What Can We Do To Stop Bullying? Everything!!

Bully - The Movie

For the past year, my husband and I have spearheaded a small committee dedicated to starting a movement in our community "To Stop Bullying"! In order to do this,

we realize that the only way to create change is to open minds through education and awareness and to open hearts through compassion and empathy.

We will accomplish this with a two day anti-bullying event entitled "In Harms' Way: Dangers Facing Our Children Today"  which will feature Kirk Smalley of Stand For The Silent.  Kirk will speak to over 2,500 students at four local school assemblies as well as present at two public events. In addition, we will screen the film Bully through the Prescott Film Festival - a documentary which captures the tragic effects of bullying in the lives of five families.

Let's Stand Against Bullying - Let's Stand For The Silent

Many people have asked, why would you do this?  You no longer have children in your home? Why not just sit back and enjoy your retirement? Please read the interview below and you will find out why.

What can we do to stop bullying? Everything!!

Bullying (or cyber bullying) is not a rite of passage for a child.  It is a recipe for ruination of a young person's life. 

What can we do to stop bullying?  Everything! 

 Let's do this now! Let's get this done! Let's do this together!

Go See "Bully" Movie!!

Parents, Guardians, Educators, Community & Spiritual Leaders, Youth...Anyone who cares about the social health of our country...please...go see "Bully - The Movie (YouTube Clip)" (The Bully Project) by Lee Hirsch.

I just finished seeing this brutally honest gut-wrenching account on the normative behavior of bullying in our country.  I was overwhelmed by the heartbreaking account of how individuals can torment and humiliate any human being and how bystanders can sit by and laugh and participate and do nothing to help the victim - adults included.  I was alarmed at how dismissive school and community personnel were and how in some cases they even blamed the victims for the horrific crimes committed against them.

Towards the end of the movie, I thought for "a moment" that there is no hope in changing this toxic societal behavior - it is just too common place and rampant. Then, I watched and listened closely to Kirk Smalley - founder of Stand for the Silent.  He started this organization after his son committed suicide as the result of chronic bullying. Mr. Smalley will not give up.  He will fight this issue for the rest of his life.  He will keep his son's voice alive.

When I walked away from the theater, I reminded myself that each one of us can make a difference.  I have always believed that.  And I do believe in the goodness of others. However, I think we are in dangerous territory of forgetting that each of one us deserves to be treated with respect, dignity, and with human regard.  I think we are on the verge of losing our empathy, compassion, and human connection for one another.

Please go see "Bully". Any one of these children in this movie could be ours - they probably already are. It will touch your heart and  move you to action. Let's each do what we can with whatever resources our at our disposal.

I know I will.  I will not give up.