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Bullying - We ALL have a part to play
14 years ago
General
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Live life to the fullest, love with a full heart. Prompted by GentlemanPlayer's new journal footer, I stopped to think about this some. One thing I see that dismays me quite a bit is this perception in our society - by which I mean the western world, generally - that (a) stopping bullying is someone else's responsibility - teachers, schools, the government, other parents and (b) that it's a problem but it's not my problem because my child isn't a bully.
No.
Bullying is everyone's problem. We all have a part to play in stopping it. That, by the way, includes the pack mentality often seen online whereby long-time habitues of a forum or website will swarm someone who is new and/or expresses an unpopular opinion. There is a fine line between expressing disagreement with someone's opinion or correcting them for a faux pas because of their being new, and the dogpiling that so often results when someone makes a mistake. Guess what - that's bullying, and it encourages a bullying mentality.
You can do your bit by refusing to be drawn into that mentality and joining in the scrum. You can help someone who is being dogpiled by PUBLICLY being supportive to them. Again, you don't have to agree with their position, but you can treat them as a person instead of prey.
You can do your bit by stepping in when you see bullying taking place. You can do your bit if you're in a position of authority by not abusing your position, and making it a personal thing to enforce no-bullying in the workplace. You can intervene when someone you know, someone you work with, someone you work for, someone who works for you is set upon, verbally or physically.
Don't just sit there and wring your hands and decry the awfulness of bullying. Step up and refuse to accept it when you see it happening, refuse to engage in it yourself. And if you are a victim of bullying, remember that bullies are cowards and scum, and their activities are an attempt to gain respect and power. Respect that they are people, but do not abandon your own self-respect in the process.
If you agree with GentlemanPlayer, if you agree with what I've written here, then cut and paste this into your journal, into your footer, and add your voice to resist bullying.
The boy you punched in the hall today committed suicide a few minutes ago.
That girl you called a slut in class today, she's a virgin.
The boy you called lame, He has to work every night to support his family.
That girl you pushed down the other day is already being abused at home.
You think you know them.
Guess what, YOU DON'T!
Re-post if you are against bullying.
http://www.stopbullying.gov/
http://www.stopabully.ca/
No.
Bullying is everyone's problem. We all have a part to play in stopping it. That, by the way, includes the pack mentality often seen online whereby long-time habitues of a forum or website will swarm someone who is new and/or expresses an unpopular opinion. There is a fine line between expressing disagreement with someone's opinion or correcting them for a faux pas because of their being new, and the dogpiling that so often results when someone makes a mistake. Guess what - that's bullying, and it encourages a bullying mentality.
You can do your bit by refusing to be drawn into that mentality and joining in the scrum. You can help someone who is being dogpiled by PUBLICLY being supportive to them. Again, you don't have to agree with their position, but you can treat them as a person instead of prey.
You can do your bit by stepping in when you see bullying taking place. You can do your bit if you're in a position of authority by not abusing your position, and making it a personal thing to enforce no-bullying in the workplace. You can intervene when someone you know, someone you work with, someone you work for, someone who works for you is set upon, verbally or physically.
Don't just sit there and wring your hands and decry the awfulness of bullying. Step up and refuse to accept it when you see it happening, refuse to engage in it yourself. And if you are a victim of bullying, remember that bullies are cowards and scum, and their activities are an attempt to gain respect and power. Respect that they are people, but do not abandon your own self-respect in the process.
If you agree with GentlemanPlayer, if you agree with what I've written here, then cut and paste this into your journal, into your footer, and add your voice to resist bullying.
The boy you punched in the hall today committed suicide a few minutes ago.
That girl you called a slut in class today, she's a virgin.
The boy you called lame, He has to work every night to support his family.
That girl you pushed down the other day is already being abused at home.
You think you know them.
Guess what, YOU DON'T!
Re-post if you are against bullying.
http://www.stopbullying.gov/
http://www.stopabully.ca/
*holds on tight*