We are either a bully, a victim, or a bystander. Frequently, we've held all three roles. Hopefully, most of us have turned away from bullying others. I used to teach elementary students about these three roles. I taught them ways to handle bullies as there is often no one right way. But, the most important lessons were always about bystanders. You see, bystanders have enormous power to make a real difference in a bullying situation.
Donald Trump is a classic bully. His followers support him in this by saying he just, "tells it like it is." They are the type of bystanders who go along with the bully for various reasons. Some do it out of fear. These are the other GOP candidates who fear angering the bully into running a third party candidacy. Others go along with the bully because they believe in him and support his meanness. These are the people at his rallies who echo what he says.
Trump's victims are myriad. They range from Mexicans to Syrian refugees to Muslims. Everyday, he pronounces a new set of victims for his followers to hate and fear.
What can we bystanders who do not support his hate do when we hear or see his type of bullying in action? We have choices. We can say and do nothing. Many do that out of fear of becoming the next victim. We can support the victim in various ways. But, most importantly, we can speak up. We can call out the bully, name the behavior, offer aid to the victim, and inform the authorities if necessary!
Ask yourself what you would want the bystanders to do if someone were bullying you? Treat others the way you'd want to be treated. Pretty simple, isn't it?
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