BRED TO BULLY

Daphne Muse is a writer, social commentator and poet.

By Daphne Muse

Children bred on Maury Povich, Jersey Shore, Moho’s videos, Gangsta, Bangsta behavior and endless public scandals are bound to behave just as these feral children did.  While on a school bus, several middle school children goaded and mocked sixty-eight year old bus monitor Karen Klein.  To her face, they talked about her weight, age and at one point, the verbal abuse escalated to one of the boys saying she didn't have any family: “They all killed themselves because they didn’t want to be near you." Klein's son took his own life 10 years ago.  The country’s national psyche is deeply scarred and the armies of the “walking wounded” grow exponentially on a daily basis. 

The over the top level of egregious disrespect being shown President Obama, women and the poor, on an hourly basis, continues to grow.  Bullying has become a kind of drug people snort, inhale and off of which they make money and become celebrities. On a daily basis, you can witness ministers, reality stars and “baby mommas” on steroid drama bully from their various pulpits. You really can have vigorous and civil disagreements without stooping to the kind of bullying conducted by people from all levels of society.  It’s as though these people get up every morning and drink a gallon of HaterAid to fuel their lives. But Klein reacted by not taking the bait. 

 It’s time to take it Old School and provide stronger foundations giving our children and young people strong moral compasses.  You better believe me, I would insist upon a meeting with the parents, teachers and the students themselves to address this matter in serious terms and request a series of interventions, including a screening of the film “Bullying” for the school administrators, teachers, bus driver, parents and students.  Then I would request community service related to some kind of project focusing on bullying:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/09/gerry-orz-day-of-silence-anti-bullying_n_1412501.html  and the Lee Hirsch film “Bully.”  If those involved do not agree, then lawyer up and blow them out of the water:  legally.  Along with an outpouring of support, apologies from some of the parents and their children, people have donated more than $500,000.00 to what was initially a vacation fund set up in her name.

So many of children are being bred and coded into this unseemly and violent behavior.  Parents better believe that this behavior will be visited upon them as well.  It will inform and impact how their children navigate their professional, social and their own lives as parents.  I firmly believe parenting classes should be offered up in public schools, along with sex education; it is common sense, solid steps towards better family planning and good public policy.

©Daphne Muse

Oakland, CA 2012

Daphne Muse is a writer, social commentator and poet.  You can read her blogs at www.daphnemuse.blogspot.com and reach her by email.

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Go well,

Daphne Muse
Founder & Chief Visionary Officer
Grandmothers Going Global
Harnessing our social capital, leadership and creative vision worldwide
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510 967-9463