I’ve decided to sit down and write this today because I feel the need to.
I have so many things to say on the subject, I feel at least some of my opinions should be known.
On the 29th June 2008 16-year-old British boy Ben Kinsella was brutally stabbed
three colored men. Stabbed why? even though he did nothing wrong?
no one quite knows.
From what I’ve read and heard, he was extremely bright, handsome, kind, above many other things - it’s impossible to think someone would want to harm him.
I feel wrong for writing this, because as you may have guessed by now - I didn’t know him. But I darn well wish I did. He seemed different, in every positive way possible. Something tells me was always happy, had the brightest smile you could ever imagine, made everyone laugh and had an immense sense of humor.
I can’t quite imagine the pain Brooke, or even Jade and Georgia - the parents!
Are going through. I know if I lost one of my brothers, Ben or Dan, even though they’re both much older than me, I’d be ripped to shreds, I’d constantly feel like it was my life that should have been taken - not theirs. I wish I knew Ben, because something also tells me he would have been the most sincere friend I would have ever had.
I can easily relate to Ben’s experience - I’ve had a knife pulled out on me many times, usually just kids messing around, but one time it was more serious than that,
I was only a child at the time, too. I was fortunate enough to have a brave friend by my side who helped block the attacker from getting to me. Luckily neither of us were harmed. But.. ”frightening” isn’t even a word that can be used to describe what you feel at that moment in time. It didn’t harm me physically - only mentally.
I’m so wary when I go out, constantly scared there’s someone lurking, that someone’s out to get me. Too many times I’ve had to put up with the bullies around my area telling me to watch my back, and by heck do I watch it.
I’m scared of those who pass me on the street - young or old, it doesn’t matter.
I still shake with fear, even in broad daylight.
But I shouldn’t feel like that, I should feel perfectly safe, sickens me to think this is what our world has come to. I hate most teenagers my age, to think they’re the cause for why most of the stabbings take place in Britain. Strikes me to the core to even think I’m part of the same species.
In Ben’s honor, I wear his badge everyday without fail, and even at night, and if for some reason I can’t have it on show I clip it to my necklace and tuck it behind my shirt so it’s always there. Nine times out of ten people ask what its for - this annoys me, because if they’d have been paying attention they’d have known.
People often ask me, because there’s so many stabbings that take place everyday, why is Ben getting all the attention?
Because for once, people are making a stand, a campaign to ‘Stop Knives, Save Lives.’ - it’s a shame it’s had to take Ben losing his life for it to finally be brought to the surface, but it’s here now, so let’s make him proud, and know that because of the campaign many lives have been spared. I recently made a video, getting as many people as I can to support the campaign by appearing in it with their own messages and saying ”Stop Knives, Save Lives.” you can view it at
I’m carrying on with the campaign as usual, urging as many people to send off for the badges and wear them with sheer pride and determination, like I do.
If not for me but for Ben, and the Kinsella family.
On the 2nd September, I start college. I can only hope that Ben will be looking over me, as well as his family & friends, wishing me luck and keeping me safe - as well as my granddad who died 9 years ago.
Here’s to you, Ben. Look out for your sisters, they need you right now, no doubt you’ve been watching over them the whole time.
Sleep tight, and give my granddad a hug from me.
All my love, and so much more to come,
Charlotte xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
