Bullies

There were bullies in my small town when I was growing up and what we did as kids, was to just try and stay out of their way, plain and simple. Kid bullies were well, kid bullies. When adults emerged as bullies, sometimes in the form of a high school teacher or another person of authority, it was kind of the same but was definitely a more difficult situation to avoid. Bullying wasn’t any more acceptable then, than it is now — but it sure seems to have become more prevalent.  I see it everywhere — in the behavior of soccer and football coaches, in bosses, CEO’s and board chairmen and lately even in the political arena.  I don’t recall any of the kid bullies that I knew, winning popularity contests or becoming Homecoming royalty, being voted class presidents or even being asked to birthday parties.  Looking back, I suspect maybe they felt left out — perhaps that’s even why they acted out as bullies.  Maybe some of the current political candidates just need to be invited to a movie or to go roller skating or to help bust a piñata filled with lots of candy.  If I thought it would help how the candidates are treating each other, I’d be first in line to issue that birthday invitation.