早上看电视新闻，接连两条都是有关青少年的 。头一个是大明星 Michael Douglas 的儿子因参与贩毒而被判五年徒刑的消息，第二个是关于麻省一位因遭受 bully 而自杀的十五岁高中女生Phoebe Prince 的 case update。Phoebe Prince 的照片我在商店 check out lanes上陈列的杂志封面上看到过，并没有太注意; 但今天这个节目上的内容却让我忍不住落泪!

是什么样的来自同龄人的羞辱和攻击，让这个十五岁的花季少女决定以自缢的方式结束自己的生命？又是为什么，面对这样的悲剧，她的tormenters 都毫不所动，甚至在得知她的死讯的后一天照样举办dance party; 他们在她的Facebook Page 写道：“ Accomplished”；并在网上发贴说：“这都是她自己的错！”虽然现在他们都已经被以各种名义起诉，仍然无人对自己的行为表示悔意. 我知道人们常说：“Kids can be so mean!" 但这些所谓的“Mean Girls ” 的冷酷，超过了我的理解能力。

下面是Phoebe Prince 去年写的一篇essay ，听听这位因父母离异，去年刚从爱尔兰移民到美国的女孩子内心的呐喊吧。

Where have today’s values gone? Everyone is so preoccupied with their electronic gadgets to appreciate simple moments like the first snow fall of winter or hearing the words I love you for the very first time. We live in an impersonal electronic society, is that what our values have gone to? We no longer appreciate simple conversations now that we have twitter and face-book. Personally I can’t believe that reading an email would have the same effect as speaking with someone face to face, making a moment.

I get into my pink fluffy onesie my feet tingle as they rub off the soft cushioned fabric. I head downstairs into the kitchen. The walls our heath green with various paintings of vegetables. I live in an old country house with a barn door and all the furnishings to boot. My fathers sitting at the dining table reading a thriller type novel as per usual with a half glass full of white wine next to him. The fire is roaring and the smell of hydrangea’s wafts through the air. I curl up on a chair adjacent from my father making sure to be cosily tucked in near the fire. He puts down his book and says, “Now what is on your mind tonight my dear?” From there on we start a heated debate about almost anything. Our conversations range from sex, drugs and rock and roll to matters of great importance such as ancient religions, politics and criminal justice. No subject is off limits with me and my father.

I click in my glossy silver i-pod into my speakers. I turn up the volume full blast, the walls vibrate from the sound of System of a Down screaming out “Chop Suey”. I’m sitting in my room on my mattress (I broke my bed one evening whilst jumping on it). My walls are covered with doodles, posters, lyrics and memories. I have the lyrics to “I love college” by Asher Roth printed on my walls. I start off by listening to some Arctic Monkeys, they always get me in a good mood. My mix soon turns into some darker music. My i-pod reflects me inside throughout. Its my constant companion. Soon my boyfriend rings me up, “Phoebe c’mon man lets go for a spin, bring your i-pod.” I get into his Civic and he starts driving. The windows are down and the air is blowing through my hair, I plug my i-pod in and the Alex Kidd starts pumping. Alex Kidd is by far my favourite DJ. The words “ecstasy” are throbbing in my ears. Leem starts speeding up we’re going well over sixty miles an hour. We change the music to some Chemical Brothers and The Avalanches. He drops me outside the farm across the road from my house. I now put on “Sandiego Song” by the Coronas.

I value both my i-pod and my nightly conversations with my daddy for both different yet similar reasons. My i-pod is stimulating to my body as I can’t help but move along to the beat, it is also the soundtrack of my life, I have a song for every moment and mood of my day. Without it I would be lost. Its also therapeutic for me I find it easy to relate to the lyrics in music and let them wash away any emotion I’m feeling. As for my nightly conversations with my daddy I treasure them dearly they stimulate my mind to no end, he has increased my knowledge of different dialects, cultures, religions and politics. I learn about the world around me even though I don’t leave my kitchen table.