The Media and 'Bullying' (Thomas Sowell)

Creators Syndicate ^ | October 25, 2011 | Thomas Sowell

[jazusamo]

Back in the 1920s, the intelligentsia on both sides of the Atlantic were loudly protesting the execution of political radicals Sacco and Vanzetti, after what they claimed was an unfair trial. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote to his young leftist friend Harold Laski, pointing out that there were "a thousand-fold worse cases" involving black defendants, "but the world does not worry over them." Holmes said: "I cannot but ask myself why this so much greater interest in red than black." To put it bluntly, it was a question of whose ox was gored. That is, what groups were in vogue at the moment among the intelligentsia. Blacks clearly were not. The current media and political crusade against "bullying" in schools seems likewise to be based on what groups are in vogue at the moment. For years, there have been local newspaper stories about black kids in schools in New York and Philadelphia beating up Asian classmates, some beaten so badly as to require medical treatment. But the national media hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil. Asian Americans are not in vogue today, just as blacks were not in vogue in the 1920s. Meanwhile, the media are focused on bullying directed against youngsters who are homosexual. Gays are in vogue. Most of the stories about the bullying of gays in schools are about words directed against them, not about their suffering the violence that has long been directed against Asian youngsters or about the failure of the authorities to do anything serious to stop black kids from beating up Asian kids. Where youngsters are victims of violence, whether for being gay or whatever, that is where the authorities need to step in. No decent person wants to see kids hounded, whether by words or deeds, and whether the kids are gay, Asian or whatever. But there is still a difference between words and deeds — and it is a difference we do not need to let ourselves be stampeded into ignoring. The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees freedom of speech — and, like any other freedom, it can be abused. If we are going to take away every Constitutional right that has been abused by somebody, we are going to end up with no Constitutional rights. Already, on too many college campuses, there are vaguely worded speech codes that can punish students for words that may hurt somebody's feelings — but only the feelings of groups that are in vogue. Women can say anything they want to men, or blacks to whites, with impunity. But strong words in the other direction can bring down on students the wrath of the campus thought police — as well as punishments that can extend to suspension or expulsion. Is this what we want in our public schools? The school authorities can ignore the beating up of Asian kids but homosexual organizations have enough political clout that they cannot be ignored. Moreover, there are enough avowed homosexuals among journalists that they have their own National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association — so continuing media publicity will ensure that the authorities will have to "do something." But political pressures to "do something" have been behind many counterproductive and even dangerous policies. A grand jury report about bullying in the schools of San Mateo County, California, brought all sorts of expressions of concern from school authorities — but no definition of "bullying" nor any specifics about just what they plan to do about it. Meanwhile, a law has been passed in California that mandates teaching about the achievements of gays in the public schools. Whether this will do anything to stop either verbal or physical abuse of gay kids is very doubtful. But it will advance the agenda of homosexual organizations and can turn homosexuality into yet another of the subjects on which words on only one side are permitted. Our schools are already too lacking in the basics of education to squander even more time on propaganda for politically correct causes that are in vogue. We do not need to create special privileges in the name of equal rights.

[jazusamo]

*PING*
Thomas Sowell

Recent columns
Random Thoughts
Reverse Racism
’Stop Whining’

Please FReepmail me if you would like to be added to or removed from the Thomas Sowell ping list…

[Diago]

good post

[tet68]

Thomas Sowell, always worth reading.

[jazusamo]

Please bump the Freepathon or click above and donate or become a monthly donor!

[Zionist Conspirator]

Bullying is an evil, heinous behavior that has been ignored for too long, or else excused on the grounds that "boys will be boys."

However, the only bullying anyone seems to care about is bullying directed against homosexuals. The entire anti-bullying message has been co-opted.

Liberals don't care about bullying in general. They only care about homosexuals because they (liberals) hate G-d.

[MHGinTN]

"Our schools are already too lacking in the basics of education to squander even more time on propaganda for politically correct causes that are in vogue. We do not need to create special privileges in the name of equal rights."

Thomas Sowell issues brillaint insights so easily, one has to stop for a moment to realize just how brilliant they are. ... Is he brillaint because he is brave enough to state what has been too long squelched by political correctness run amok? Yeah, I think so. But what a wonderful combination, brilliance and bravery! Such was the metal of our founders.

[jazusamo]

I couldn't agree with your assessment more, he's not afraid to speak out against PC and what he believes is right. That's precisely why liberals and leftists will not acknowledge Dr. Sowell as one of the greatest thinkers of our time.

[rockinqsranch]

Thanks for the ping jaz. Yeah, he’s right on the mark again isn’t he.

