AS THE 2008~2009 SCHOOL YEAR SOON BEGINS, I WOULD ASK EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU TO PLEASE REMEMBER MEGAN'S STORY AND EVERY OTHER PERSON WHO HAS SHARED THEIR STORY ON MYYEARBOOK.COM ABOUT BULLYING AND CYBERBULLYING. WE ALL NOW REALIZE HOW DEVASTATING IT IS WHEN IT HAPPENS TO US, OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. MY HOPE IS THAT WE ALL TAKE A FEW MINUTES BEFORE WE SEND THAT MEAN MESSAGE, SAY SOMETHING HORRIBLE TO SOMEONE OR START THE TEXTING WAR AND KNOW IT'S NEVER WORTH IT TO HURT SOMEONE ELSE!!
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE MEGAN PLEDGE! REMEMBER, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE 1 MILLION PEOPLE SIGN THE PLEDGE IN 2008. WITH YOUR HELP I KNOW THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED! PLEASE ASK YOUR SCHOOLS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE MEGAN PLEDGE ~ IT'S A GREAT WAY TO ADDRESS CYBERBULLYING ISSUES. THANKS AGAIN ~ TINA MEIER
I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE YOU ARE MAKING! I HAVE SPOKE TO SO MANY KIDS AND PARENTS FROM NOT ONLY IN THE UNITED STATES BUT FROM ACROSS THE WORLD AND THEY ARE READING THE COMMENTS AND STORIES THAT YOU ARE WRITING AT MYYEARBOOK.COM. THE MORE WE SPEAK OUT ABOUT HOW MUCH BULLYING AND CYBERBULLYING REALLY HURT AND THEY DO EXIST ON A DAILY BASIS, THE MORE WE CAN HELP PUT AN END TO THIS. THE OLD SAYING "STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES BUT WORDS WILL NEVER HURT ME" IS SO FAR FROM THE TRUTH. WORDS GO SO DEEP AND CAN LAST A LIFETIME. MY HOPE IS THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP SPREADING THE WORD TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY SO THAT WE CAN REACH THE GOAL OF 1 MILLION PEOPLE TO SIGN THE MEGAN PLEDGE IN 2008! THANK YOU ~ TINA
Good morning! I just wanted to take a moment and let everyone
know how much I continue to appreciate you support of the Megan
Pledge. Megan was such a great girl with a fantastic sense of humor.
She would have been so amazed to see how many people are behind this
wonderful effort to end cyberbullying. Today I am attending a
conference in New York with Stopcyberbullying.Org and speaking about
cyberbullying and the Megan Pledge.
Please keep spreading the word about the Megan Pledge and cyberbullying - I know together we can make a difference!
May 27, 2008 ~ Today I was interviewed by the Associated Press and one of the questions the reporter asked me was "how do you handle talking about Megan and what happened to her all of the time", and the reporter went on to ask "do you ever feel like it's too much or does it help with your grief"? My response to her was "whenever I feel like things are really getting tough, all I have to do is read amazing messages from wonderful people just like you and I know I can get through those tough days."
There are so many people being cyberbullied on a daily basis that we all have to work together to put a stop to this. Please continue to spread the word about the "Megan Pledge" and cyberbullying. As always thank you for your continued support. ~ Tina Meier
In 1998 a 12 year old was killed by an 11 year old in
Japan. The murder victim has been text-bullying the younger girl. Within a few
years, many more teens had taken their own lives or hurt others because of
cyberbullying. In the last two months, two young people in NJ committed suicide
after being tormented online. Bullying hurts. In addition to the physical pain,
after the bruises have healed, the hurt remains. Battered self-esteem,
rerunning the hateful and hurtful taunts, worrying if you will run into a group
determined to make your life miserable. We all know it.
I have read your stories over and over, with tears in my eyes.
You have inspired me. You give me faith. You have touched me in ways you can’t
imagine. I donate my time protecting people online. But I couldn’t
protect Megan. Instead, I hope to join with all of you to build a support system
to help all others being hurt. To give them hope. To give them choices, when
suicide looks inviting. To give them a safe place to land. Thank you for all
you have shared and are doing…you will never know how much it means to
Megan’s family and to us at WiredSafety (home of stopcyberbullying).
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Everyone has memories of bullying. (Some were of bullying today
at school, some from years ago) Some were victimized. And some remember being
the bully. And so many confessed here at myYearbook that they were the bully,
but after having heard Megan’s story, are changing their lives. That is
wonderful!
What is it about Megan that touches us so deeply? Is it her
vulnerability? Her beautiful face and heavier body? The promise of her future
flushed down the toilet because of a mother posing as a cute boy, just to gain
her trust?
I think it is a couple things. We expect moms to look out for
all kids, not only their own. This one betrayed that trust. Lori Drew knew that
Megan was fragile emotionally. She knew that she had been diagnosed with
depression and on medication from the time she was young. But she targeted her
anyway, basically for laughs. That’s what gets to me the most. The
unfairness of an adult preying on a young and fragile teen, breaking her heart,
betraying her trust, manipulating her for her own purposes. Moms aren’t
supposed to do that.
