bullying.org – Collecting Rocks (2003, Canada)
A powerful anti-bullying PSA from bullying.org, a website from the 2000s which seems to have been a safe space where bullied kids could visit for help and advice on bullying. It starts out rather innocently: we see a young boy walking around a park collecting a variety of large rocks and putting them in his backpack. 'What's he going to do with those?' you'll be wondering...
Well, it turns out that this PSA is based on the true story of Hamed Nastoh - a 14-year-old boy who jumped to his death from the Pattullo Bridge in Canada after being repeatedly bullied at school. His body was found the next day, wearing a backpack filled with rocks to weigh himself down.
PSAs like these, although shocking and brutal, will never not be sad. It makes you wonder what kind of life Hamed would be living right now if he was still alive. He was excelling at school, his average grades scoring over 90%, of which his high academic achievements were one of the many things he was bullied for. He may have even changed the world with the great things he could have achieved in life - but these were all cut way too short.
Kids (and adults alike) can be so cruel, especially in this day and age, with the rise of "free speech" patriots, and the ever-increasing spiel of constant toxicity you can find on all the major social networks. In fact, there seems to be a huge market in saying the most cruel and callous things you could ever possibly contrive these days, and people endorse it in their millions. We need this message now more than ever: words do hurt and can have devastating consequences.
Is it really too much effort to be kind?
Directed by Wade Sherman.
Original: https://vimeo.com/219389693