Welcome aboard streamfortyseven.
Many, many people are bullied in school. Not many turn into criminal murderers. To that extent the bullying victims who turn to mass murder can, and in my opinion should, be considered evil. They most certainly are cowardly. The planning and execution of their crimes show that with certainty.
I don't know how many of these criminals have been bullied. I do know that the two criminals who murdered at Colombine were not. Within the school crowd they fit in pretty well. The problem was one of them was very well developed psychopath/sociopath and the other was a follower. They formed one of those criminal pairs that sometimes occur.
The approaches to bullying that I have read about go after the wrong targets. Bullies can't be got to. They have to much fun doing it to give it up sans some kind of immediate penalty or possibility of an immediate penalty. Adults won't be on the scene when they are needed. I think what should be concentrated on are the good kids and this is where the adults come in.
The adults, teachers and parents, should make it clear that we are all our brothers keeper and if somebody is bullied somebody else should stand up for them. There is honor in that. Honor in the strong protecting the weak. That is the key to the thing. For if the bullies know that some of the other kids are going to intervene if they cross the line, they won't do it.
My Mom told me a story once about bullying. She was in 5th or 6th grade and was walking home with my aunt who was two years younger. They saw a 7th or 8th grade boy picking on a 2nd grade girl. They told him to knock it off or else. He didn't think much of that coming from two girls so he continued bullying. They then lit into him beat him some. He stopped his bullying. That is the kind of thing that should be encouraged.
(The 8th grade boy told his brother that the bruises on his face came from a fall. His brother was friends with my uncle and when my uncle heard the 'fall' story he said 'Well let me tell you what really happened.' That 8th grade boy didn't do much bullying after that.)
The other thing that can work is teaching the bullying victims to fight. I don't mean turning them into Seagal, I mean some judo or boxing lessons. That gives them just enough confidence that they are more likely to stand their ground which has a hugely dissuasive effect on bullies, who are cowards.
Adults can help with that too. Another story, I like stories.
My aunt (see above) was a phys ed teacher in the 60s and 70s. She taught the boys boxing and set up some intramural matches. She, not by accident, matched a bully with his victim. The victim had the advantage of some fighting lessons and a situation that encouraged him to fight. He whaled on the bully. Of course my aunt didn't happen to see any infractions that might have been committed against the bully. "Ain't ya gonna call that?" "Shut up and fight." The bully didn't pick on the former victim after that.
Those old fashioned things worked. I don't know if they can be done any more.
Bookmarks