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Bullies are everywhere

Bullying in schools has been at the forefront of education issues for quite some time. We often hear about this being a major problem and wonder how to prevent it. Parents are usually appalled that little Billy or Susie could do such a thing and wonder why their own children could behave that way. The parents are often blamed for the child’s actions. This may be true in some cases, but I would suggest a much larger problem that we all fail to see and have all been guilty of.

Our children are learning to be bullies from society as a whole. When we see something, we don’t like or agree with, we no longer discuss the problem, we cancel other voices using bully tactics. Our children are not oblivious to this. They are like sponges, soaking up a very bad lesson. We don’t tolerate difference, and must shut it down anything we may find offensive. We see this every day via the media. Strife and outrage are what drives ratings, and ratings are what the media game is all about because ratings equal dollars. If you see something you don’t like, ignore it or avoid it. Don’t like player kneeling, don’t watch. The market will deal with the company. We don’t need a movement to destroy a league or any company, we need a conversation about it. We shouldn’t be labeling people racist for having an opinion that is counter to another viewpoint. That is nothing more than being a bully. All the accuser is doing is invalidating the person without addressing the issue. That is me saying you have no point because I deem you to be less than me because you don’t agree with me. The irony is the accuser is emulating a racist by being closed minded and bigoted. Children learn this behavior, and it seems to be getting worse. If you don’t fall in line, we will shut you down, cost you your job, attack you on social media and in the press.

We hear the left shout diversity, yet they don’t want real diversity, they want compliance. Instead of teaching our children to be bullies, we should be teaching them tolerance of others and their views and an understanding of how to think critically instead of joining the bully mob. Joining the bully mob is not only horrible behavior, it is dangerous to the very freedoms that make our country great. Every opinion has a right to be heard. One of us is no better than the other, and until we stop these behaviors, we are in a very dangerous place.

Jay Owens

Waterford

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