Wednesday, November 6, 2013

A DISCUSSION ON BULLYING- © 2013 by Wayne Dan Lewis, Sr.


No Solutions Offered

Introduction


Unlike other posts, there is no intent to provide a solution here.  Why?  Bullying is too much apart of who we are as people, all over the world, and historically.  Bullying happens at every level of society, and any attempt by society to change what has always been would be pointless.  So, why discuss it?  We should discuss Bullying because we should have an understanding of the pros and cons, the victim and the agitator.  We should understand what is often at stake when there is a bullying situation, and if possible, try to muddle through it, because in terms of bullying, it is what it is.

The fact that we have seen situations such as the Columbine shooting in 1999, suggests that despite the tragedy of that situation, it still hasn’t changed our behavior.  I personally think that as a society, we are worse off.  What I think makes it worse for us as a society, is our obsession with guns to resolve our problems.  But when there aren’t guns, there  is still poisoning, hanging, drowning, arson, and suicide, just to name a few ways in which Bullying is handled (none of these are suggested or recommended).

Bullying happens at just about at every level of our American society, but in terms of what I believe is relevant here, as it relates to the Coveted Commandment, the issue of Bullying is also economics and politics.  It’s not just the playground or the locker rooms.  It is the workplace. It is the political arena.  It is the Corporate Boardrooms, and unfortunately, the line that was once drawn to distinguish the boardroom and the playground is no longer.  I believe that as Americans, we know bullying, and it isn’t about to change.  It is class-based; it is sexually-based; it is politically-based; it community-based, and it socially-based.  As Americans, we know bullying and we are not ready to stop it on our  end.

We Know Bullying

We know bullying because it hits us all, whether we pay taxes or not, we know bullying.  We know bullying, regardless of religion, race, creed or color. Here are some examples of Bullying beyond the playground:

©     Hurricane Katrina (2005), saw where homeowners of varying neighborhoods received monies for damages to their homes while others received a paltry amount, if that for their flood-damaged homes.  How did we distinguish whose homes were less valuable if all homes were impacted by the  same disaster?[1]
©     Hurricane Katrina (2005) saw also where (Louisiana and Mississippi) receive funds from the Federal Government to help citizens receive monies for their damaged homes and to rebuild their lives.  Mississippi still holds on to $5.5 million dollars of $8.57 billion given to them to help Katrina residents and businesses.[2]  In many cases, many of those homeowners in Louisiana, to this date, are still fighting to be made whole from the State of Louisiana through its established  Road Home Program and/or the Louisiana Recovery Authority;[3]
©     Superstorm Sandy (2012) occurred along the Northeastern coast, homeowners and businesses are still waiting to be made whole, despite the experience of FEMA in managing disasters;[4]
©     The government is getting ready to cut monies to the poor in terms of food stamps, but jobs are scarce as well as training opportunities for jobs.  While the poor are looking for a way to make a living, our government send millions of dollars to war-torn areas in military aid;[5]
©     Police departments have no problem in shooting unarmed black males, stopping and frisking them at will, and society, more often than not, seems to have no issue with that[6];
©     America’s jails seem to house an inordinate number of black males for victimless crimes, often imprisoning them for extensive sentences while their white counter-parts are given less time, if any time at all[7];
©     Women are denied the right to choose how to handle their bodies with respect to reproductive rights and abortion, irrespective of Roe v Wade[8];
©     Schools in poor neighborhoods are underfunded, if not closed, leaving many young people destined to commit crimes because they will be less-likely to fill already limitedly-available jobs requiring at the very least, a high school education;[9]
©     Convicted felons are denied the opportunity to vote, even as they have met the conditions of their sentence(s)[10];
©     Convicted felons are denied the opportunity for employment, even if their records were for good behavior, or their crimes were no greater than a drug conviction for using;[11]
©     In response to mass-shootings, the National Rifle Association (NRA)[12] has the last word, and their response is “guns in the hands of good people will stop guns in the hands of bad people”[13];
©     In response to an affordable health care program (ACHA 2014)[14], political leaders believe it is better to shut the government down and play chicken with American lives, businesses and investments, rather than work to ensure that every American’s interest is protected.
©     The beginning of American history is categorized between 1492 and 1776, what happened to America’s prior inhabitants?[15]
©     From 1862-1968, 4,793 lynchings occurred, primarily in the American South. 73% of those lynched were reportedly freed slaves. [16]
©     Tax increases on the poor and tax breaks for the rich[17]