[EDINVA]

All of the discussion about ‘bullying’ and ‘gays’ etc. seems more an adult/academic discussion. Go to any middle or high school, and the insult(s) hurled at anyone with whom a student is arguing, or who is doing something the student dislikes is “that’s so gay!” or “you’re gay.” The actual targets of all the adult discussion seem oblivious to the message.

[Billthedrill]

Sowell BTT. There was an old NY Times saw "To comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable", which certain modern journalists appear to take way too seriously - or perhaps it is themselves that they take too seriously. The line between being an self-appointed Conscience Of Society and becoming a bossy little girl is so thin now as to be nearly indistinguishable.

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

They will bully the moral into tolerating the immoral, then beat us to death for being simply there.

http://www.courageouspriest.com/decadence-leads-violence#comments

[RedMonqey]

Liberals cannot see the forest for the trees.

How many(put race here....) kids who go to a majority African-American school get the snot beat out of them without so much as a peek of liberals.

Even when there is video of the attacks(always attackers X2 > victim)

There was just such an act in Chicagoland(or as some wag called it “ChiCongo”)two 17 and 18yr AAs attacked an hispanic 14yrs old. IN CLASS!!!

Other than the local media and Drudge, nothing..Zilch.

If only the poor Hispanic girl was gay...

[RedMonqey]

Bullying is an evil, heinous behavior that has been ignored for too long, or else excused on the grounds that "boys will be boys."

The problem is, though, most of the "Bullying" today wouldn't even register a blip on the radar of the bullying that occurred when I was in school. It is political correctness gone wild.

Bullying meant actual physical contact with the intent to do bodily harm or the threat to do so, not calling a homosexual "a fag"

Under the guidelines some districts and states are proposing I and my friends would be arrested .

Not for harassing some poor unfortunate but for voluntarily "bullying" each other, i.e.giving "nuggies', 'purple urples" punching, wrestling etc, to see how tough we were.

And yes name calling. Various slang for homosexuals and homosexual acts and which included making sport of another's mother and supposed economic situation(Your mamma wears combat boots, etc...)

And just as many schools have forbidden enjoying playgrounds and playing such childhood staples as "tag" and 'dodgeball" because of it's possible dangers, these nanny state liberals will wind up outlawing perfectly natural "boys will be boys." activity...

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

There was an old NY Times saw "To comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable", which certain modern journalists appear to take way too seriously - or perhaps it is themselves that they take too seriously. The line between being an self-appointed Conscience Of Society and becoming a bossy little girl is so thin now as to be nearly indistinguishable.

You show me someone who is in a position to be able to "afflict the comfortable," and I'll show you someone who in his own right is quite comfortable.

[Billthedrill]

That, sir, is quotable! BTT.

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

I would gladly vote for Dr. Sowell for any office he would care to run for......oh wait, I’m supposed to be a racist. He’s too smart to run for public office anyway.

[Sonny M]

Bullying meant actual physical contact with the intent to do bodily harm or the threat to do so, not calling a homosexual "a fag"

I have a few friends who are teachers, whom I grew up with.

We joke that the stuff we used to say to each other then (and even now, and just kidding around) would have gotten us expelled multiple times over.

The way one of them explained it to me, you can be guilty of "bullying" without having an actual victim of said "bullying".

Example, lets say one of my friends and me are talking sports, and I say a player is gay (meaning lame), even though this was not directed at a gay person, even though, no one was "bullied", I could be kicked out of school for bullying if a teacher were to overhear it.

Kids kidding around with each other, just joking, can be construed as bullying, even if there is no verbal abuse, if the terms are offensive, and/or even if they are not directed at each other, but even at an inanimate object (i.e. hybrid cars are gay), thats considered bullying today. Forget boys will be boys. Boys, girls, and anyone, can't be anything but pure subjects of the state, with no opinions or ideas that are not sanctioned, its madness. A kid who is bullied and beaten up, can be expelled or suspended if he uses offensive politically incorrect language in describing his attackers. This is madness.

[RobbyS]

Amen to all that.

[RedMonqey]

...you can be guilty of "bullying" without having an actual victim of said "bullying".

Hence the goal isn't and never has been the protection of the children but the forced indoctrination of a political agenda. Teachers and principals already have the power to handle unruly students but need authority (cover) to push their normalization of homosexuality.

A kid who is bullied and beaten up, can be expelled or suspended if he uses offensive politically incorrect language in describing his attackers.

The bullied kid is in a lose/lose situation. Any who dares to fight back against their attackers can be expelled or suspended. Which only hurts the victim who is usually a bright, well behaved student while their attackers couldn't give a fig about learning and welcomes getting a break from school.

Steven Jobs was right about the unionized school complex. It should be tossed...