Friday, March 16, 2012

Stop the Bull

Happy Friday, all!

Over on Shari Larsen's blog, she's spreading the word about National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence, which happens to be today!

Now, I'm not in America, but I'm all for speaking out against bullying and violence. Truth be told, though, I struggled thinking about what to write for this. Honestly, I've been pretty lucky: I can't recall being bullied to an extent where it affected me. Sure, I was called names, pushed & shoved, all the things that mark out a 'normal' childhood. As an adult, my work colleagues and bosses were -- for the most part -- respectful and considerate. So . . . what to write?

Well, how about this.


Now picture a human, ten times sadder, and ten times lonelier.

Would you want to make someone feel that way? Would you want to stand by and let someone else make another person feel that way? All it takes to stop a bully is one person to stand up to them. (Or, in the case of Syria, China and Russia... but that's another story!). From children to politicians, we can put an end to bullying and violence if we work together.

 Maybe the world should just drink wine...

Have a great weekend, everyone. And treat everyone like a precious Persian kitty you don't want to upset!

The following bloggers are also taking part today. Drop by and say hi if you get the chance.

Sheri Larsen - http://www.writersally.blogspot.com/
Dawn Dalton - http://www.dawnmdalton.blogspot.com
Jessica Bell - http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com
Candace Ganger - http://themisadventuresincandyland.blogspot.com/
LM Preston - http://lmpreston.blogspot.com/
Donna Martin - http://www.donasdays.blogspot.com
Jonathon Arntson - http://jonathonarntson.blogspot.com/
Nicole Zoltack - http://www.NicoleZoltack.com
PK Hrezo - http://pk-hrezo.blogspot.com

44 comments:

  1. It's unfornate that there are bullies in the world. It's honorable to want to stop them. It takes courage, but they usually back down when confronted.

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  2. If that kitty doesn't stop bullying, nothing will!

    Seriously though, bullying is one of the things I have no tolerance for. I used to work in a shop, and one day me and a lady I worked with saw four girls tormenting a smaller girl outside. I don't think either of us ever moved so fast! I took the younger girl inside, and my friend scared the hell out of the bullies. I don't think they ever bothered her again!

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  3. Thanks Talli and the rest for your posts on bullying. It has to stop and bringing awareness and ideas of what parents and victims of bullying can do is a great way to start.

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  4. Brava! You're so right. All it takes is for one person to stand up for that poor kid being bullied. If we stand by silently, we're letting it happen.

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  5. Aw so sad pictcha :( And oi! You missed my link!

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  6. That is a really sad cat. We shouldn't bully animals either.
    If we use wine, we'll need to sort out the mean drunks from the happy drunks.

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  7. Hi Talli .. bullies are the bane of human's lives - just grotesque, and then run scared when confronted .. we'd all be a lot happier if they were off our streets, and definitely out of our schools ..

    Definitely worth standing up for "Stop the Bull" ..

    But now it's almost wine o'clock .. enjoy the weekend .. Hilary

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  8. Great advice, Talli! The more awareness, the better. Have a wonderful weekend! :)

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  9. Bravo to these writers for supporting such a great cause. I'm off to check it out right now!

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  10. Bullies are ugly things. I'm not one to stand on the sidelines when someone is trying to bully me or mine. Bullies don't like me much.
    :-)

    Sia McKye OVER COFFEE

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  11. Thank you for participating! It's sad that even we as adults remember bullying as just a part of growing up. I'm sure it will always exist in some for or another. But raising awareness will hopefully help!

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  12. I am not scared of bullies themselves, but having to deal with relentless unpleasantness corrodes the soul.

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  13. Thanks for this post Talli!
    Have an awesome weekend.

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  14. As a teacher, this is a big issue. I'm sure it happens even more than we know. The only chance at an end must start at home. I wish all parents could teach their children to respect and tolerate differences in others.

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  15. It's an important issue and seems to impact the most vulnerable the hardest--frequently without someone who knows it's going on. I'm glad you took it on.

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  16. Sometimes people seem to treat animals way better than they treat humans. Now I'm all for animal rights and treating them with respect and kindness, but our fellow human beings need respect and kindness way more!

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  17. Huge problem, and I don't have an answer how to combat it. One person at a time, is the best I've got. Love the kitten!

