MAFB (mothers against facebook bullying) No, it's not an official organization, but it should be

My cousin posted today that a girl made a remark on her (my cousin's) daughter's page. Now, my cousin's daughter is only 14. The girl said that my cousin didn't look cute in her braces. When Andreah (my cousin) told her to back off then the girl said that she would "murder" her and that she could because she is "hood and from da streets."

This hurts on so many levels. So many levels. So many questions. What the?? Who? Yes, my cousin, Andreah's mother did call the girl's mother, to inform her of what was going on. The mother responded by saying that Andreah needs to keep her mouth shut. Yes, Candy (my cousin) did call the police. Cobb County Police Department told her that they will get back to her.

I don't know their timetable but I say that if she hasn't heard anything within 24 hours then we, the mamas, the papas, the sisters, the brothers all need an answer. Online bullying has gotten more and more publicity lately. There are enough challenges to being a teenager.

When I was in middle school the big threat was that we would get our butts kicked after school. Even when the threats were actually carried out, the fight lasted just long enough for a mama driving by to tell us to take our butts home.

It's not the children. Not completely. I was talking to a sistefriend of mine who said something very profound on this subject. She said, "the children haven't changed. They come here the same way they always have. We've changed. The adults have changed."

We've changed. We are afraid of our children. We have lost the advice we used to give. "Use your words." Where are our words? Our words to our children? Our words to others in front of our children? What are our words about our children?

Is the answer more beatings? No, not in my opinion. Violence is the language our children know because violence is the language we speak when we run out of words. When we run out of time, strength, self love.

It will take God leading a community of us. It will take OUR voices. OUR VOICE. Our voice that rings questions and shouts answers. It will take the utterances of our hearts that pray until answers come. Until peace comes.

I'll keep you updated on the status of this.