Friday, October 8, 2010

On Bullying

It seems I can't turn on the news or talk shows or even look online without the topic of bullying coming up.  Bullying is such a serious problem, and it's really scary.  Back when we were kids, bullies could pick on us at school but then we would go home and feel safe and loved.  Now, the bully's reach is not just physical.  They can extend their reach to their targets through Facebook, Twitter, texting, emails, etc.  The madness never ends. 

And because of the anonymity that cyber-bullying can create, kids are able to be even more aggressive than they could be in person.  Kids are killing themselves to try and get away from all of the hate.  Killing themselves!!  This is so incredibly terrible, that someone is made to believe that they are as worthless as the bullies are telling them they are.  And then they gather more courage than the bully's possess and use it to end their own life.

And if parents want to get involved, God forbid they say anything to the bully, or they could get thrown in jail.  How about throwing the bullies in jail?  And what about the people who stand by while someone is being bullied?  Aren't they just as bad as the bully himself?  We need to speak up for these kids, these little ones that have lost their voice and lost their self-respect.

How much are they like the innocent babies growing in their mother's wombs.  Wanting to be protected, craving love and basic human needs, wishing they had a chance to be heard, trying to express their side of the story.  And aren't the people involved in the death of these unborn babies the biggest bullies of all? 

The doctors who kill lives instead of saving them, just for the money - Bullies
The men who pressure the baby's mother to get rid of it - Bullies
The parents who would rather escape embarrassment than embrace a grandchild - Bullies
The friends who convince the scared mom that her life will be ruined if she has to care for a baby - Bullies.
The media/political figures/celebrities who spread lies that it's your body and your choice - Bullies.
The people that do nothing to stop our Holocaust of Abortion - Bullies.

Stand up to the bullies!!

Bullies disrespect people's intrinsic value, they  want to get rid of anything that is different, scary, or inconvenient.  They make themselves feel better by crushing others down.  Being anti-bully means being respectful of all life, and being respectful of life means being pro-life.  So if we are going to really talk about the affect bullying has on children, let's not forget all the children whose lives were snuffed out before they had a chance to join the discussion.

12 comments:

  1. Amen sister!

    Let's also remember to pray our rosaries. :)

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  2. I get so irritated at parents when I am at a function of any sorts and see THEIR child pushing or yelling at one of mine or ANY other kid at the function and turn and say "kids" or not even say ANYTHING, but just walk away because they supposedly didn't notice....UGH GRRRRR What is WRONG with these people? I have NO problem interfering if I see a child getting pushed around even MORE SO if the parent of the bully is standing around because all I can say if they get upset is "Then do YOUR job!"

    You got me all worked up Colleen! :)

    This was a good post. I was in a situation where one of my boys was being pushed around and my sister in law had to intervene because I was not in that area at the time this was happening. It upset me that the mother of this child did not DO anything! I'm talking about kids that were ages 9 and UNDER!

    Apparently I should have blogged about it ;0

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  3. In fairness to the father who was arrested, I do think he could have handled it better.

    That said, you pose an interesting subject. Just what does constitute bullying? I think when most people think of bullying, it is easy to lapse into a 1950s image of A Christmas Story with an outsider who knocks down the kid with glasses. Clearly, we are beyond such limits to bullying and it might not be easy for people to expand their understanding of just what makes a person a bully. I'm not sure how to redefine what people think of as a bully, but it is definiltey time it happened.

    It also occurred to me with Obama saying congress would come down to "hand to hand combat" and Biden saying he would "strangle" Republicans who complained about the budget (those are just very recent examples), how common and acceptable have forms of bullying become when national leaders use such language? You rightly mention those who bully women into abortion and those who bully unborn children right out of existence, yet those are acceptable to lots of people. Why is it any surprise bullies are getting meaner and using anything at their disposal when at least some forms of bullying seem to be considered acceptable by society? We seem to no longer be a society of "the better man" or "a fair fight" and that is becoming more evident everywhere.

    BTW, thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm glad to have found yours. I hope to read some more at some point but I had a very rude cold attack me Wednesday night, complicated by the usual pregnancy symptoms, so I may need to exit the fog first. God Bless!

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  4. Parents need to start teaching and showing empathy at home...hate begins at an early age and it is NOT a natural characteristic, it is learned.

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  5. good topic. I also agree with the analogy of abortion...and you could also throw in birth control etc...i always get bullied by my doctors to do something about the un-godly number of children i have.

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  6. Great post, Colleen!

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  7. Our Lady of Good Remedy, pray for us!

    "When in need - for whatever reason, but especially where you have had difficulty obtaining help - invoke the aid of Our Lady of Good Remedy, and you will surely experience the power of her intercession."

    Pax Christi - Lena

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  8. amen and hallelujah...!!!
    have a wonderful weekend...

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  9. You have no idea how close this hits to home for me right now. You know from my blog that son #2 is being bullied. It has been very difficult. Thanks for addressing this.

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  10. What a wonderful post, Colleen, on two very worthy topics, and what a great point - they are not fully two topics but one in that those who participate or push others to have abortions, or stand aside and watch, are also bullies. What a despicable world we live in when we bully the most innocent, helpless among us!

    Oh, and how my heart goes out to those children who are bullied, not only at school but also online in their own homes where, as you said, they should feel loved and safe. Like many, I was bullied, from 6th grade to senior year, and the effect it had on me for years, until I could forgive the girls involved, was tremendous. The emotional scars for these kids who never get a real break from it will be tough to bear, now and likely well into their futures.

    Our Lady of Good Remedy, please do help us, and especially those who are threatened with abortion and who are otherwise bullied. Please save them and comfort them; may they know Your love and the love of Your Son and know their worth.

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  11. I can't agree more. The other job we have as parents is to limit our children's exposure to the technologies that allow this type of bullying to go on.

    Giving kids under 16 with a cell phone is just wrong. I know, everyone starts by saying "but I want them to be able to call me." But this is the devil's way of getting his foot in the door!

    Also, unplug the tv! It will help lots, I promise. We're tv free 2 1/2 years now. They do get cartoons & movies from the library, so they're not totally deprived, lol. :)

    I agree with Tina, pray your Rosaries daily *as a family.* It's the quickest way to peace in the world!!!

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  12. Oh Colleen, I couldn't agree more. And your analogies . . . well, they hit a little too close to home.

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