It's always disheartening to hear of tragic events happening across our country. I'm not talking about the everyday statistic of a crime in a city — I mean how hateful words or actions can influence another person's wellbeing. Within the last two weeks, if you've turned on the nightly news, read various segments on the Web or have even signed a petition of some sort, you are aware of how sad and surreal life has become. Are we living in a cruel and unusual version of the movie Mean Girls or Cruel Intentions? As Rodney King, a victim of police brutality, once said, "Can't we all just get along?"
Sept. 29, Rutgers University first year Tyler Clementi jumped to his death after his roommate posted a video of him having sexual encounters with another male. Before he posted the video, which he caught on tape by leaving his Web cam up, he tweeted, "Roommate asked for the room until midnight. I went into Molly's room and turned on my Web cam. I saw him making out with a dude. YAY." Clementi learned of the publicized incident and jumped off a nearby New York City bridge.
Sept. 28, 19-year-old Colton Tooley, wearing a ski mask, opened fire with an AK-47 inside a University of Texas library,and then fatally shot himself, according to police. No one else was reported injured. Nevertheless, it was a shocking moment and eruption of chaos for students at the University of Texas that day.
Asher Brown, of Houston, Texas, only 13 years old, hung himself after he was bullied extensively. Asher's stepfather, David Truong, recalls the morning before the suicide and said, "I told him, ‘We'll talk about it when you get home.' I told him, ‘You know your mother and I support you.' He told me, 'Have a good day.' I said, ‘Have a good day, son.' That was the last time I spoke to my son."
It's hard enough to hear about controversies overseas such as death tolls in the Middle East, heinous hate crimes and never-ending wars in countries where people just fight for another day to live. There may not be unity in all places of the world, but it can all start in the smallest of places — kindness can spread within your circle of friends, family and even in a community.
Of course no one is perfect. I'm guilty of the catfights, the cold shoulder and various gossiping sessions with my friends, but after this week, you start to think a little bit. Would it really kill you to be nice? Doesn't it take more effort out of you when you can't just smile and say hello to someone walking by instead of snubbing them? It's the little things in life that count. It's that generosity that comes with the morality we've all been taught from our parents, family and mentors. Remember, we can just as easily rely on each other than turn against the world. There is perfection in our imperfection. We're only human, and that's our saving grace.
Don't just go with the saying, "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer." It gives the connotation that you still have to hold onto a lie to keep someone close to you. Instead, agree to be disagreeable. Don't spread callousness and the awful wounds we cannot see. In the end, even enemies can show respect.
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