Bullies Are All Around Us, From Churches to Halls of Congress

[drakonyx]

Bullying has been in the news a lot lately, with gay and lesbian teens often being among its targets. Their unspoken mantra: "You're different than we are. Conform, or else!" It can just as easily be aimed at people who are deemed too shy, too heavy, too quiet, the wrong color, the wrong religion or from the wrong side of the tracks.

It would be nice to say to the bullies: "You're the ones who are different. The rest of us are civilized. You conform, or else!"

Unfortunately, I'm just not sure that's accurate. Bullying is so pervasive in our culture that it's almost expected. Many people even view it as a "rite of passage" for teens and a tool to help them become better socialized. That's like blocking a doorway with a gigantic stone and proudly declaring that you've made it easier for someone to enter the room. Bullies don't help people socialize, they isolate them.

And they do so by placing them in no-win situations.

http://www.theprovocation.net/2011/10/bullies-are-all-around-us-from-churches.html