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Letter - Bullies were victims, too

Re: Intolerance for bullying is the only solution, Letters - Nov. 8 - 14
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Bullies were victims, too

Re: Intolerance for bullying is the only solution, Letters - Nov. 8 - 14

(Doreen Marion Gee) calls for "radical intolerance" — there is nothing radical about intolerance, it is quite ordinary really. What would be radical would be an approach that utilizes love, compassion, support and respect to heal both parties. The bullies were at one time victims. Models utilizing this approach are already up and running, i.e. restorative justice, which is having profound and lasting results. I suggest that love and compassion ought to be equally available for all — there will be no resolution by "punishing" the bully. The bullying behaviour without question is wrong and should not be tolerated — but it is necessary to separate the behaviour from the person — through a willingness to understand it is possible for the "perpetrator" to see how hurting others hurts them as well. All "bullies" are not "socio-paths" that is a gross misleading generalization.

As Gandhi once said "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" a call for love is not naive, it is more radical a shift than many can imagine — to say that is "misguided" and "dumbing down" would be suggesting a violent response to violence is intelligent. So deeply entrenched is the culture of violence that many are blind to the presence of it in their own hearts. I stand for a vision of love, tolerance, and healing for all — there is nothing intelligent about resignation to the status quo.

Rob Mason,Victoria