This is a partial list, but I hope we all get the idea that in regards to Bullying, it is not limited to the playgrounds, the locker rooms, or the classrooms between teen boys and girls.  Bullying, however otherwise classified, is integral to our American way of life, our American history.  Unfortunately, we see bullying as something ill-categorized and disguised as activities that will go re-classified and filed away for statistical purposes, perhaps to bury someone, or imprison another rather that resolve our on-going dilemma.   We much rather call it something else, and dismiss it as nagging, rebel-rousing, trouble-makers, or worthless complaining.  For example, our leaders will dismiss the following and work very little in the way of societal change to offset the impact of:

©     Police Brutality;
©     Mud-slinging;
©     Domestic Violence;
©     Politics as usual;
©     Gay-bashing,
©     Failing to provide assistance to the mentally ill;
©     Cutting the budget or,
©     Outsourcing jobs overseas

As a society, we can’t possibly expect our young people to change their ways when they observe us adults, political leaders, law enforcement agencies, parents, and other adult leaders conducting ourselves in a manner that suggests that bullying is a way of life.  From those who conduct gay bashing; to thousands of homeowners who have been impacted by disaster and have to wait until the government considers them worthy to be made whole; to citizens who are denied an opportunity to participate in the political process because of laws imposed to restrict them because they are convicted felons, we know bullying, all too well. 

As far as corrective action is concerned for bullying, there is none.  There is no recommendation to change anything because we are too content to believe that actions such as that which we outlined here, is the norm.  Our laws reflect condescension, arrogance if not a dismissive attitude toward citizens in every aspect of American life, as to how we treat one another, even if as we cut benefits to the poor, while the rich ship jobs overseas.  There is no need to change our perspective on bullying, because police brutality more often than not, is justified because it only disproportionately targets people of color, and we know that their value as a people is immaterial to any form of America’s way of life.  

In Conclusion
Continue to watch how our children handle bullying. Continue to watch as our children are the ones who act without disregard for the well-being of others.  Dismiss it as child’s play.  Or, be in shock when one of our children commits suicide or become the aggressor in response to countless hours of taunting that we could never have imagined.

Whether our children commit suicide, or go out and shoot up their classrooms, we should know that they are the victims of each of us who believes that everything that we do has no consequences.  But don’t look for a solution from me.  This has just been a discussion.  No more. No less, on Bullying. 

Any intent to draw a suggestion that we cease and desist our behavior as adults is speculative and without proof.  In the meantime, our children will continue to model our respective behavior as we continue to demonstrate in every aspect of life that we live, that bullying is just as important as pushing someone down a flight of stairs, just for the hell of it.  Bullying is as important as filibustering on the floor of Congress to prevent citizens from getting needed healthcare[18].  Bullying is as necessary as employers who shutdown employee hours, or terminate them because, well, it’s business. 

Bullying is as important as the Supreme Court’s ruling on gutting the Voting Rights Act of 1965[19].  We should not expect, nor look for any corrective action on bullying, because Bullying, at every level is paramount to our American way of life and there is no resolution that we should be ready to make, until it is one of us who stands stunned by the effects of Bullying. Until then, Bully on!

Disclaimer:  No information provided here should be considered as legal information.  Please consult with your respective attorney or counselor as it relates to your particular situation.


[1] Pre-Katrina Values wer
[12] National Rifle Association (NRA)- http://home.nra.org/
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