Stop the Damn Bullying!
In wake of the latest school shooting, I decided to venture outside of my “comfort zone” and write about a topic everyone seems to have an opinion about, but no one seems to have an answer for. Come to think about it, people have opinions on just about everything in this day and age, but we as a society are woefully short on solutions.
I am guessing the newsfeeds with regards to this latest school tragedy are all going to be blaming the guns instead of trying to get to the root of the problem. Seems to be easier to just do that.
Before you start speculating, let me save you some time. I am a female and a firm believer in the Second Amendment and our President. Sadly, those who have just stopped reading this are probably the ones who need to read it the most.
Were you ever bullied as a child or teenager? How did you react? I remember, when I was in Kindergarten, I had really long blond hair that my Mom used to put in a ponytail before school every day. There was this little boy who sat directly behind me who used to dip the end of my ponytail in his paint jar almost daily. I would have whatever colored paint in my hair and on the back of my shirt where my hair brushed up against it, and would come home crying. After about a week of this, my Dad sat me down and asked me if we still sat on those little wooden chairs. Through my tears, I nodded, “Yes.” I will never forget Dad looking me straight in the eyes and saying, “Well, the next time that little bastard dips your hair in paint, you pick up one of those chairs (they were red-I remember them vividly!) and crack him up the side of the head and he will stop that shit!” Well, two days later we were painting again, and I felt him grab my ponytail. I jumped up, grabbed my chair, hauled back…and the teacher grabbed my chair before I could hit him. And sent me down to the Principle. Who called my Dad to come and get me. I was in Kindergarten! Needless to say, my Dad and the Principle had words when my Dad told him I was just doing what he told me, but guess what? That little boy never dipped my hair in paint again! We were actually laughing about it at a class reunion a few years ago, and he said he’d never been that scared in his life, and hadn’t since, either!
But for whatever reason, some people are not equipped to handle situations like that, or situations much, much worse than that. My little sister, again in Kindergarten, had to wear a patch over one eye because she had a “lazy eye”. She would come home crying because these two boys were making fun of her. I was in third grade. I walked my little sister to the gym where everyone had to gather before school, found the two little boys and put the fear of God into them! My little sister never came home crying again.
Today’s bullying is out of control. We have out of control parents who “raise” out of control kids. The parents think they are “entitled” to everything and their children are led to believe the same. Participation trophies? What the hell is that all about? You mean little Johnny that stands in the outfield picking his nose should get a trophy just like Timmy who is the star pitcher? No, I don’t think so. If that was the case, why should little Johnny learn to stop picking his nose and get with the program? When he gets in high school and beyond, he will still be standing in the outfield picking his damn nose!
Just recently I had a nephew, a Junior in high school, who was the victim of bullying. It got so bad that he had to change schools and go to a school for “troubled” kids. Let me repeat that. HE had to change schools and go to a school for troubled kids. Not the kids doing the bullying, but him! In a little school of 180 students, the faculty couldn’t control bullying. I just can’t imagine what goes on in a larger school.
So what is my solution? You know all of these Hollywood prizes who run their mouths and disrespect our President? Maybe they should use their God-given talent and do something good, like making a movie about a fictitious school shooting. Don’t idolize any of the actual shooters, just do a random made-up school with random made-up characters. Show all of the bullyings, how it hurts kids and everything leading up to the shooting. Maybe kids just don’t understand how their actions affect others and if they saw first-hand, maybe that would be a step in the right direction. Show some that did the bullying being punished by being made to do community service or some other humiliating punishment. I know there are lots of bullying movies out there already, but show the consequences of bullying using WELL KNOWN actors, ones who always have an opinion about everything under the sun. These actors should donate their time for the movie, and all proceeds from the movie go to a bullying fund of some sort, to be used for scholarships for victims of bullying. This movie needs to be shown during the first week of school for all Jr/Sr high school students EVERY YEAR. EVERY. YEAR. And if there is an onslaught of bullying present at any time during the year, show the movie again. And make those who have been accused of bullying sit in a special area so they will be “outed” as bullies. We have to stand up and stop being afraid of the bullies. There needs to be legislation passed that backs school systems on any punishment to bullies. Schools are afraid to do anything because of the fact we have all of these lawsuit-happy attorneys waiting to jump in and sue someone just to make a name for themselves at the drop of a hat. Let one of those attorneys have a loved one involved in a school shooting and see how quickly things change.
Parents-get control of yourselves, then get control of your kids! How do you fault a kid for bullying when they see adults doing the same thing day after day? Bring your kids up to be strong-minded and better equip them to deal mentally with bullies. Teach them that they don’t have to like everyone, but they damn sure need to respect everyone. Remember the “old” “Golden Rule”? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Instill this principal into children. Unfortunately, it seems like today everyone is following the “new” “Golden Rule”. He who has the gold makes the rules.