Is there a solution to bullying?

Recent media reports have once again brought the nation’s attention to the age old problem of bullying. It’s nothing new, it just seems the consequences for the victims are so heartbreaking and severe these days. There are cries for new laws and legislation and for better education of our kids about the consequences of bullying.

My 13 year old son came home last week and informed me everyone at his school signed a “No bullying” contract. He also said it was a worthless piece of paper. Kids signed their papers and went right on being horrible to one another.

To exacerbate the problem, we have a generation of kids who have been raised on the self-esteem bandwagon. They’ve been told by parents and teachers that they can be anything they want to be. This is nice in theory, but it’s simply not true. When you teach a child they are entitled to anything they want, their needs and desires become their priority. Is it any wonder so many think so little of their peers? Especially the ones who they deem of no value to them? So those who bully feel entitled to bully and those who are victimized feel entitled not to be victimized. Please don’t misunderstand–I am not blaming the victims of bullying, only suggesting that their tolerance level may be lower because they’ve been taught that respect is something to be given and not earned.

So is there a solution? The short, unfortunate answer is no. There will always be bullys and those who are bullied. But I think the kids that are rarely mentioned in these scenarios are the ones who can help change the tide–the kids who are neither the bullys nor the victims. We need to encourage our kids to stand up for the underdog, to stop minding their own business and get involved.

The following clip is my favorite scene in “A Few Good Men”. I think Lance Corporal Harold Dawson has the best line in the entire movie:

At 1:40 in the video the following exchange takes place:

Pfc. Downey: What does that mean? Hal, what did that mean? I don’t understand. Colonel Jessup said he ordered the Code Red.

Lt Commander Galloway: I know…

Pfc. Downey: Colonel Jessup said he ordered the code red. What did we do wrong?

Lt. Commander Galloway: It’s not that simple…

Pfc. Downey: What did we do wrong? We did nothing wrong!

Lance Corporal Dawson: Yeah, we did. We were supposed to fight for people who couldn’t fight for themselves. We were supposed to fight for Willie.

May we all find the courage to fight for Willie.

“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality.” 
~ Dante

Thanks to my buddy Mike Ellis, whose post Bullying Sucks inspired this post.

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