Everything we do, everything we say, everything in this condemnatory world has the potential to do more damage than we can possibly see. Our actions are most times done out of spontaneity, but how many times do we stop and think about how our actions will affect everyone around us? The answer to this for most people is almost never. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for adolescents. What are adolescents? We are adolescents. The teenagers of our world.
Ben V... was only 11 years old when he took his own Life by hanging. Ben was being bullied everywhere. He couldn't ride home from school without his bus driver taunting him and calling him nasty names that I will not repeat. Ben took his life in the manner that we know as "bullycide" this is suicide as a result of bullying. And this happens more that you would think. The last words that Ben spoke to anyone was to his mother and they were "I'm sorry Mummy." After those three brief words Ben went into his bedroom and never emerged alive. Ben's father came home to find
Ben dead in his bedroom with shoelaces tied around his neck hanging from his bunk bed.
Even the smallest things can add up to have devastating consequences. Bill C... was only 17 when killed himself. He had, had a rough

















childhood and it started when he was 14. At the age of 14 Bill worked up the courage to tell his parents and the rest of the world that he was bisexual. His parents were understanding And supported Bill in
What ever he wanted to do. His mother encouraged
Him to go to a support group that was taking place
At the college that she graduated from.
On his way to his third meeting Bill met a man
That was going to the same place. He and Bill started
Walking together and he offered to drive Bill to his
House to loan him a "book". When Bill got there is
Wasn't a book the man wanted. Bill was forced to do
things with the man.

When Bill returned home that night he told his mother that he no longer needed to attend the meetings that he was O.K. his mother agreed. The meetings were not the only place that Bill saw the man he would see him around town and every time this unkind stranger would see Bill he would put his finger to his lips and say "shhhh" Bill became depressed and sunk so low that he was suicidal. Bill told his best friend that he was having suicidal thoughts. His friend didn't think about their friendship and told Bill's mother.

Bill was put into a hospital and for years he was O.K. he had a new outlook on life and things were going well in school. But one day during spring break as Bill, his best friend, and his girlfriend were walking home from renting a movie a car started following them calling them vulgar names and using inappropriate gestures with their hands. The group of friends decided it best to walk through the campus but not long after that the same group followed them on foot.

When they came together Bill and Sam were beaten until they were unconscious while Jenny screamed for help. They did not touch her but Sam had a broken nose and Bill may have had kidney damage. The police treated this as a hate crime and Bill and Sam organized a Rally against Hate. The rally was very popular and several hundred people showed up. At the rally Bill spoke this:

"In all likelihood, my friends Sam and Jenny will never have to tolerate this - or never have to endure this type of hate crime or any other type in their lives - and I hope that's true. But as an openly bisexual person in Olympia, I'm probably - or may be - the victim of this sort of thing again. Hate crimes - especially those against homosexuals and bisexuals and transgender people are on the rise in this area. And that is why now - more than ever - we, the gay community needs to come out and band together and fight for our civil rights and our right to be safe in our homes and on the streets. Thank you for coming."

After the rally Bill became depressed again and was admitted to the hospital again for a couple weeks. Just days after he got out Bill killed himself from an overdose. While this case is sad it is not uncommon.

While many people take their lives each year even more suffer from undiagnosed depression. Depression is a silent killer that takes the lives inside of people. This monstrosity is the reason why we have mental institutions. Why some people resort to self-mutilation and eventually death. Undiagnosed and untreated depression
How are you going to spread your light? How are you going to change this ghastly world that we live in? In this fictitious world that we live in every action, of everyday, of every second, has a history behind it a person who has done the same thing if not worse before you. A smile is worth a thousand words.
How many times have you stood up tall and proud and really thought about what your life meant? What does it all mean to you? Is it possible to kill a person with your words? The people that bullied Jessica H... said that they were only playing but Jessi would come home with scratches and bruises on her arms. She let they push her around until she had, had enough. But on November 23rd 2003 Jessi took her parents hand gun and killed herself in their driveway. And they said they were only playing. Well she wasn't playing.

Your inner demons should come out of you. You should realize what you have done for we are all guilty. But now you have the choice to make it better. Change your actions. And while it is a cliche make the world a better place. Think before you act because you never know when your words will end a person's life. Next time names come out of your mouth remember Bill, Ben, and Jessica. Remember what they stand for and take a stand against bullying and change who you are. You never know when your kind words and defense will save a person's life.