If you follow my blog you know that I believe in equality for all and have zero tolerance for hate and bigotry. We all have to live in this same world and we share much more in common than we do in petty differences.
Certainly the earthquake in Japan highlights how we all share the same goals and we all suffer together. The world has watched and hoped and prayed (if you choose to so do) for the well being of Japan and the Japanese people.
But then something happens, like what happened to 23 year old Justin Alensa, and we are reminded that the world is still full of hate.
I ask you to please watch this video from Justin, who recounts in explicit detail how he was assaulted and left with a fractured skull at a gas station by an anonymous gay-basher, and worse yet, was refused help by multiple bystanders.
No one should have to feel as frightened, ashamed, and alone as he did. It is every one's responsibility to ensure that these kind of horrific and disgraceful acts of bigotry and hate end now.
Bully's are cowards who are acting out their own hate with themselves. They see something they fear in themselves and use violence to feel a surge of power. But it is cowardly and certainly the least manly thing a man could do. The only people I could bully are bullies. Whenever i see such bigotry in action I always speak up to it and try to defend the ones that need help. It sickens me that people could look away or do nothing. It is sort of like people who sit in church pews of churches when they know priests molest boys by the thousands.
ReplyDeleteHaving been bullied myself, I beleived that I started bullying others because of peer presure to gain power and self esteem.
ReplyDeleteMy parents were of another generation and bullying was never spoken about. I suffered from the people who bullied me my whole life time, I still remember everyone at a store in which I worked to be in a catelog and I was told I was not attractive enought. I have spent my whole life rethinking my apparence. I suffer from terrible self esteem.
As a teenager or young adult in college I got in with a cool crowd and felt better about myself if I joined into bullying others.
Today, 25 years later I still feel the shame that bullies made me feel, I still remember the Valentine card that said I was ugly.
But I wish that I could find those kids who I used to make myself feel better and tell them they did nothing to cause me to bully thme. And I am sorry for making them hurt the way I hurt.
I would like to say to every brother and sister and parent, it is time to speqak to your kids. And to help them not to even think what goes around comes around. To not hate the people like me who were too insecure to standup to peer presure but to help them learn how to be more humane and understanding.
EBN