Missouri Sen. Scott Rupp will be featured by television’s most boring — oops, most popular — psychologist when he teams up with Dr. Phil today to discuss cyberbullying.
Host Phil McGraw will interview Rupp (pronounced “Roop”) about the case of Megan Meier, the Missouri 13-year-old who killed herself last year after she was suddenly dumped by a teen-age boy with whom she had an internet romance.
It turned out that the boy was fictional and had been concocted by a girl Megan knew and the girl’s mother. Authorities have said the mother and daughter created the boy online as part of a plot to hurt Megan after she and the daughter had a falling out.
Rupp, a Wentzville Republican, has introduced a bill that would make harassing or stalking online a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Rupp will appear on the nationally syndicated program with Tina Meier, Megan’s mother. He said no law currently bans bullying over the internet.
“This tragedy underscores that words do have meaning and can hurt,” Rupp said. “I hope my appearance … will draw attention to this problem and close the loopholes cyberbullies now exploit.”
Mother-daughter team are dangerous
They knew this girl well enough to exploit her weaknesses and conduct online psychological terror against her. We don't know much about the mother or daughter but one or both may be quite dangerous to society. They are sociopaths at the very least and if they encouraged her to kill herself in those exact words, can't they be charged with manslaughter at the very least? I hope they are sentensed to psychiatric treatment to make sure they will not kill again.
We all want to believe our teens are tougher than that and could withstand any amount of bullying without killing themselves however painfull it may be. I wouldn't want someone like these two free to put others to the test.
They remind me of the stage mom type who will go to any lengths for their child. This goes well beyond the helicopter mom who will knock on your door to ask why your child won't play with theirs.
Crazy!!!!!