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"Buffalo Springfield", "life lessons", American Moral Character, behavior, bullies, bully, bullying, children, compassion, differences, empathy, teach, values

Bullying is not a new thing. Kids have always sought the solitary differences among them to ridicule. We dealt with it and eventually learned to fight back … nicely, of course. Problem is, the culture in the 50’s, and early 60’s was a bit gentler than today, even with the unwanted war actions.

Kids learn to bully … somewhere?

Let me ask you this: What do our children learn from TV/movies/video games … the NEWS? (Not, what do they watch) What is shown to them? Do we teach them to appreciate the differences of others? Or do we teach “If you don’t believe like me, you’re WRONG!” ?

Left v Right

Republican v Democrat,

Union, v Non-Union,

North v South,

Christian v Islam,

Male v Female

… and on and on we go in our dichotomic world. Why are there only two choices? When there are but two choices, if you don’t agree completely with me, you must be wrong. I mean, who believes the wrong thing by choice???

Grown ups must start acting like adults, and stop teaching our children to bully!

“Battle lines being drawn. Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong!

Buffalo Springfield – For What It’s Worth 1967

Our children learn what we teach them. More specifically, children learn what they SEE and HEAR routinely. WE teach our children to either embrace the differences of others or question them. We teach our children to judge others even as we tell them not to because we teach with our behavior. When we scoff at the fat man across the street, or the short person struggling to get onto the bus, or the person who doesn’t appear as “handsome” as we might wish, we are teaching our children the ideology the produces bullying. When we sneer at the “sinner” across the parking lot of the church, synagogue or mosque we just left, are we displaying the compassion ALL major religions preach or the judgment condemned in all holy writings? It doesn’t have to be a sexuality issue! Kids have always been just plain mean! They find ANY difference reason enough to bully! Sounds kinda like our politicians, doesn’t it? Uh, behavior has to be learned some place!

Someday, just for fun, we should try to APPRECIATE our differences … just for fun, mind you! 😉 It might be too productive, I understand. We might learn to value other perspectives and maybe, just maybe, learn a thing or two. Maybe!