I also think it has to do with Megan’s picture. Grinning
with a smile full of braces, with her life before her…a young girl who
would become a beautiful woman, we can relate to her.
A group of preteen volunteers in our program (we call them the
tweenangels J) took up Megan’s cause, designing t-shirts saying “Ask
Me About Megan” and putting her pic on the shirt. When people asked, they
shared her story. They talked about how she loved black & white polka dots,
and how she brought a candybar to friends who needed cheering up. They talked
about how she was cheated of her future.
Megan was real to them. People were amazed to find out that they
had never met her. They lived in NJ, while Megan lived in Missouri. But Megan
was real to them. Just as real as she is to all of us.
Why have so many people taken the pledge? For Megan. For their
friends. For themselves. For the loss of innocence. For everyone who has faced
cruelty at the hands of bigger, more popular and tougher kids.
I am sitting here at my computer just trying to think of words that describe how I feel about the fact that the spiteful woman who tormented Megan online did not recieve punishment for what she did. I have alot of bad feelings about our judicial system in this country and the facts that the law breakers have more rights than the victim.It is just not right. I feel so bad for Megans family and I send my deepest sympathies to them, I know as a mother I would feel like my heart was torn out for the second time. This time by the supposed law upholders in this country.My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Megan.I know they say that time heals all wounds, but if anyone in her family ever needs even an ear to listen to what they are going through I will always have an ear that will be more than happy to listen.
Anonymous
November 26, 2008 02:26 AM
sorry about ur lost, just few days ago i read about megan sorry in newspaper
Just wanting to send my deepest condolence to You and Yours!! I didn't know Meagan, but I am sure she was well worth knowing!! I support your cause 200%!! My Heart goes out to Her and All who are Victim to this outrage!! She will be in my prayers as well as YOU!!! Much Much Love! ALWAYS Your Friend and Artist, Rob XOXOXOXOXO
GOD BLESS YOU Meagan Meier!!!!
TODAY I HEARD THE LADY WHO MADE THE FAKE WEB PAGE HAS COURT TODAY SHE BIG ENOUGH TO MAKE A FAKE WEB PAGE AN CAUSE HEART ACHE SHE BIG ENOUGH TO GO TO JAIL FOR LIFE R.I P. MEGAN. WE LOVE U MEGAN
bullying in any form needs stopped. its hurtful. i haven't personally experienced cyberbullying. i have felt some of the effects of bullying before... not to the degree some have but i know how some of it feels.
it needs stopped!
rip megan
i think every where around the world they should stop bullying i know what its like i drop out 4x because i couldnt take getting picked on by kids it was the most painful moment of my life having to deal withbullying growing up and now that im 19 i still deal with it i hope some day kids can realize that bullying isnt ok its wrong and people shouldnt have to deal with it
Well this isn't a story.I saw this on the news and it looked like Megan Meier.And it WAS her.I figured I've seen her on MyYearbook...so I looked.R.I.P Megan
Anonymous
November 21, 2008 03:15 PM
I saw Megan's story on the local news yesterday. As the mom of a 13 yr. old girl, this story hit me hard. I constantly worry about my child on the Internet but I trust her also. However, bullies are everywhere and must be stopped in their tracks. I am discussing this with my daughter and hopefully she can become more aware of this problem and try to be part of the solution in our area of the country. To all you kids out there, treat others as you would like to be treated and you'll never go wrong.
As we all know what happened to this sweet angel was and is so uncalled for. A day doesn't go by where I don't think about her and her family. I have been a victim of bullying and cyberbullying, so I know EXACTLY what Megan went through. NOBODY dserves it. RIP Megan, you are now angel soring through the skies in Heaven.
It breaks my heart that Megan and others have died because of this!!! No one should be bullied to the point of death!!! We all need to love more and stop hating.
My motto growing up was "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and I teach my children and grandchildren the same thing. Be kind. Think about how you would feel if you were treated this way...and the consequences.
my brother had depression problems and has threatened to kill himself many times. i'm sorry for your loss
i don't know exactly how you feel, but i can relate.
but i'm glad your getting the word out. keep it up!<3
and to add to my pledge megan was a beautiful young lady. she really had pretty eyes. it dont matter how u look on the outside but how you look on inside. no matter what megan was beautiful. and i cried myself to sleep after i read this remembering my past and how people really hurt me in person and online.
I took the pledge because I am a mother of a 13 year old boy, and he has depression problems also. What happend to Megan could happen to him. It breaks my heart.
MY SAYING IS......
TREAT OTHERS LIKE YOU LIKE TO BE TREATED!!
A LITTLE BIT OF KINDNESS!!
AND
A LITTLE BIT OF RESPECT!!
IF WE ALL TREATED OTHERS LIKE THIS!!!
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WORLD THIS WOULD BE!!!!
XOXO
AS
I LOVE TO LIVE!!
Im pledging because
-I know how it feels to be hurt, betrayed, bullied
-How it feels to be talked about without being about to speak up
-I know gossip can destroy your self-confidence
-I know that once you lose all trust in those around you, you feel lost and feel like there's no reason to go on.
-
I took the plege bc i know how it feels to be bullied and i can make u go over the egde and this is really sad and i might not get bullied any more but i make sure no one else ghets bullied bc that is not right