In light of recent events on Newsvine, I wanted to tell everybody about a woman who does not deserve the events that have unfolded. The woman that many people view to be an overconfident monster is in fact a fearless human being, a woman that has a more of a spine than the coward who sent her the disgusting e-mail she received.

Although I do not know much about the events surrounding her birth, I know most of the events as she grew up. She showed signs of great intellect at an early age and was a fantastic gymnast and was excellent at softball. She was among the top in her classes and was one of the most studious of children and adolescents. She excelled in debate and literature. Her wits were quick and her mind was even quicker. She was fearless and never backed down against bullies. She was a role model for many people, even at a young age.

Somewhere in the midst of her younger years, however, she was diagnosed with epilepsy. She was seen by an amazing neurologist--probably one of the best neurologists in the Nation, if not the world--and prescribed an effective medication. Despite such a dreadful diagnosis, she remained strong, as did my grandparents and uncle. After all, it takes more than a disease to stop her.

Life went on for her, and she learned lessons that everybody eventually learns in life. She matured quickly, yet still knew how to have fun. She openly expressed her opinion without fear. She was the Wonder Woman of debate. She thrived on competition and yet was humble enough to befriend those whose opinions opposed her own--after all, what is a good debate if neither side gains anything?

On Wednesday, October 30, 1991, she gave birth to a small yet amature child--a child that weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces despite being a little late. She named that child Rebecca and treated her like a precious treasure.

When I came of age, she enrolled me in a private school, a Christian school with an attached church that we attended almost every Sunday. By first grade, we were learning out multiplication tables. I remember telling Mom, "I know 12x12!" She was so proud. She supported me in my schoolwork and our home life was relaxed. We had a cat that would climb the Christmas tree, a branch off the Christmas tree that looked so much like a spider that Mom and I (who are arachniphobic) threw a rag over it and waited in the kitched until Dad got home to kill it, neighbors we could depend on, including Bill (an older black fellow who was one of the best friends I will ever have, and I will always miss him dearly) and Caitlyn(a friend of mine from school), a nearby park, and (every child's dream) bunnies right out in the front yard. Man did those rabbits get spoiled...Mom and I would always feed them lettuce and carrots.

When second grade rolled around, we moved to a new town and I was enrolled into the public school system. I grew bored right away--I knew everything they were teaching. By fourth grade, I had become so bored, I did nothing but doodle in class. The teachers, concerned despite the straight A's I was receiving, told my Mom they suspected I had ADD. I remember the meeting clearly, and I even knew what they were talking about. Mom immediately came to my defense, pointing out that my education was more advanced than they were offering me at the time being. She explained to them that I needed more of a challenge, not the little, "4x4=?" stuff they were teaching. Not, "i before e except after c." I already knew that stuff.

After that, I was placed into the TAG program. There was some challenge there, but I was still bored.

Middle school went by with little to no incident, though I will say this; Mom is one of the main reasons I gained self confidence and began to leave my shell. After all, my childhood years were much different than hers; I was as shy as the Ugly Little Duckling.

Around the start of high school, Mom and I started Girl's Night Out. Once a week, we would go shopping, eat at a place we liked, go feed the ducks and geese at the cemetary, and have an all around good time. We discovered little shops that we still visit when we get the chance. We had fun.

When I left for basic on June 1, 2010, I said goodbye to my parents. Basic was my introduction to the real world, and they knew more than I did that it would be a heck of a wake up call. Despite how mature I had become, despite how similar to Mom I was becoming, they both knew basic was one of the toughest things I would ever go through. After all, I had just graduated high school two days before; everybody else in my graduating class was entering the real world through a different route.

Mom was the person who received the majority of the letters from basic. Don't get me wrong, I love Dad, I love him so much. He's a fantastic Dad. But I've always gone to Mom first. I don't know if it's because of the connection she and I have, or if it's just a mother-child thing. She and Dad both kept me motivated through out basic. From the first letters saying, "Why the heck did I do this?" to the letters saying, "This is the best decision I've ever made," they were both there, supporting me all the way.

At Goodfellow and Sheppard, medical issues arose on my end. Before too long, there was talk of a high chance of medical discharge due to a heart condition that has shown itself after all this time. I was afraid to tell my parents the news, especially Mom. I hate disappointing people, especially my parents. Yet they still stood by me and supported me. Mom has been a fantastic help in the situation. She even helped me start a congressional to speed up the process and to get answers.

In the midst of all this, she was also dealing with the beginning of Parkinson's.

If I remember correctly, the sick individual who sent her the e-mail not only said that he hoped a future for her that I will not repeat here, but he also hoped for her death. He took something as serious as a disease and death as lightly as one would take a knock-knock joke. He took something as serious as threatening my mother, one of the people who is closest in my heart, as lightly as the wind takes a feather. It's disgusting and infuriating, and she does not deserve any of those hurtful words. She does not deserve any of her diseases, and it's bad enough that her only child has a progressive heart condition. She does not deserve this at all.

There are people on the Vine who view Mom as an overconfident monster, but in all reality, she is a fearless, amazing woman. Has the Vine really become such a place that people will go so far as to send disgusting e-mails such as the one sent to her? Has the Vien really become such a place where people feel so threatened by one fearless, confident, middle-class, naturally-blond-yet-still-quite-intelligent woman that they go to childish lengths to threaten said woman?

I thought I had joined a community of competitive and fair debators, not a community of children.