Thank you Ray Rice. One of our Baltimore Ravens has been speaking out against bullying, specifically in the case of Bailey O’Neill. This twelve-year-old boy lay in an induced coma for several months before dying a few weeks ago.
His condition was the result of an altercation with other students, boys who had been bullying him.
This is horrific. Not only is there physical intimidation but cyber threats and terror directed toward children of all ages.
But simultaneously, while finding creative solutions to child on child bullying, we as a society must deal with the adult bullies.
And now and forever is Charlie Sheen. He has called out a young girl, released her name, and alleges that the tweener bullied his daughter while urging his fans to bring excrement, eggs and toilet paper to the tony private school where his child once attended.
Allowing children to harass other children simply must be stopped. If parents and religious leaders have to work with the school and the municipality, so be it. Creative ways can be crafted to mitigate this problem.
Celebrities high on whatever drug must be muzzled.
One Maryland woman, distraught over her son’s depression and suicide attempts sought and received letters and messages from an ocean of people who didn’t know him. These strangers comforted a boy, someone else’s child, and assured him that his life would get better.
Confession. This column recently wrote about young Bailey dying and bemoaning the fact that certain bullies, like Chris Christie, are lionized.
When the Governor of New Jersey shouts down and belittles others, there is no heart to heart compassion or any level of dialogue. And he is one of the most popular Governors as well as Republican politicians today.
Remember, Christie is bullying the most vulnerable citizens of his state.
The title of that column which drew the connection between honoring such adults while children suffer was entitled: CC is fat and a bully. Examiner.com editors pulled it offline. The point, albeit snarky and clumsy, was that bullying must be stopped everywhere and by everyone,
As Buddhism teaches, it is through honest communication that friendships and understanding are found and nurtured.
Not screaming shut-up, at unpleasant statements, might be the first step.
Oh and arresting people like Charlie Sheen who harass young girls via Twitter.
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