Bullying: felonious actions, rite of passage or something else
Bullying has come a long way from the time individuals would handle such matters between themselves or through a second party. Children naturally intimidate each other as the socialization process moves forward. Whether it was in the sandbox or concerning the contents of a lunch box entanglements somehow always found you. With the advent of the new millennia the face of bullying took a radical change. Third parties created an industry that now employs tens of thousands to ameliorate a problem once left to a few to resolve. Defined as the process of intimidating or mistreating somebody weaker or is in a more vulnerable situation bullying has become the newest gold mine for lawyers. To make matters worse the criminal justice system is hungry to try cases that moms and dads could resolve with opposing parties in a matter of hours. Initiation into fraternities, sororities, sports teams and the like one could always expect a bit of hazing to humiliate the new member. Does this call for the prosecutorial machinery from local government sources to move on them? Absolutely not! Yet the legal system has injected its self-righteous hands where they do not belong. The argument exists bullying can lead to extreme harm or even death of an individual is true but rare. Several recent suicides attributed to bullying have made national headlines. Those left behind are children facing felonies for juvenile tactics common to their age-related antics. The question remaining unanswered: why was there no intervention earlier? In the last few weeks a form of hazing was revealed against a player for the Miami Dolphins Jonathan Martin, who happens to be six foot and five inches weighing 312 pounds. With such bulk and height one would think he was the bullier, yet he claims to be the victim. A person’s ego structure will interpret acts against them in different manners. Martin’s emotional distress may derive from many factors and he indeed may have a valid case against those who he accuses. Rites of passage in a person’s life indicate certain transitions and or milestones that are achieved to move on to the next stage of life. Many children do not move through the socialization process appropriately causing them to be either victims or victimizers in society, through no fault of their own. With the traditional family structure disintegrating, guidance into adulthood by responsible adults is diminishing rapidly. Bullying will not be solved by passage of laws, jailing children or destroying the future careers of sportsmen. Intervention must occur as early as possible by those closest to the situation. If not, the unwanted involvement of third parties will quickly be realized. Mark Davis, MD. President of Healthnets Review Services and Davis Book Reviews. Author of Demons of Democracy and Obamacare: Dead on Arrival, A Prescription for Disaster. www.healthnetsreviewservices.complatomd@gmail.com
