|
|
It's just like any other normal day in school, and there is that same kid getting picked on. Some may feel sorry for him. Somebody may even stand up for him, or tell authorities. But do people ever consider the other side of the story? Bullies deserve to have a voice. They need to be heard, too. Bullies should feel accepted, not judged by society. They should be treated like any other normal person who made a mistake.
First of all, most "bullies" are victims too, whether at home or at school. They may be insecure about themselves, have been bullied by other people, or have problems at home, and decide to act out. According to Bullying Statistics 2010, 54% of students who witness violence and physical abuse at home may become bullies at school (Bullying Facts, 2013). That's over half! Half of the kids seen in society today have to deal with domestic violence, and then bring it to school to take it out on other kids, because that's the only way they know how to vent. When kids are picked on, they usually can't control their emotions, and they go on autopilot. Everyone who is involved in a bullying situation should be treated fairly, especially the bullies.
Also, bullies deserve forgiveness. Many regret what they have done. They realize how much they have hurt someone and want to repent, but society shuns them away. " . . . Hate and vengeance are the antithesis of healing. They will only continue the destructive process the bully began," says Richard Schwindt, a psychotherapist and hypnotherapist specializing in the emotional recovery of targets of bullying (Workplace Bullying Recovery, 2011). If someone has ever tried to "get back" at someone instead of forgiving, then they know that what Schwindt is saying is true: fighting back only makes things worse, which is why forgiveness should be the preferred alternative. In addition, holding on to the hatred will only make the rest of their life miserable. Therefore, even though they may never forget, people should still forgive, and accept the bully's mistake.
Most of the time, when someone is feeling threatened or endangered, they may resort to bullying as a self-defense mechanism. People need to protect themselves, and some people may consider it bullying, but "bullies" have the right of self-defense. According to U.S. law, the right of self-defense is the right for civilians acting on their own behalf to engage in a level of violence, for the sake of defending one's own life or the lives of others (CNN News, 2013) . This supports the idea of any human being able to engage in violence to defend himself or herself from the other person harming them. Therefore, the person who was first doing the harming should be charged for crime, not the person who was "caught" trying to defend themselves.
In short, bullies need to have a voice. Their side of the story needs to be heard. Many bullies have been victims themselves or have had to deal with problems at home. Others are just trying to defend themselves. No matter what, they all deserve forgiveness. They should be accepted by society and treated more fairly.
Author's Note: Works Cited: "Alarming Bullying Statistics in the USA." Bullying Facts. BullyingFacts.info, n.d. Web. 6 Jun 2013. http://bullyingfacts.info/bullying-statistics/.
CNN, News. "Expanded Self Defense Laws." CNN U.S.. CNN News, n.d. Web. 6 Jun 2013. .
Schwindt, Richard. "Workplace Bullying Recovery: Forgiveness." overcomebullying.org. Overcomebullying.org, n.d. Web. 30 May 2013. .
|
