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Campus News
The Clarion \ Nov. 19,2010
Cyber-bullying occurs nationally, locally
By Ashley Fortune
Staff Writer
In the age of the communication technology
revolution and Internet-based social networking,
a growing epidemic is sweeping the cyber world
that has devastating ramifications in real life.
Cyber-bullying is being perpetrated by and
used to victimize others without discrimination
as to age, race or status.
The National Crime Prevention Council's
definition of cyber-bullying is “When the
Internet, cell phones or other devices are used
to send or post text or images intended to hurt
or embarrass another person.”
In the past month, several cases have made
the headlines due to the seriousness of what
transpired.
Additionally, cyber-bullying has struck
at Brevard College. One student, speaking
anonymously about his or her experience with
cyber bullying, stated: “There is nothing more
frustrating in the world. It makes you feel
helpless and violated.”
After first sending harassing texts, the
aggressor began posting vicious statements on
Campus Security Report:
By Chris Novak
Staff Writer
• Nov. 14 - Graffiti found on front
door of gym.
• Nov. 14, - Graffiti found in Beam
Residence hall.
• Nov. 14, 9:15 p.m. - EMS called,
student transported to hospital.
• Nov. 15, 8:45 p.m. - North Village
fire alarm.
• Nov. 15 - Graffiti found in Col-
trane.
• Nov. 15 - Graffiti found in MS.
• Nov. 15 - Graffiti found in MG.
• Nov. 15 - Graffiti found in Dun
ham.
• Nov. 15 - Graffiti found in Jones.
If you have any leads, please
contact Campus Security.
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Facebook about the student. The student stated
further, “The administrators that were aware of
what was going on were great in getting involved
to help resolve the matter and getting it to stop,
but they couldn’t take back what had been put
out to the world. The damage is done.”
Currently, there are no specific federal laws in
place that protect people from cyber-bullying,
although lawmakers are seeking to address
this issue. On April 2, 2009, the “Megan
Meier Cyber-bullying Prevention Act” bill was
introduced before the House of Representatives,
although it has yet to pass. A number of U.S.
states, including Missouri, New York, Rhode
Island and Maryland, have enacted legislation
to help penalize acts of cyber-bullying in the
meantime.
According to the National Crime Prevention
Council, there are some steps that should be
taken if you become a victim of cyber-bullying.
The victim should save any harassing messages
and forward them to their Internet Service
Provider, Social Networking Site Administrator,
proper law enforcement division and employer
or school administration if applicable.
2010 Cyber-Bullying Timeline:
May 24: Alexis Pilkington, 17, commits
suicide following vicious taunts on social
networking sites, wliich continued on her
page even after she was deceased.
Sept. 29: iVlichigan State Assistant
Attorney General Andrew Shirveii is
fired for harassing the president of a gay
student assembly through the creation of a
webpage.
Oct. 30: Neha, 18, an Indian girl
attending the Siiiguri Government
Polytechnic College in West Bengal
commits suicide after an iVIMS featuring
the girl in a physical transaction with her
boyfriend was sent.
Nov. 14: Joshua Simon Ashby, 20, hacks
into his ex-girlfriends Facebook account
and posts a naked photo of her to the
website, alters her account settings to
make it available to all website users, then
changes her password so she could not
remove it.
Thanksgiving break:
The dangers of the holidays
By Zack Christy
Staff Writer
Thanksgiving draws out the congenial spirit
of America and is celebrated with the respect
due to any national holiday. If stories from
grade school still resonate within the belabored
minds of college students, then you remember
Thanksgiving as the one day out of the year
where the Indians and Pilgrims came together
for a feast, before spending the rest of the year
fighting and passing smallpox around.
However such stories no longer linger within
the minds of students and adults anymore. Today
Thanksgiving is celebrated by turkeys, football,
and families coming together, which in many
cases can be more tense than the Pilgrim and
Indian tables back in the 17th century.
This holiday is not without its share of
dangers though. While the stories of tryptophan
in turkey making people sleepy are false, the
dangers associated with Thanksgiving are very
real. These dangers range from fire to anxiety.
Over the last five years there have been
more than 100 reports of turkey fryers either
being knocked over or just exploding, causing
more than $7 million in damage and 62 deaths,
according to ABC News. So if frying a turkey
is on your holiday to-do list, be careful ... and
be sure to fry outside to avoid catching your
home on fire.
While it is a myth that the suicide rates
dramatically increase during the Thanksgiving
holiday, the depression and anxiety that many
people feel during the holiday are very real.
According Dr John Grohol, many people feel
depressed during Thanksgiving because it brings
back memories of loved ones who have passed
or a fear of family interaction. Grohol believes
that the best way to cope with these feelings
outside of medication is to keep busy.
So while Thanksgiving can be a great time to
spend with families and kick back with some
turkey and gravy, it is no time to let your guard
down.
Accidents do happen, but the frequency of
such incidences can be limited, or eradicated
by common sense. The Clarion staff hopes
everyone has a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving
break.
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publish anonymous letters or those whose authorship cannot be verified. E-mail: clarion@brevard.edu.