Response: A Few Thoughts on Bullying

Competition can bring out the best and worst in people. But we need to be better. I need to be better.

I get fired up! Not in a super aggressive, call anyone out of their name, fired up. My fired up is a roar at the top of my lungs, fist pump, jump out of my shoes fired up.

Most times, I cannot celebrate or cheer like I want to during sporting events because I am supposed to be neutral and not draw attention to myself.

I am supposed to use restraint.

It is hard to not display any type of emotion but I know myself. It is hard to stay reserved, so I take steps to help or rather lift things.

On the day of certain high school events, I take to the weight room. I lift weights to tire myself out a little.

It is not a perfect science, but it does help me calm down.

I know that our community, like any other sports loving town, has emotional ties to these high school teams and athletes, but certain things that happened at state basketball or around that time obviously made a few people uneasy, rightfully upset, and even unwelcome in our community. Some bullying occurred.

We need to do better. Not only to make it seem like we have common courtesy, but to protect lives that are at stake.

People often say sticks and stones…. But what happens when those sticks hurt to the point of our youth hurting themselves or worse?

It happens!

Because we don’t live with restraint in regards to how we treat our neighbors and our own kids, students are taking things personally and even losing their lives.

Because of bullying, great students and teachers leave communities. Kids are bullying others to the point that some being bullied are taking it out on themselves. If I were one of these bullies, I wonder how it would weigh on me if a person got hurt or ended their life because of my inconsideration? As a Christ-follower, I don’t know that I want that on my conscience.

On another personal note: I was brought up in a different time, but times change. I cannot teach my sons to be as physical against bullies as I was. If I was picked on, I did not tolerate it, and to be honest, I am lucky I didn’t end up in Juvenile Detention for fighting back. I did learn to use my words, and though I was surprisingly PG-13 with words, I ended up winning some of those battles. It is not the same for everyone.

Fist fights are messy and I will never encourage my kids to be violent or even inappropriate with their words. But I need a way to deal with bullying as a parent in the near future, because I know it is coming for my kids. They look different. They are kind-hearted in an often cruel world.

I hope the best for our youth and that our hearts and minds wake up to the damage that local bullying is causing.

Our kids deserve an environment where they can flourish without the drama.