The business of bullying
I WAS adjured by a young lady teacher one morning together with her second year college students to share my cognition on bullying. “Sir, bullying is rampant in our society. Some people bully and sometimes the bullied does the bullying. Where do we start from here?”
There was a flashback in my mind. I did not finish my first year high school in one institute because I was bullied by some of my bigger classmates. I was not a willing victim. A homegrown boy from the hacienda like me would always fight back. I got some scars after the fight but the big boys got bigger scars from me. I could not sustain healing the scars. I dropped school.
Bullying is a junk, not an art, wherein a person enjoys oppressing others weaker than him. A bully is a tormentor, an intimidator, a petty tyrant, an oppressor. Bullying is something that has permeated our personal and vicarious experiences. A child will grow up as a bully or victim of bullying when at home he heard her mother nagging his father as “Juan Tamad,” “lasenggo,” or a gambler. In retaliation, the father will shout back, slap the mother, and even bang her face against the wall. Bullying starts in the family.
In a family of five children, usually the youngest is subjected to bullying by his brothers and sisters. That could be the reason why Kevin in the movie “Home Alone” does not want to mingle with his family. He would want to be left at home when everybody is on vacation. Kevin would prefer his own adventure of bullying the burglars. All those you see in the movie “Home Alone.”
Even in our churches, bullying exists. There are priests and ministers who molest our young boys and girls. This could not be happening everyday but we are all aware that there are priests and ministers who touched the private parts of our children. Some young girls got pregnant by deep touching. Even President Digong Duterte was a victim (as alleged) of sexual harassment by a servant of God during his student days.
The school is not even a safe place for our children. There are fraternities and sororities whose members are initiating baptism of fire to new members. Neophytes are subjected to “hirap” or “sarap.” “Hirap” is paddling while “sarap” is sexual molestation. For wicked groups, new members will be subjected to drinking high grade alcohol or even using shabu. Bullying of this kind could not lead only to bodily harm, but it could even end in death.
In schools, we have bully teachers. Some teachers bully students in words and by looking like a tiger at their students who do not know their lessons. Sometimes teachers who want to cover up their unpreparedness would just give long test or ask hard questions.
They could always give seatwork while they are working on the late lesson plan. If a teacher unjustifiably favors one student over the other, that is also academic bullying.
Gay or lesbian teachers may endanger our students because they could always harass them in the guise of discipline. The principal is also a bully if he insults his teachers in front of the parents, students, and other people. Students who are late should not be made to clean toilets. They should be advised and be brought to the guidance counsel or.
Even our public officials are bullies if they float or transfer employees who did not vote for them in the last elections. Security guards are bullies if the young boys and girls caught shoplifting are made to remove their underwear and their body parts are subjected to inspection. We bully other people if we text them with demonic words.
I challenge the students and their teachers to stand for their rights. No one will bully us if we don’t want to be bullied. There will only be bullies if there are willing victims. Be brave. Be courageous. Grab the bully by the horn, no matter where the horn is. May God grant you the wisdom not to bully others, to accept the people you cannot change, the courage to change the one you can, and the knowledge to know it is you!
“When you don’t know what you want, you often end up where you don’t want to be. Today, you make a vow among yourselves that there is no more bullying. We will live every moment like a lifetime.” My sharing lasted for more than one hour. I know that I bullied them with my long sermon.