Comics and Bullying. There’s a Bigger Issue Than You Realize

Comics and bullying, eh? See what I did there? A little Canadiana for you. What in the world does bullying have to do with comics? Everything. Are most villains not bullies?

I don’t think I need to say it, but I am going to anyway. Bully is NOT ok and we as a society need to take a stand and stand up to it.

The Oxford Dictionary describes a bully as “a person who uses strength or influence to harm or intimidate those who are weaker.”

Many of us, myself included, have often believed that there is only one way to bully, and that is the traditional way, through physical contact. I was surprised to find that it has reaches that go much farther than that. Think about social, verbal and cyber. Yes, cyber.

Why would people bully?

Many things can cause a bully to arise. Superiority, cultural differences, ethnicities, sensing weakness, and fear just to name a few.

More often than not, the bully is using bullying as an outlet to make themselves feel better. Sometimes it is because they have come from a difficult background, or that they themselves were bullied. Sadly, these people need just as much help as those being bullied.

This is a cry for help.

Where are the parents?

Don’t be so quick to point the blame at the parents. Usually, they do not know what’s going on or that there is an issue. After all, if the bully or the one being bullied doesn’t speak up, how could they possibly know?

Maybe they do know.

Perhaps the parents are aware of it and see no problem with it. Maybe, just maybe, they themselves are bullies to their children. Their parents, who were bullies, could have brought them up this way and the only thing they know is to raise their own kids that way.

In this instance, why would help?

It does happen

We hear of bullying stories all the time, don’t we?

“A troubled teenager takes their own life because they couldn’t deal with the pressure of being bullied.”

Let me ask you, does it really need to come to that?

Really?

You’ll make friends

I remember hearing about one where a little boy was picked on day in and day out. He would go home to tell his mother about it, and her response was always, “Just keep trying. You’ll make friends.”

Well, he did keep trying but unfortunately, the friends didn’t come.

To stop the bullying, he turned to fighting and one day he came home from school with numerous bruises and a black eye. He told his mother what had happened and she decided to do something about it. The next day she went down to the Principal’s office and told him about it.

If you’re a parent, you would probably think that this would help.

If you’re a child, you know this doesn’t help; it makes it worse.

The kids teased and picked on him even more.

He had had enough and couldn’t take it anymore. The boy then pleaded with his mother to move. She reminded him that she just got a job and that moving was out of the question.

A parent’s worst nightmare

One day, the mother was down stairs preparing dinner. When she finished she called for her son. Normally, he would come down quickly, but not this time. She called and called…nothing.

With no words, noises or steps heard, she went upstairs to see what was wrong.

The little boy was dead in his room. He had committed suicide.

I don’t aim to turn your day sour, but you need to understand the truth about bullying and how it effects our youth. It is a reality to more children than you know.

Learn to listen and read the signs.

Helpful tips

1. If you are being bullied, reach out and talk to someone. It can be a friend, family member, or anyone else you feel comfortable talking to.
2. Stay calm and confident in the moments. Show the person that you are not afraid. Fear only propels their efforts.
3. Talk to the school about its anti-bullying policy. Learn it and know it.
4. Write down your feelings. Get them on paper and out of your head.

If we want to end bullying, we need to be strong and unite.

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