Bully for the Massachusetts Legislature and Governor Deval Patrick, who in the wake of two high-profile teen suicides have now "outlawed" bullying in schools and in cyberspace. While it remains to be seen what impact the bill will actually have, it is clear that unless we change our adult-created culture of bullying, passing a law to deal with bullying is kind of like shooting spitballs at a charging rhino; the impact will be negligible, similar to that in the 41 states that enacted bullying legislation before Massachusetts. Bullying, like child abuse, is not an issue that can be legislated away. It is woven into the fabric of our culture, and right now we're just tugging on a few loose threads. This is not meant to be a judgment, but rather an observation from a bully who grew up in a family where verbal, emotional, and physical bullying were passed down from generation to generation like an inheritance. You see, in my opinion, bullies bully because they themselves have been victims or witnesses of bullying, which is to be expected given its pandemic nature.
Use the above link to read the entire Op-Ed by Keith E. McHenry, the Executive Director of Plays for Living, Inc. (PFL), an award-winning nonprofit organization that uses live theater and facilitated conversation as tools for producing social change.
Michael H. Drucker
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