Bullying and Implications-This IS front page news.

The news has been inundated with the tragic results of teenage bullying. It is a widespread problem and finger pointing accompanies each and every article. What these articles don't seem to address is how do children and adults become bullies, and what needs to be done to curtail this old/new issue that has become front page news in many cities.

Obviously bullies have been around since, well, since forever. I don't recall bullying to be so prevelant when I was a child or teen, but then there wasn't the instant news updates through the wire services, or the internet when I was a child.
There were bullies, we have all seen them in action or been the target, but it never seemed to be such a virulent situation.

The finger pointing in my youth went to the home these young thugs lived in, and were dealt with by a parental visit, or by the victims themselves. Parents were held responsbile for their childrens actions, but every once in a while it was found that the parent was a bully as well, passing on the "wrong" model to their offspring.

As young girls we were given instruction to protect our younger siblings, and basically given permission to deal with any bullying issue in the best way possible.
Bullies pick their victims to a variety of reasons, and weakness is a key factor in who becomes a victim.

Just like a young child who throws a tantrum as long as there is an audience, so does a bully (now entire groups as well) need an audience or reaction to be successful.

So who is indeed responsible for halting the actions of these young miscreants? I use that word without remorse, for to me bullying is something that can be controlled and should be either by parental units or the law, or by peers. Can the victims themselves stop this harrassment. Old movies show resolution to bullying by a good punch in the nose, or by the underdogs winning a sporting event. Is bullying glamourized in some of these movies?

Where do these kids ever come up with the idea that bullying is okay? Are they so in need of attention themselves that somehow they think that this is an acceptable way to get this attention? Are parents so self involved that they turn a blind eye to what their children are capable of; part of the "not my child" syndrome. When did it become okay not to be responsible for ones actions or activities?

Researchers, affiliated with major universities are attempting to find these answers right now.

I believe we all need to look hard at this lack of civility in our youthful population today. Maybe it begins by looking in the mirror.