and others are allowed to express themselves freely without any subliminal introductions on how others think they should, stuff like this is going to continue to happen like it has for I don't know how long.

[Thrashy 2,799]

Some of the doubts of this story's legitimacy deterred me me from donating for a while, but after seeing ABC's coverage, that cleared up all doubt for me and I sent $20 to his cause. They've already made double the $20K needed for the medical expenses, but I figure the Morones family could use the surplus money as they see fit. Heartbreaking to think he may never recover, but here's hoping.

[Argumedies 1,748]

The real shame is when we try to reach out to help those in need, we still end up with people such as this icedude7 in the comments of this article.

 

http://www.toplessrobot.com/2014/02/sad_news_young_brony_in_hospital_after_post-bullyi.php

 

A child's life hangs in the balance and the hate continues to hunt him

Edited February 5, 2014 by Argumedies

[)O( Scarlet )O( 1,259]

Damn! That icedude is a real jerk off! If he's a soldier for America, than America is fucked

[ZukoIsBestPony 561]

Wish I was older so I could send some cash! Why can't people just understand that you like what you like? That kid didn't just choose to like mlp, he likes it because it's an awesome show! But others can't seem to bother to love and tolerate other points of views and opinions. It's just sad.

[GrimCW 658]

TBH I'm glad the parents aren't demonizing the show and its fans for this as so many would do.

 

I do hope he makes a full recovery though, as that is just horrible, especially for a young kid.

 

I don't know how this'll sound though, but that image with him surrounded by the ponies, including a Dr. Pinkie, is eerily adorable yet heart breaking at the same time...

[FriendshipBeMagic 10]

Kids, especially teenagers, are insanely cruel to those different from them, part of the reason I'm not too open about being a brony at school.  

 

My condolences to that child and his family, I can't even stomach the fact that this could happen, but it does quite often.  

yeah im the same way, only one person at my school (best friend) knows

[Thrashy 2,799]

Damn! That icedude is a real jerk off! If he's a soldier for America, than America is fucked

 

Doubt he is. The fact that his behavior is so astonishingly antithetical to how a soldier is expected to conduct him/herself aside, many a 12-year-old CoD-worshiping brat has taken advantage of online anonymity to claim that they're in the Army or the Marine corps so that they can safely hatemonger under the fictitious title of 'soldier'. And if he really is a soldier, well, I'd like to see him spout that shit off in the presence of the numerous bronies that exist in the military. I'm sure they'd be quite amused at how their fellow 'soldier' is treating such a young victim of cruelty with even more cruelty.

Edited February 5, 2014 by Thrashy

[)O( Scarlet )O( 1,259]

Doubt he is. The fact that his behavior is so astonishingly antithetical to how a soldier is expected to conduct him/herself aside, many a 12-year-old CoD-worshiping brat has taken advantage of online anonymity to claim that they're in the Army or the Marine corps so that they can safely hatemonger under the fictitious title of 'soldier'. And if he really is a soldier, well, I'd like to see him spout that shit off in the presence of the numerous bronies that exist in the military. I'm sure they'd be quite amused at how their fellow 'soldier' is treating such a young victim of cruelty with even more cruelty.

 

Yeah, I honestly felt like retaliating to him on those comments, but held my..tongue? fingers? eh w/e, anyway, I honestly did not feel he was worth my time and effort to respond. Besides, he is most likely like you said, a 12 year old CoD or BF brat who shouldn't even be playing those games in the first place.

