Tormentors Back Off!

We’ve been hearing it since we were little, Stand Up to Bullies. But do we? No, we don’t. Instead, we turn our backs, walk away, and leave the victim stranded, helpless, hopeless. Lately the media has been covering the tragic stories of those victims who have found no other way to cope, but to take their own lives. It’s infuriating to think that a) kids feel like they have no other option and b) that our society allows this to happen; that the witnesses, (and there are always witnesses) don’t get involved. We, as a society, seem to usually take the easier road in this situation-to stand passively to the side or even worse, to take the side of the tormentor and join in. We all know what we are supposed to do but so few of us actually use that knowledge.

Personally, I’ve been bullied. It was witnessed, and no one came to my defense, not even the adults who also witnessed it and to whom I went to tell. Can you please explain that to me? I understand that people are afraid to get involved, or they don’t want to acknowledge what’s really going on, but it’s time to stop being afraid. Stand Up – Get Involved – Say Something – Do Something – Tell Someone, if they don’t listen, tell someone else. We can easily prevent the next “bullycide”. And for any bully reading this: get over the fact that people are different-differences make the world interesting. What are you afraid of?