It would be naïve to think bullying will ever be eradicated. From the playground to politics there will always be somebody with an inferiority complex attempting to gain power over others through questionable means.
That’s not say the issue should be swept aside and dismissed as unsolvable. It’s something that impacts everybody at some point in their life so it must be talked about.
Today is Pink Shirt Day. In school hallways, downtown businesses and places in between, people will be wearing pink in solidarity. It’s a day to send a message to those who travel too often on the road to mean.
The pink uprising began in Nova Scotia a few years back when a pair of high school students banded 50 peers together in support of a fellow student who was bullied because he wore a pink shirt. Since then the movement has taken off and spread across North America.
Providing children and adults with the tools to take on bullies is the key. Education and advice on how to combat those who try to compensate for their own weakness through nasty tactics goes a long way towards shrinking the problem. The more we talk about it, the less it will happen.
Today we should all think about our actions and how they impact others. Though most people are aware when they are being bullied, at times it may be hard to recognize when we are being bullies. Looking inward goes a long ways towards how we behave on the outside.
Black Press and the Nelson Star are proud sponsors of the local Pink Shirt Day movement. We stand alongside other businesses, organizations and individuals who want to see bullying stopped so everybody can lead a happier life.