Bullying From The Political Arena

My posts have been mainly about children and bullying. Today, I would like to talk about something a little different.

 

Do political personal attack ads amount to bullying? It's not OK for kids, but it's allowed in politics? What an example! Maybe we should start at the top and work our way down. When our government leaders are bullying, what do we expect from our children?

While legal action may be called for in many cases of bullying, it will not solve the problem at its root... a root which is in ourselves, our children, our society . . . and even our political process. Already our children look out into their world and see bullying in one arena after another. Actually, they don't only see bullying in every arena, they see adults modeling or teaching bullying. In families they see different forms of domestic violence, from blatant and physical to more subtle and verbal or emotional . . . sometimes even under the guise of joking, good parenting, or "for your own good." In schools they don't only see students bullying each other, but they see adults, teachers, bullying students . . . again often under the guise of teaching, helping, and needed discipline.  On television, our children see bullying in perhaps every genre of show... certainly under the guise of entertainment, certainly under the guise of comedy, and certainly under the guise of news.

The list is unfortunately endless. But at this particular time, we need to look at our politics and see what our politics are teaching our children.

What do our children see when they look out into their world and see bullying by our leaders?


We'd like to believe our leaders and potential leaders are teaching our children about democracy, the right to speak, and freedom. But are we willing to see that our politics are teaching our children about bullying? Our politics are normalizing bullying in our culture. If our candidates for leadership in our government are using bullying as part of their campaigns for office, they are making bullying socially acceptable . . . whether they see it, acknowledge it, or deny it.


Some examples:
1. Political campaigns, past and present, have been carried out against candidates in the form of lying and distortion . . . too many to even begin to list here.

2. Bullying against voters and candidates has occurred in elections over the past decade as voters have been prevented from casting their votes, one way or another. For instance, The Washington Times explained that back in 2008 the New Black Panther Party intimidated voters at an election poll in Pennsylvania. In 2012 they returned again.

3. The government sanctioned bullying of the Tea Party, Patriot groups, 911 groups and other Republican organizations by the I.R.S. The reasoning is holding up their requests for tax exempt status. Not one progressive party was scrutinized or denied their tax exempt status.

4. Investor's Business Daily recently gives the reasoning behind the bullying on Aug. 24. 2011 committed by the I.R.S. (Obama's Administration) to the company Gibson Guitar due to the fact that they support the Republican Party. Why wasn't C.F. Martin & Co also fined for using the same wood as Gibson Guitar? The use of the wood to make the guitars was also used by a competing company called C.F. Martin & Co (Democratic supporter) and yet they only received a letter. Gibson Guitar was fined for hundreds of thousands of dollars and also confiscated the wood.
 
5. In 2010 Obama uses the bullying pulpit and bullies the Supreme Court in the State of the Union Address. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is seen in the video below shaking his head in defiance and saying "That's not true" in reference to Obama's opinion of the Supreme Court ruling on restricting the lobbyists contributions to candidates running for office.

    

 

 6. More Recently, The New York Times shows a video of President Obama once again using the bullying pulpit to bully the Supreme Court as he deeply expresses how he feels that they made "a mistake" in regards to their ruling on the voting rights act. They struck down two provisions of the the 1965 civil rights bill because it no longer applies in today's world. The south is not the same today as it was back in 1964.   

These previous issues are the latest examples of bullying from the government. All "political" parties from both sides of the aisle have used the bully pulpit. The term "bully pulpit" was coined by Theodore Roosevelt (Republican) which means a terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda. No matter who uses the pulpit, the issue still remains about bullying. Below are a few instances of our past republican leaders  who have used the bully pulpit, such as:

• During the 20th Century, Theodore Roosevelt used the bully pulpit and gave powerful speeches regarding the railroad regulation and  food inspection.
• In 1981 Ronald Regan used the bully pulpit and persuaded the american public into the acceptance of tax cuts. That could lower deficits and boost the economy. Also, he bullied the public by using scare tactics in order to get an increased military budget by giving speeches warning about communism. Lastly, when Regan made peace with the Soviet Union, the bully pulpit was once again used. For example, he gave a very powerful speech regarding the taking down of the Berlin Wall.

 

• George W. Bush used the bully pulpit for the reform of Social Security back in 2002.  

 

If our leaders in our government are using bullying in the office and are not being stopped, they and those who need to stop them are making bullying socially acceptable. Who are those who need to stop them? We are. We are the adults in our country. It is our responsibility to recognize bullying when it is happening, when it is being normalized, when it is being made socially acceptable . . . even under a guise. It is our responsibility to say 'no' to bullying in whatever form. It is our responsibility to help heal bullying in our country -- individually and communally. It is our responsibility to do that in our own lives, to help our children do that in their lives, and to stand firm in the face of bullying in our country. The challenge is how to do all of that without bullying!