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  18. Bullies are the saddest people of all. That's why they're bullies. Thank you for this post! It's so important to raise awareness about this subject and make others understand that it is never okay and that you CAN and should do something about it.

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  19. I don't get bullying. I never have. How anyone can feel good making someone else feel bad is beyond me.

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  20. Bullying is one of those things that doesn't stop at childhood. Some people go through life thinking it's ok to bully others and commit violence against them. Maybe if we educate children from the beginning that this kind of behaviour is not right or acceptable then we'll become a society where this happens less.

    Jai

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  21. Bad people to make cute kitty so sad!

    But seriously!! Boo to bullies and bullying behaviour! Raspberries to all that!

    Take care
    x

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  22. The problem is that for generations, teachers and school administrators, even some parents, have looked the other way and shrugged it off saying, "That's just kids being kids." If something had been done 20, 30 years ago, maybe the problem would not have escalated to the place at which it is now.

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  23. I always tell my daughter when she's being bullied, even by friends who are just acting mean, to say, 'I'm not going to play with you while you're acting this way. When you're ready to be nice, then we can talk, again.'

    Of course, this only applies to situations of mild aggression. Would that we could eradicate bullying, once and for all.

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  24. This is indeed an unpleasant aspect of society. It's good for people to be aware and proactive. Thanks for sharing this and all the links.

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  25. Indeed, why would anyone want to sit by and let another person lose their confidence and self-esteem?

    Great post.

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  26. Bullying definitely has to stop.

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  27. This topic is so real for me. And having 4 kids makes it even harder to see them go through it.

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  28. Aw, I think you found a lovely way to make the point.

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse, co-host of the 2012 #atozchallenge! Twitter: @AprilA2Z

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  29. I was teased mercilessly as a child. I think it was because I was an easy mark. Putting an end to bullying needs to be a top goal of today's schools.

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  30. thank you, Talli, for giving a shout out for my blog! I am a new follower...;0)

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  31. A good post on an important issue, Talli (if that cute kitty doesn't spell it out, nothing will!). As a kid, I was always way too sensitive to even dream of being mean enough to bully anyone...excerpt for, well, bullies. I admit, I did retalliate and made some bullies cry. Which got me lots of cheers from my classmates / workmates (OK, as a kid...and a slightly older kid.). LOL

    I think that often, bullying could be prevented or at least lessened if the adults in charge at schools (or bosses in the adult world) refused to tolerate it instead of turning a blind eye.

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  32. It's good to draw attention to this, Talli. What a sad photo.

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  33. Anything that brings awareness to this huge problem is a plus in my book. Bullying wrecks lives. It's that simple.

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  34. We seem to live in a world where people don't want to get involved, but then there are great instances of when they do.

    Bullying has a real effect on people and it does need highlighting. A great cause Talli.

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  35. Well said Talli! I'm off to visit the other links blogs now.

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  36. I had a couple of periods in school when I had bullies to deal with. It came to a point when I'd had enough, and hit back. That solved the problem, at least for me.

    Emotional bullying and abuse is a whole different field. I've put up with toxic behavior for years from my sisters, and it really did me a lot of harm. So much so that I'm getting help for it, and feeling that for my own well being, I don't want them in my life.

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  37. Bullies - stand up to them, snip them out of your life, and be kind to each other. Works for me.

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  38. We've been working really hard to raise awareness of bullying and its affects in our school. We have very few problems so I think it's working. No one should have to live with this.

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  39. I totally agree! One person really can make a difference.

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  40. Sad picture. And imagining a human or a child more sadder...

    It's good to bring awareness to this.

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  41. Talli,

    What a nice analogy... Why would anyone want to make people feel badly... Life is tough enough.

    I hope you had a great weekend and thanks for your support in this horrible act of aggression.

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  42. Feeling an urge to smooch the computer screen, directly on that kitten's sweet face!!!

    My biggest bully is my mother-in-law, but I can handle her. As for the rest of them out there, STOP IT! Didn't your parents ever teach you right from wrong??

    Thanks, Talli! Great post!

    Now...how can I get through the screen to that kitten...

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  43. It's too easy to slide along with the bullies without realising it and sometimes the bullies don't realise it. I worked for a head teacher who was a subtle bully. I wasn't bullied but two divorced colleagues, who really needed their jobs, were. He would have been horrified to realise he was a bully, being an upstanding Christian.

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Coffee and wine for all!