speechless

[starrkers]

Struggling even to title this one

http://stcharlesjournal.stltoday.com/news/sj2tn20071110-1111stc_pokin_1.ii1.txt

 

[Guest]

Horrifying that adults would be the ones to instigate this sort of mental anguish on a child. It sounds about right for a 13-year-old "mean" girl, though.

But why haven't charges been filed? I certainly hope the parents sue. Wouldn't a lawsuit open a few more eyes about the dangers and the cruelty of stunts such as this?

Sad story.

 

[rgraham666]

Humans.

What a sick and twisted thing to do.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

It is almost impossible to imagine any sane adult behaving so sadistically - but a mother with a teenage daughter, that is sickening.

 

[joeys-game]

I don't even know how to respond to this..they should be put in prison..that is one of the most sick and twisted stunts i have ever read about..makes me ill.

 

[Just-Legal]

I think I'm going to be sick.

 

[3113]

I think the lawsuit needs to be filed against MySpace. It's long past time the postings on this place were monitored, and "age appropriate." Why isn't MySpace able to stop, delete or at least put an end to accounts being used for bullying and insults between children (or adults posing as children)?

 

[Stella_Omega]

I think the lawsuit needs to be filed against MySpace. It's long past time the postings on this place were monitored, and "age appropriate." Why isn't MySpace able to stop, delete or at least put an end to accounts being used for bullying and insults between children (or adults posing as children)?

Because there is no real way for myspace to monitor this.

There are serious issues of free speech that you are getting into here. If a suit goes through successfully against this portal, it would open the door for suits against every blogging service in the interweb-- really, really a bad thing.

Megan didn't make a complaint to myspace, they didn't know. Myspace puts notices all over its site, warning, asking, reminding. It's easy to call on a phisher or spammer or troll. But this woman started off being nice-- and being a really cute boy. Myspace has an obligation to take it's registrees at face value. Otherwise, "Stella Omega" would not be willing to post there... Nor would 3113 be able to post here on lit.

No, this needs to be brought home to the individuals who perpetrated it. And now that the newspaper article has come out-- something will happen, somehow...

 

[Stella_Omega]

It won't be too surprising that bloggers have outed the parents who did this, as Curt and Lori Drew
One article, article from Jezebel magazine

 

[starrkers]

It won't be too surprising that bloggers have outed the parents who did this, as Curt and Lori Drew
One article, article from Jezebel magazine

I am very glad to hear that. I find the whole situation incredible. My teen daughter is having a similar love/hate relationship with another girl at school. Thank god she is not as fragile as Megan. The BS still gets to her sometimes and I could cheerfully choke the other girl. But there aint no way I'd ever dream of something like this!

 

[slyc_willie]

I clicked on this link about five hours ago and have been thinking off and on about it since.

The behavior of the 'adults' who tormented Megan Meiers sickens me. There is something seriously wrong with them, that they would go to lengths to make a young girl feel bad for whatever may have happened between her and their own child. To create a false online persona with the explicit idea of gaining this girl's confidence, then attacking her, is beyond reprehensible.

It is criminal. Perhaps not legally, but at the least, morally.

I am glad they have been outed. I don't wish to see them tormented the way they tormented Megan, but they damn well better feel no end of guilt for what they did.

On a more vicious level, fuck Lori Drew for not feeling 'as bad' because she believed Megan tried to commit suicide before. If there is a pure example of a heartless, self-absorbed bitch, it is she.

 

[cantdog]

Because there is no real way for myspace to monitor this.

There are serious issues of free speech that you are getting into here. If a suit goes through successfully against this portal, it would open the door for suits against every blogging service in the interweb-- really, really a bad thing.

Megan didn't make a complaint to myspace, they didn't know. Myspace puts notices all over its site, warning, asking, reminding. It's easy to call on a phisher or spammer or troll. But this woman started off being nice-- and being a really cute boy. Myspace has an obligation to take it's registrees at face value. Otherwise, "Stella Omega" would not be willing to post there... Nor would 3113 be able to post here on lit.

