MySpace suicide

So, this is the first time I'm going to venture into tabloid territory on this blog. Not that I'm above dipping into gossip territory; I have posted on Kate Brockhouse's blog and anonymously on Buddy TV about Bachelor season 11 related stuff, after all. Mostly, it was because I'd thought Hillary (and later Solisa) had gotten raw deals in their experience with the show, and I felt they deserved a little better. Otherwise, I'm done with the whole thing - that show sucks, creates entertainment out of the misery of others, and really insults my intelligence. Which I hate. And that is all I am ever going to say about this subject.

All of which leads into the real subject of this post, which is the tragic news of Megan Meier's suicide, allegedly aided and abetted by the mother of a former friend, who helped create the fake Myspace profile that may have contributed to Megan's decision to kill herself, more than a year ago. I say that I am heading into tabloid territory because, ultimately, this is a sensationalistic topic. This topic is one that some people might consider on par with news about Britney and Lindsay and (insert celebrity of the moment here) "news". This dis
tracts from more important stuff like the depressing state of affairs in Iraq, the sad state of health care in this country, the raw deal that poor people (in particular) get in this country, the struggle of workers to fight for better working conditions, and the appalling conditions the elderly in some nursing homes have to suffer through because a few private equity investors want to make millions in short-term profit. Among other things.

The point being that there are more important things to blog about, and it feels weird to bring this up. Yet, it is hard not to read that St. Louis Post Dispatch article, and not feel horrified that something like this was allowed to happen, and law enforcement can't do anything about it! It's bad enough when we get bullied by our peers, and let's face it, competition is a fact of life. It's even worse when an adult is involved in the bullying of a teenager, especially one who struggled with her self-image and feelings of self-worth. I don't condone vigilante justice, which is why I haven't blogged about the identities of those involved with the MySpace profile (although that is easily accessible information for those who care to Google). However, I have little sympathy regarding the harrassment that woman is receiving as a result of being outed, either. Still, I feel something should be done, so I will do my part to bring some limited amount of attention to this issue as well.

Rest in peace, Megan. I'm sorry it had to end this way. Believe me when I say that I know exactly how this kind of shit goes down, and I know what it feels like to think that everyone hates you. I hope your family finds some measure of justice, somehow, although without the vigilantism that might seem the natural reaction to this situation.

Updated with link to Bill Moyers' Journal website.