Sympathy For The Devil

Today on the news this morning, there was an update as to the ongoings in the Phoebe Prince case. Six teens have been arraigned on charges from stalking, assault, civil rights violations, and criminal intent. One of the lawyers for the Mean Girls issued a statement, saying that the Mean Girls are now the victims of being bullied, and death threats have been made against them.

I'm not endorsing bullying the bullies. I understand why the lawyer came out and said this. He wants to draw upon some kind of sympathy for the Mean Girls when their trial begins.

How, exactly, do you expect anyone to have sympathy for these girls? They are not victims. Yes, they're being exposed to the same bullying that brought about the suicide of Phoebe Prince, but they'll survive it. Why? Because they will be getting the help Phoebe Prince should have received. These girls will have support from their family, and be watched over closely at school to make sure nothing happens to these girls. The school is clearly going to try and rectify it's biggest mistake (not putting an end to the bullying of Phoebe Prince) by protecting the Mean Girls from being bullied themselves. Their parents are going to lend support, and a shoulder to lean and cry on. This isn't an indictment on Phoebe Prince's mother as not showing support to her daughter. Teenagers won't tell you what they don't want you to know. Phoebe Prince was bullied, was most likely ashamed that she was getting bullied, and that is why after three months she told her mother what was going on, a week before her death. The bullying of Phoebe Prince was not common knowledge until she died. Because this story has been brought to the attention of the country, the parents of the bullies can now support their children. Where was the support for Phoebe Prince?

When the school was informed of the bullying Phoebe Prince was receiving, the school said they took care of it. New details came out today about the last days of Phoebe Prince's life, that the Mean Girls confronted and bullied Phoebe Prince in the library and in the bathroom. The school handled the issue? How is that? Not only did the bullying NOT stop, it was STILL occuring DURING school hours. I've been in trouble in school before also. If you are not a frequent visitor to the principal, vice principal, whatever, you are going to get a five minute lecture, and slap on the wrist, and sent on your way. Clearly this is what happened with the Mean Girls.

How am I supposed to feel any kind of sympathy for the Mean Girls? The Mean Girls mentally abused Phoebe Prince to the point of death. Phoebe Prince didn't have anyone to help her, even when the school faculty knew of the bullying. The support being given to the Mean Girls is done in retrospect. The school knew they were wrong in not taking better, and more appropriate steps in stopping the bullying, so now they are taking the protection of the Mean Girls to a new level to make sure they don't get pushed as far as Phoebe Prince was pushed. If the roles were reversed, would their parents know they were being bullied? Most likely not. The consequences of reporting bullying, and not having it crushed immediately, are far worse then if you don't report the bullying. There is only so much someone can take. Bullying is far different from when most of us were growing up. Back then, and this is only going back roughly fifteen years ago, bullying pretty much stayed at school. It's not that way anymore. Everyone has a cell phone. Everyone has a Facebook page, or a My Space page, or both. If a bully wants to get to you, they will get to you. There is no way out unless the problem is exposed and obliterated quickly, and immediately.

I also find it hard to give them sympathy when this is all going to go away for them with time. Their lives will go on. But Phoebe Prince is still dead. They most likely won't serve any form of jail time, or actual repercussions stemming from their bullying. But Phoebe Prince is still dead. They should be convicted on felony charges of civil rights violations. Make them put into writing when applying to jobs or colleges that they were convicted of a felony, and what that felony was. Make them remember the price of what their bullying was. Their loves will go on, and may be difficult, but they go on. Phoebe Prince is still dead.

I titled this Sympathy For The Devil, not because I think the Mean Girls are the Devil, but because of the correlation between the two. When I think about the saying 'Sympathy for the Devil' it makes me think that the Devil wants sympathy for being the Devil. He is not bad, but his job is the exact opposite of what God's is (no matter what form of Devil or God you want to use) and therefore is forced into being bad, and doing bad things. He doesn't really mean the things he says that are harmful. He doesn't want to do the things that he does that are evil. It's just his nature. The Mean Girls may not have wanted to push Phoebe Prince into suicide. They may not have wanted Phoebe Prince to fall so far into depression. Their actions did all the talking for them. So now they are being bullied. Their actions have been turned back onto them. So now we should feel sorry for them? I can't do that. The bullies are now bullied themselves. At least they will live through it and continue on with their lives. Phoebe Prince will not.