Hello everyone;
I was reading on this new Michigan Law, "Matt's Safe School Law". The law is named after Matt Epling, a teen who committed suicide after being bullied further than he could handle, to the distinct displeasure and embarrassment of the teen's father due to the impotence of the law. It was passed by the entire Republican party portion of the Senate, and voted against by the entire Democratic party portion. Ought to tell us something, huh.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/03/gretchen-whitmer-michigan-senator-bullying-bill_n_1073928.html
What I wanted to write about today was a boy I remember from school. He was one of the "popular" kids. Smart. Good looking. Athletic. He was part of the "in crowd", in a school predominantly white and of upwardly moving middle class parents. I was part of the lower middle class portion. I saw him everyday.
My school was dominated by the "in crowd". It was filled with alligator shirts, spiked hair, snooty attitudes, you name it. I was separate from that, sometimes its victim - and in a couple incidents I actually triumphed. Yet, no amount of physical aggression could overcome the snooty judgementalism of that in crowd.
Ok,...I'm dragging this along. You see, I remember this boy so well not because he was a bully, but because he was not. I have memories of the bullies to this day, but I'd be hard pressed to care one whit about them. But, this boy was kind. He was the anomaly of the 'in crowd' because he didn't judge others cruelly, didn't bully, didn't hate, didn't make people feel bad. He had a ready smile, a laugh, and a power to lead that was nearly magical. To this day I'd vote him for president.
I nearly cried to learn that he died at the age of 21. He fell asleep driving to college.
The sad thing about bullies is that even their friends don't really like them. It could be argued that they don't like themselves. Perhaps that is the real shame....that the bully lives on fear because that is such a great part of what he/she understands. Afraid others will see just how small and insignificant they feel. John was one who seemed so confident, so ready to smile and laugh, in contrast with some of the bullies I remember so well. They seemed to laugh only with a sneer, compared themselves to the "lesser beings about them", and felt the ability to deal out humiliation and misery a profound power. These boys peaked, in my eyes, in school. I left them behind me, remembering only their pathetic nature. John, on the other hand, I remember with a fondness and hope that even to this day I could be more like him. That is real power.
4 comments:
Randy,
I understood this correctly? "Bullies" get right if they have acted out of religious or moral grounds. What right is that? There will be double standards.
Until a few years ago it was common in Bavarian schools that in every classroom, a crucifix was hanging on the wall. When some parents complained in court, however, the court decided against the school. The crucifix must be removed according to the will of the parents from public school classrooms.
Nikki
It seems you read that correctly, Nikki;
It seems a throw to the republican constituents. To a point, I agree...to a point. It is a careful thing when we stifle free speach. But, if one is coming from a moral standpoint, then it appears one can tell another hurtful things and all is well with these Michigan Republican's little worlds. It's ludicrous that they would gut this law so.
hugs and keep hoping;
randy
Hello Randy
So, basically, this new law is just lip service, because there are no absolute standards - a bully or a bigot just needs to say that they were acting out of 'moral principle', and the law is so much waste paper. I wonder if that 'get-out clause' would be allowed if a gang of atheists bullied someone because they were Christian, or a gang of gay boys bullied a straight teen for being straight. I very much doubt it, because atheism and homosexuality are not accepted as moral by the sort of people who've introduced this heap of stinking hypocrisy. If Matt was still with us today, he'd be no safer in school than he was before. No wonder his father is incensed.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
Hi Sammy;
I've often thought that the concept of special circumstances, such as the hate legislation, is useless. It clouds the issue. The simple fact is that our laws are sufficient for the most part...it is the lack of expression of those laws that is the problem. A bully is assaulting someone...the rest is irrelevent. But, prejudice seems to require the extra kick just to get people to recognize that what isn't right just isn't right. go figure.
hugs;
randy.
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