Andrew Marin wrote a commentary at CrossWalk.com. Don't miss Andrew's words from this commentary:
"Each of the four teenagers who committed suicide in the last few months reached out at least once for help after being bullied - to no avail. News sources have reported that, whether to their parents, school administration or friends, none of these requests were taken as seriously as they should have been.
This one article and everyday people like you or me are not going to change the system. Fine. Then let the talking heads and gatekeepers keep doing the one thing they know how to do - politic. Meanwhile, it is up to you and me to start making a difference within this broken system and world we have been given. I want you, as I am, to go to your local middle school, high school, youth group, gay-straight alliance (GSA) or street corner, and get this message out:
Bullying needs to stop. We have a responsibility as children of God to strongly communicate a message that bullying, making fun of, or not including "the other" - especially in the case of sexual orientation - is wrong, unbiblical and it will not be tolerated. There is no room for such destructive patterns to occur under our watch. It is our time to set an example of who we are and what we believe. Our faith compels us to run towards the things that everyone else is running from."
i agree with you 100% Mike!! our future gets a little dimmer every time one of these bright beautiful young people choose suicide because of the evil of bullies.
ReplyDeleteone heart. one voice. lets make a change, Mike!!
I agree - we could all do more, even a small gesture of hugging someone and saying "It gets better." makes all the difference in the world to some kids. This is far to specific a problem to be handled by talking heads and politicians. It's something that can only be stimied by individuals taking action in their community and reaching out.
ReplyDeleteBullying is horrible and cowardly. Unfortunately, I don't think it will ever stop because, to put it bluntly, people suck. There will always be those who for whatever reason feel entitled to demean others. We can pass laws and make kids sign anti-bullying contracts (which all the kids at my son's jr high just did), but it continues. It's a scary reality as a parent. For my part, I stress to my kids that it is NEVER okay to demean another human being, even if they're "just kidding". Certain things are strictly off limits, even if everyone else is doing it. Instead of teaching our kids about self esteem and telling them they can be anything they want to be, maybe we should be teaching them honor and human dignity -- their own and others -- is something they should strive for.
ReplyDeletehaha no way your awesome
DeleteBullying is a matter of degrees. It is selfishness taken to the max. It will not be solved by demands. It requires each one of us to ask God to show us where our words or actions convey, "Me and my desire to get my way or express my opinion is more important than who you are."
ReplyDeleteRachelle Gardner did an excellent post today, titled "Can't Get No Respect?" which began with this quote:
"Never take a person's dignity; it is worth everything to them, and nothing to you."
~ Frank Barron
As much as I loathe to admit it, I'm of the same mind as kat. :(
ReplyDeleteYou are right. No doubt about it that we should be standing up against bullying. Especially as Christians. However, I don't want to be the negative dude here, but I think we need a different plan of action than "putting an end to bullying". Unfortunately, I don't believe that any amount of opposition that bullying gets will extinguish it. I am not advocating inaction. Please understand that. But rather that we should all be willing to help those who are being bullied. Parents should be there for their children too.
ReplyDeleteThese kids... they're not JUST being bullied. They're being bullied and there is no one for them to reach out to. They are alone. That's the part that we can do something about more readily.
Great post, thank you!
ReplyDeleteAmen. We have to take this seriously in teaching our kids and embracing it ourselves. Thanks Mike.
ReplyDeletebullying is a terrible thing to do especially to people who are smaller and weaker than yourself that is cowardly
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