[Something Floaty 1,333]

I have to say, I am honestly disheartened by some of the comments and opinions in this thread. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I would have hoped that the attempted suicide of an 11-year old would be something that no one would blame on the child himself. To the many people who have blamed this boy or his parents for reacting badly to bullying because 'bullying happens' or the people who blame him for not seeking professional help or talking to someone before attempting suicide, I can only say that until you are in that place, you can't really understand. I have attempted suicide on two occasions, and subsequently spent weeks in the hospital. I remember those times clearly, and I remember knowing that I could talk to someone but choosing not to, because I felt the world would be better off without me and I was in too much pain to justify it to myself. Suicide does not just happen to everyone, it is a combination of internal and external pressures. Mental illness almost always factors into suicide attempts. People who are not depressed or imbalanced do not suddenly attempt suicide because they had a bad day or because someone was making fun of them. If an 11-year old boy attempted suicide because of bullying, it was because the bullying was added to the psychological issues he had on his own already, whether it be a chemical imbalance like depression or a physiological imbalance, such as a disease (schizophrenia, for instance, though that is doubtful in this case from the little available evidence). When the external pressures of bullying or other things combine with the internal pressures of depression or mental illness, they can reach a breaking point. Not everyone reaches that point, but everyone responds differently to those pressures. It's easy to say "he should have dealt with it", but when you are going through it it is not that easy. 

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

Doubt he is. The fact that his behavior is so astonishingly antithetical to how a soldier is expected to conduct him/herself aside, many a 12-year-old CoD-worshiping brat has taken advantage of online anonymity to claim that they're in the Army or the Marine corps so that they can safely hatemonger under the fictitious title of 'soldier'. And if he really is a soldier, well, I'd like to see him spout that shit off in the presence of the numerous bronies that exist in the military. I'm sure they'd be quite amused at how their fellow 'soldier' is treating such a young victim of cruelty with even more cruelty.

Dude just ask him his unit. Number one way to call out stolen valor lol. 

[Thrashy 2,799]

Dude just ask him his unit. Number one way to call out stolen valor lol. 

 

True, but I'm sure he'd get all uppity about it, like "I don't have to tell you shit, you civilian turd! I'm gonna find out where you live and shoot you with my [insert fancy technical name for M-16]. Be afraid, little man! I've got a kill count of 259!"

 

...It's usually when they start bragging about "kill count" that their falsehood immediately springs out in the open. :comeatus:

[Argumedies 1,748]

True, but I'm sure he'd get all uppity about it, like "I don't have to tell you shit, you civilian turd! I'm gonna find out where you live and shoot you with my [insert fancy technical name for M-16]. Be afraid, little man! I've got a kill count of 259!"

 

...It's usually when they start bragging about "kill count" that their falsehood immediately springs out in the open. :comeatus:

If this is what this guy means by calling himself a soldier, then he don't know jack shit about being a soldier.

 

A real soldier defends those who are helpless and helps those in need, regardless of who or what they are or personal reasons.

 

To even bring that shit there already tells me that he is no soldier and I wouldn't even consider him a man.

 

He's only a triple stupid cold heart that isn't even worth the effort.

 

He thinks he has balls for starting a fight, but he's only a coward looking for easy prey. Just like the bullys who Michael there in the first place

[Freewave 1,145]

Did anyone make it th othe 24 hour all star stream that was organized the prior week? How was it?  It was nice to see it happen but it was arranged so quickly that i didnt end going or hearing anything about how it went.

[Oblivion 20,265]

I would, uninformatively I have no money at the moment...

 

In any case, why do we live in a world where people are picked on to the point of suicide, JUST BECAUSE OF A GODDAMN SHOW!!!!!

This is basically why I give up on humanity, we are all royally fucked....

[Zekromic 1,054]

Yeah, I honestly felt like retaliating to him on those comments, but held my..tongue? fingers? eh w/e, anyway, I honestly did not feel he was worth my time and effort to respond. Besides, he is most likely like you said, a 12 year old CoD or BF brat who shouldn't even be playing those games in the first place.

Don't do it, they're just attention whores, if you respond, you'll do what they want

[sippie 16]

Poor boy, may he be save and well

[applejackson007 58]

yes it's very sad to even think about, I had some money donated to him... It's horrible that people can even think to bully others and those people will get what's coming for them, if they hadn't already. They really deserve a good ol' buck in the face but violence isn't really the answer. Sometimes, in times like this, when the brony pull together as a family to help another fellow brony, it makes me feel good. But anyway, all prayers go out toward Michael. Try to stay strong bro.