So the word "bullying" seems to be everywhere lately. You read about it online: in the news and Facebook. You hear about it in school. And it's even coming to a theater near you.
And I am sick of the bullying. I think we all are. We hate to see our friends and siblings and kids (as in my youth) hurt. We hate it when they are shot 'the look' from across the room. We rage when they come home crying on the school bus. We hate it when we get a school-wide email informing us of an incident of someone being bullied.
I know you've heard. But I got to say something about do. Do something about it. So I am writing here today. I grew up getting bullied. I don't want pity, but I need to share it so this blog can make a difference. I was called a "fag" on a regular basis (I still don't know why, I was one of those kids with a steady girlfriend). I was probably called that because I dressed different and didn't care what others thought of me. I would often receive that dominant non-budging should contact in the halls.
It just made me sad, it brought me down one level of awesome whenever it happened.
I can't say I have never been the bully. I know I have put people into boxes and not given them chances because I perceived them as goofs.
A few weeks ago a friend shed a new light on a situation.
He said he was at a spoken word competition and a lady there shed a light how we should treat others.
Every person has a story. There is a story for why we are the way we are. Our stories are not comprised of our choices only, but they are affected by how others treat us.
As human beings we need to look into someone and think.
We need to stop. And not judge.
Maybe that person isn't social because they were bullied in middle school. Maybe they were bullied in middles school because they happened to be the tallest person in the grade.
Maybe the person wears all black because it is the only way they can get the attention which they crave because they are neglected at home.
Maybe they always wear headphones because it was the only way to ignore people making fun of some physical feature that they have to carry everyday.
I think this is a really old concept probably one that I have brushed off before, but I think it used to be looked at as "We need to understand people for who they are." Which makes just as much sense as what I am saying, "We need to understand why people are the way they are," because once we know this we know "who they are"; we know their story.
I am not saying you have to like everyone you meet, and if you don't want to love everyone you meet, I am not going to make you.
I plead and beg you to stop putting people in boxes for the way they have become, and get to know them and get to know their story.
*Sidenote, there is a movie called Bully coming out on March 30th. It currently has an R rating and there is a petition to get it changed to a PG-13 so youth can see the movie that pertains directly to them (Ellen is on board with this campaign). There is more information and a link to the petition here.
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