Don’t Be a Bystander, Speak Up!

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MiKayla Evans, WHS Reporter

What people don’t understand is that what they say to someone could impact that person’s life for worse or for better. You never know what a person is going through because they aren’t just going to let anyone see what they go through within a day. A person can be depressed or going through family issues and you go and say something mean or hateful, causing their world to come crashing down in a place where they used to feel safe. When you specifically pick on one person, you are slowly breaking and tearing at who they are, making them feel even worse about who they are. What people don’t realize that by you being heartless and not caring what you are saying or doing to someone makes you prone to be apathetic. When you’re apathetic, you don’t feel anything, it’s the feeling of not feeling anything. Having apathy towards something is not good, it’s part of life to feel something anything because our conscious believes the feeling is what makes us human. The one thing that makes us who we are in our hearts, our feelings, our emotions are the feelings we experience and that is what makes us human. If you show any signs of apathy you may not realize it and that’s not your fault though you may share some of the faults. Most people are unaware of what they are doing until someone confronts them.

Those who stand by and do nothing are just as guilty as those who are doing the bullying or anything a person should not do to another. Don’t be a bystander, speak up. You could help someone and make their day by standing with them and having their back. Everyone needs a least one person who cares about them willing to go through the rough times. When someone is pushed to the limit, it may cause them to harm themselves or worse. The person, whoever it may be, needs to feel wanted or to be loved. The people putting them down, hurting them physically and mentally are pushing them to their breaking points. Be the person who helps someone in their most dire moments and possibly save their lives. If you stand in the shadows someone will get hurt and it will be on you.

To most standing back and letting what happens, happen is the only thing they know. Some people are afraid that if they say something, that it’ll turn and bite them in the arse. I feel as if the students got involved they could possibly come up with some ways to fight back against the slander, rumors, harassment, and any bullying of any kind. The more you do to stop it or to fight back, the more effect it will have on the student. If people started spreading love, instead of hate, students would consider school to be a safe place. If we take action now and stop it at the source then more kids would actually enjoy going.