No, this needs to be brought home to the individuals who perpetrated it. And now that the newspaper article has come out-- something will happen, somehow...

Very balanced and sensible, Stella. As we all expected. I'm sure the Drews would love to blame someone else, and blaming Myspace would suit them fine.

 

[slyc_willie]

This was the top story on MSN today.

Makes me wonder why it's taken two years for this story to come out.

 

[cloudy]

This was the top story on MSN today.

Makes me wonder why it's taken two years for this story to come out.

Well, its only been a year this past October that she died, and in the article you linked, it says, "For a year, the Meiers kept quiet at the request of both the FBI and local law enforcement officials while they investigated the incident."

I agree, though, that it probably should've come out sooner.

 

[slyc_willie]

Well, its only been a year this past October that she died, and in the article you linked, it says, "For a year, the Meiers kept quiet at the request of both the FBI and local law enforcement officials while they investigated the incident."

I agree, though, that it probably should've come out sooner.

Weird. I don't know why I was thinking two years.

I can see the Meiers keeping quiet. Although a few other people haven't . . . .

ETA: By the way, where is our own lovable bully?

 

[sr71plt]

I saw an NBC interview with the girl's parents today, and I'll have to say that, although the perpetrators did the unspeakable, the girl's parents were knuckleheads. They acknowledged knowing their daughter was developing this relationship on the Internet and encouraged it. This is utter cluelessness about who likely is behind a posting personality on the Interent on such Web sites--highly likely not the person being imaged and a good chance that it's a sexual predator. I'd let my children chat back and forth with friends they know and whose net ID is established, but develop a relationship with someone unknown right in front of my eyes and me encouraging it?--not a chance. Dumb, I think. And I think they share in responsibility for the result.

 

[Boxlicker101]

I think the lawsuit needs to be filed against MySpace. It's long past time the postings on this place were monitored, and "age appropriate." Why isn't MySpace able to stop, delete or at least put an end to accounts being used for bullying and insults between children (or adults posing as children)?

Without defending anybody, I don't see what MySpace could have done. On its face, this was a normal developing relationship. They would be able to delete postings, but I don't see how they would be able to monitor chatting. Trying to do so would be the same as eavesdropping on a private conversation.

 

[jomar]

I saw an NBC interview with the girl's parents today, and I'll have to say that, although the perpetrators did the unspeakable, the girl's parents were knuckleheads. They acknowledged knowing their daughter was developing this relationship on the Internet and encouraged it.

Interesting. In another article they claimed to have carefully monitored the situation and warned her of investing too much in the online relationship.

 

[Guest]

My emotional answer....

My heart breaks for a little girl that unfortunately was only shown the harsh disgusting side of human nature. My soul weeps for her parents who tried desperately to give their daughter something that was monitored, watched over but also something that she could call her own and find a bit of happiness from. My stomach turns that it was ADULTS doing this, convincing other kids to "help" them and watching the other kids do it because "adults wouldn't do something wrong intentionally". And my belief comes into play... NEVER send something out into the universe that you are not willing to pay the three fold law over. Justice will be done.... the Fates are sticklers for that.

 

[Mark_Ilaan]

My heart breaks for a little girl that unfortunately was only shown the harsh disgusting side of human nature. My soul weeps for her parents who tried desperately to give their daughter something that was monitored, watched over but also something that she could call her own and find a bit of happiness from. My stomach turns that it was ADULTS doing this, convincing other kids to "help" them and watching the other kids do it because "adults wouldn't do something wrong intentionally". And my belief comes into play... NEVER send something out into the universe that you are not willing to pay the three fold law over. Justice will be done.... the Fates are sticklers for that.

Never have truer words been spoken, dear lady. I have watched this situation since the beginning and can only worry for such children. My little sister comes to mind. I know how I would react if I thought someone was doing to her what was done to that girl.

 

[sr71plt]

Sorry, I still don't think that any parents who would let a subteen (or even a teen) develop a relationship with someone on Internet boards who they don't know face-to-face have a screw loose and are part of the problem.