Celebrities Who Were Bullied



Bullying has been around for ages and most likely will continue to occur. Below is a picture showing a relatively common instance of bullying. There are two school aged boys somewhere on school property, most likely after school during the fall months. We have a bigger stronger boy on the right using intimidation and physical strength to instill fear in the weak. Of course, the weaker of the two will submit as seen below. The smaller boy on the left seems very scared. He is not doing anything to defend himself probably because he doesn't want to make the situation worse. Any kind of defense tactic may set the bully off into really hurting him. He'd rather let the bully continue with his behavior in order to maintain some sort of safety for himself. Unfortunately, this reaction in just putting up with the bullying is a very common reaction amongst kids and adults. Confronting the bully may seem too overwhelming. It is the fear for one's safety that keeps them submissive to the bully as seen below.  

 

 

 

 

Below are a few celebrities that have experienced bullying in their life.

 Sure, they may be at the top of their game now -- wildly successful and celebrated worldwide for their work in showbiz -- but did you know that some of your favorite musicians and actors were actually bullied as kids?


Rihanna

Growing up, Rihanna was teased—to the point of fist fights—for having paler skin than her peers."I was cultured in a very 'black' way. But when I got to school I'm being called 'white' . . . they would look at me, and they would curse me out. I didn't understand." From an interview with Allure Magazine.

 

 

 

Robert Pattinson  

"I got beaten up by a lot of people when I was younger. I was a bit of an idiot, but I always thought the assaults were unprovoked. It was after I first started acting and I liked to behave like an actor, or how I thought an actor was supposed to be, and that apparently provoked a lot of people into hitting me." Parade Magazine.

 

 

 

Justin Timberlake

"I grew up in Tennessee, and if you didn't play football, you were a sissy. I got slurs all the time because I was in music and art . . . I was an outcast in a lot of ways . . . but everything that you get picked on for or you feel makes you weird is essentially what's going to make you sexy as an adult." From an interview on Ellen.

 

 

 

 

Christian Bale 

 

 "I took a beating from several boys for years. They put me through hell, punching and kicking me all the time," Bale told People Magazine. Then he added: "If you can face the bullying at school and come through it stronger, that is a lesson for life." Via BBC News.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may think celebrities have it all and that their lives are perfect. It’s not true! There are so many celebrities that were bullied in school, making them proof that it does get better.

I know we discuss bullying a lot, but as long as it’s still happening we’re still going to talk about it. Bullying, unfortunately, is something that a lot of people have to endure. And it’s not just in school either. Adults fall victim to bullying as well. It’s a problem that can affect everyone, and that’s why it’s so important to discuss.

It’s so easy to let bullying get you down. I have firsthand experience watching it done to a loved one and it’s really difficult to see a light at the end of the tunnel. But there is a light! 

 

 

 

Teachers Who Bully

Bullying Teachers 

The problem of teachers bullying students is more common than you think. Learn how to prevent your child from becoming a victim.

In recent years, a slew of books have offered parents ample insight into the minds of young bullies.

 

But what if it's the teacher who screams, threatens, or uses biting sarcasm to humiliate a child in front of the class?

 

Teacher bullying gets little attention. The dunce cap, standing in the corner, having one's hand whacked with a ruler, having one's poor grade announced to the class: all these methods that at one time were a common occurrence in educational settings might now fall under the category of bullying teachers. Bullying teachers can act by using degrading words and treatment, as well as physical punishments. Other school employees besides teachers can bully students, including coaches, custodians, security personnel, and the front office staff, even the principal. 

The public display of a bullying victim's inadequacy often has a different feel in the classroom. For most work is independent and grades can be returned privately versus in the gym, on the sports field, or in the shop setting-- where all work is on display, making everyone aware of the victim's situation. The teacher responding to a student while standing beside his or her desk can maintain some semblances of privacy; the coach or teacher responding to a student half a football field or gymnasium away will likely be heard by all. Thus, in some school settings, humiliation is more likely for a sensitive student, even when correction or constructive criticism is given, let alone when teacher bullying occurs.

It is unclear whether teacher bullying may actually set the stage for peer bullying. Teacher bullying may go unreported for several reasons. The victim may not trust the system to support or believe him or her, especially if there are any instances in which the victim had infringed school behavior rules. The victim may also fear retribution by the teacher in the form of a lowered grade or more teacher bullying behavior. The victim may also fear retribution by students who are in good standing with the teacher.  When teachers bully an entire class, the feeling may be that they have the support of the school and that everyone must know and accept this behavior. Teachers may also bully other teachers and school staff.
 
Stuart Twemlow, MD, a psychiatrist who directs the Peaceful Schools and Communities Project at the Menninger Clinic in Houston hints in his new study, published in The International Journal of Social Psychiatry, that the problem of teachers bullying may be more common than people believe.

In his anonymous survey of 116 teachers at seven elementary schools, more than 70% said they believed that bullying was isolated. But 45% admitted to having bullied a student. He defines teacher bullying as using power to punish, manipulate, or disparage a student beyond what would be a reasonable disciplinary procedure.


Although there are truly good teachers, we also know there are a few bad apples. Nevertheless, bullying is a risk.


Food for thought:

About a month or two ago, a mother complained to me that an upper grade teacher humiliated her son in front of the class and said "You and your people are a bunch of terrorists". This is such a horrible thing to say at all, never-mind to a 7th grader and yet nothing was done to the teacher. There were no repercussions for her actions and her job remained intact. Aside from the fact that she was wrong on so many levels, how does anyone think other children won't follow in line with the abuse.