Bullying is Just Plain Bull

I am saddened today as I read, again, about poor Phoebe Prince.  I can say that I don't really know what it is like to be bullied.  Not like this.  There are those moments when your friends are mad at you or something and gang up on you and say mean things to you all the way home from school causing you to cry incessantly and plug your ears so their harsh words are, at least, muffled.  Sounds bad enough, right?  But this, what I went through maybe a couple of days here and there throughout my 12 years in school, is nothing compared with what this girl (and so many others) went through.  It is complete and absolute torture that these kids go through each and every single day.  And, of course, the teachers and parents of the bullies do nothing.  It is no wonder we have situations like these with Phoebe and those like Columbine.  Hello, people, get a clue!

My brother was one of these kids that was tortured in middle school and through a good amount of high school and I can tell you that it still effects him today.  I don't know if some of these kids don't have a very stable family life so they resort to these types of solutions or what but think about it.  Whether they do or not, the teachers need to step up and be vigilant.  These parents that think their kid is perfect and can do no harm, need to wake up and give their kids a talking to (or what my dad used to say, "A good, swift kick in the ass).  Seriously parents, get off your high horse and take off your blinders...no one wants to believe their kid is a complete shit but if you notice signs and your kid happens to be a complete shit, deal and make it right.  Don't give in to your kids and not invite the one or two kids that are "different" to the birthday party because "no one" likes them.  Even when my brother would resort to retaliation (read: have to retaliate) from getting shoved into a corner and just to stop the constant, horrible stream of really nasty words flowing into his ears, my parents were vigilant on punishment for my brother.  Do you think that the boys that were tormenting him got even one bit of talking to by the teachers or their parents?  I think you know the answer to this question.

Bullying is one of the most toxic goings on in the school system (there are others but that is another post, another day).  And if people do not wake up and start taking more severe action against these bullies, we will continue to have situations like Phoebe's and Columbine.  I am glad that they seem to be going in the right direction with Phoebe's case.  To quote Michael Hartman (I listen to his progressive political talk radio show on Air America on the way home from work every day), "Tag, [parents and teachers].  You're it!"

(Note: he tags America in his talk radio show.)