Wow.
I love the insight that Ellen gives and completely agree, we can’t expect kids to not be bullies when our culture encourages, rewards and participates in bullying all across the spectrum.
Have you watched reality TV? … cable news and radio pundits? … blogs? Have you noticed among adults in general that incivility is now a common default in much of our culture? Bullying can be found in the name calling, very real polarizing pressure based on lies/mischaracterizations at another’s expense. Bullying manifests in stigmatizing, dehumanizing and creating a scapegoat in others so that the bully can feel better about themselves and silence anything that challenges their views.
And while adult bullies don’t always lead to physical violence … what about threats of punishment by seeking to destroy someone’s career? … reputation? … livelihood and personal sense of well-being?
Unfortunately it would seem that some will use very real examples of bullying as a billy club to actually “bully” other people or groups they don’t agree with into submission or silence. I know some gay, political and religious activists who could benefit by taking note and possibly learning from Perez’s example in the above video.
Bullying isn’t specific to age, race, gender, faith or worldview. How can we *all* take a personal inventory of our own approach to others we don’t agree with?
::: grin ::: Who would have ever thought there would be a day when I actually respected something Perez Hilton had to say? I am not saying that to be flippant either. I never follow his blog and usually when he is on tv I change the channel because of his usual shenanigans. I mention that because, for me personally, this is an example that people are always more complex than what they usually project in public. Perez will be in my prayers today.
A clear lesson to be learned from all of this is that there needs to be a commitment to civility, dignity and respect even in the midst of very strong principled disagreement. Everyone will always have an opponent but we can live in the strength of our convictions, not be bullied and not be a bully in expressing those convictions as well alongside working toward what we believe is best in life.
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