The End of Invisible Boundaries

What’s happened to us?

I’m not a man of extremes, but stating the extremes in terms of this topic will hopefully show us we must avoid them.

Oh, and this isn’t meant for anyone specifically. And it’s none of this “you know who you are” stuff. If any description sounds a lot like you, this passage wasn’t meant to offend you specifically. Oh, and I’m not perfect, as is the case for anyone. I have no authority. I only say this because no one says a word about how messed up this school can be. But, for the most part, we know that some things we do are just plain stupid. It may sound obvious for some of you, but not everyone knows what the hell is going on.

This won’t affect everyone who reads the following letter if you will, but it’s out of anger that’s lasted for years.

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Dear kiddies,

These invisible boundaries that surround us as teenagers are entirely pointless. We can’t get near each other without entering a state of paranoia: What does he/she really think of me? You think I’m nuts? Put it this way: Suicides don’t happen because the victims always hate only themselves; they hate the world because they think the world hates him or her.

We’re too homophobic. Why do we have to resort to calling bisexuals d—s in the locker rooms? Or even think about whether all members of the Gay Straight Alliance are gays or lesbians? Do you really have to be that inquisitive or suspicious? People are different from you, deal with it.

Stop the macho-ness. Really, you look like a total nitwit. Who do you really think you are? Just because you think more girls like you than others or because you think you’re athletic, or you think you’re attractive doesn’t mean you go around making fun of people’s moms and dads and siblings and anything else your minds can think of. Of course this applies to everybody who’s like this. Please grow up. I feel the coldest chill up my spine when I see such people.

What are you smoking for? What are you drinking for? This made up unit known as popularity doesn’t skyrocket because you got drunk or high at three in the morning. This isn’t designed to be a stereotype. I’m just sick of people knowing how bad the substances are for you, but they still try it once. I get if you’ve had problems of some kind, or to relax, but drugs aren’t the answer. And posting the pictures of you high or completely wasted on the Internet doesn’t help either. If you try it once, you’re hooked. Anybody knows that, it’s the whole point!

We judge too much on how a person looks or the tiny things he or she does. So a guy has long hair (i.e. a fringe) or his pants are tighter than you want it. Or maybe… say it ain’t so… He or she likes Yu-Gi-Oh. Who cares? Is it so important that we start to make the most outrageous assumptions over such minuscule issues? It’s just way too much, period.

This is why I write. I don’t care if you hate me for it. I do it out of rage. And I’m not the only one that feels this way. We just don’t take the chance because we know the reaction won’t exactly be completely in our favor. Somebody will most likely look at each of the words in each and every single sentence and look for something to say against me… god, help us.

Many people have the same feelings expressed in this note, but refuse to say enough or anything. “One of the things I’ve learned is to just not get caught up with the high school standards everyone worries about,” says Bryan McComb of Lynbrook High School. “You have to focus on you. What they say or think are just ignorant comments. Take it from me, as long as you’re okay with yourself, and this goes for everyone, then what they say to you shouldn’t get to you or anybody else.”

To the victims: keep your head up, it makes you the better one. Trust me.