Apparently Not Anyone's Space.

Oh yes America. You keep impressing me. Now I am not talking government. No. They've had just about all they can handle. I am talking about the average American. Specifically the teenagers. More specifically young teenage girls who love MySpace. Oh you don't know what MySpace is? You must be an ignorant parent. Did I just say that? GASP.

Anyway, here's the scoop. A 13 year-old girl's mother is filing a $30 million lawsuit against the quite popular website. Why? Well that was the question that I asked. And here's why. She claims that MySpace is negligent in protecting teens. The girl was raped by a man she met through the website. Now I am not saying that I do not feel horrible about what the man did to her. No no. But let's take a look at what really is going on here.

It's a website that specifically, SPECIFICALLY, says that users are NOT to be 13 and under. These ages are NOT allowed. However, the teens who are under the age limit FAKE their age in order to get an account. So let's get this straight. This girl LIED about her age in order to get a MySpace, and then met someone who obviously was a predator and posed as a "friend." You cannot be a "friend" unless you request it. This request is then approved by the actual person who has the MySpace. So therefore, you can deny anyone you do NOT know. It's that simple. Only allow a friend on that you know specifically from school, let's say. Most people even TALK about it at school. So let's say you approved someone who used a title name that was not specific. You ask around ALL of your friends IN PERSON (God forbid) whose name that was. If you can't find anyone with that name, DELETE them from your friends. It's that simple.

Now this is not the first case of people blaming MySpace for the lack of security. And, though I hate saying this, to be fair to those, there is no age "checking" in MySpace. But how is that possible? I mean, how could an age possibly be verified? You want them to use your Social Security Number? That's a little too personal for me, but hey, if you parents absolutely have to blame someone, then there's the way to fix it.

I guess this boils down to my point. I am sick of people blaming. BLAME is used FAR too often. Where has RESPONSIBILITY gone? Since when has someone screwed up, and said "my bad"? No. Nowadays, if you make a bad decision, well that wasn't your fault! Someone influenced you, or was negligent, etc. So you deserve MONEY for it. MONEY solves everything doesn't it? Again, I am not trying to belittle the fact that this girl was raped by a pedophile. I am all for torturing those people until they are about to die, but don't give them the satisfaction of death. That's not what this rant is about. All I am saying is that if the parent may have taken the initiative to just LOOK at the girl's MySpace once in awhile or tell the girl that she should NEVER meet a stranger ANYWHERE. I mean, these are basic tips for survival in the real world. Don't talk to strangers. And yet the girl did. I mean, the girl is 13. She isn't a little kid anymore. Just THINK about what you're doing. If you do that, if you THINK things out logically, normally you make a good decision. There is not going to be security at every point in your life. You can't just assume that everyone is good on the inside. You cannot just assume that everyone will always be your friend. Your closest friends? Yes...they are the good ones. But to believe an absolute stranger and meet him somewhere? Just take a second and THINK. It's just sad because this type of thing could have so easily been prevented.

For the record, I have a MySpace, and it's got Kill Bill colors...it's pretty sweet...

Alright, it's a little bit sentimental.

You know, of impossible things that could never happen, me being a little sad at the end of high school, would have been right at the top of the list. I'd have been dead wrong wouldn't I?

It would appear that I would have been. Yes, I know, it's only 180 days, or 183, if you're technical, but you know what, it's really a year. And oh, what a year. I mean, do you ever look at the next couple of months and think, what will have happened by then? I guarantee I would not have predicted a lot, but some things I probably could have.

From a first job, to the Lily Chronicles, to an unnecessarily drama-filled first semester, to an end of a relationship I could have foreseen, to discovering gibberellin, to an amazing Senior Prom, to the sweetest person I know, I never really realized what had occurred. And looking back, it really got better as it went. I guess that's how most things occur. I mean, it's like a good movie. It may start off slow, with character introductions and such. But near the conclusion, as it is often said of romance, people only get together right at the very end. But is this integral part of our present, high school, such an end, or the beginning? For many in the school, this is the end; their peak. But for those who have worked, for those who have perservered, for those with a sense of reality, this is the beginning of the rest of our lives.

And yet, we cannot look to the future so quickly. Why deny what we want now? Is it so bad to live in the present, living for every day? This is the free summer. This is our last chance to be kids; to be immature; to be, for lack of a better word, high schoolers. The responsibilities only multiply from here on out. We are forced to grow up, to become the adult we were born to be. But right now, this is our summer.

Over the year, I have noticed one major aspect of life. I have realized who I really am. I have values. I know where I stand, what my possibilities are, and in what I believe. I know not to deny what I know is right in my heart. I know that not everyone is going to like me, but not everyone hates me. I know that there is someone out there exactly like me. I know the truth hurts, but only if you can't accept it. I know that .03 can often mean death by Lily. I know that the present is what matters; I can't control anything else. And I know that there is a gay, sweet person whom I absolutely adore; and whatever happens, happens.

So when I look back, after all that I have come across, the question of regret always exists. But I cannot regret anything. I made the choices. I made the sacrifices. I was blind to some things, but opened my eyes to others. I'm sorry for only a few rash, half-thought decisions. But the others, I know they were right. And I must say, I had the best time of my life with those I call friends and those I consider even closer than that. I'm all yours.

May I just say thanks. To anyone who deserves it...