Sticks and Stones

U.S. Cent. Com.'s on-line social sites have been attacked;

Both their YouTube Channel and their Twitter feed were hacked.

Postings made by something called the Cyber Caliphate:

Threats and a recruitment ad for the Islamic State.

It's a war of words in which we find ourselves engaged;

Battles in the chat rooms of the web are being waged.

'though we clearly lost this one, the war ain't over yet...

So we need to strengthen our defenses on the net.

Sony and Home Depot and at least a dozen more

Companies whose customers must track their credit score

After hackers stole their data...  Happens every day

To the folks who've dared to use a credit card to pay.

We could all be victims of this type of cyber crime

But that's not what ISIL's hackers did to us this time...

We were cyber-bullied; had our noses rubbed in dirt.

Meanwhile, ISIL's getting more than just their feelings hurt.

Chelmsford High PRIDE

It is very disconcerting to have helicopters taking aerial shots of your local high school and satellite trucks with reporters waiting at the entrance.  I think I saw my car on the morning news. (Photo/WHDH)

Local football players are accused of being cruel.

My son missed the bus today; I drove him in to school.

It has been surrounded by reporters, camera crews;

Not the way that residents want Chelmsford in the news.

As the  mom of teenage boys, I've met the kids accused.

Never met the child who they, allegedly, abused.

Dr. Frank Tiano swears that action's underway.

What exactly happened, he is not prepared to say.

Rumors have been flying; I've heard wedgies, I've heard rape.

I've been told they meant it as a mean, but harmless, jape.

I have met their coaches, though.  I've always been impressed.

I can guarantee you that the staff there is distressed.

Don't know what will happen now, nor what the charges are.

Only know, this morning, when arriving in my car,

Students there looked somber, somewhat shaken, and subdued,

As they tried to process how their school is being viewed.