What We Can Learn From The NFL Bullying Case

 

Watching the NFL bullying case is quiet puzzling.  This issue has been in the public eye for over a week and we still do not know exactly what happened.  Everybody knows what bulling is.    Even if you make a mean face at a toddler they will feel…..bullied.

 It does not matter if the bully is bigger than the victim, smaller than the victim, another race, religion, culture or of another socioeconomic class.  It is still bad in the eyes of the public.   What I find most interesting is that now the NFL is trying to distance itself from the situation.  They have turned to blame the victim.  They are saying if the victim felt threatened he should have stopped the unwanted behaviors.  I guess we can say the same thing to our children.  If you are being bullied, you can do something to stop it.  Remember, the children are watching how we handle situations.  Some people forget that bullying is wrong and society should not tolerate it at any level.  I see some people think that locker room behavior is there to toughen up the athlete.  The toughen-up advice is a cop out for an organization or a parent who does not want to take responsibility for the bully’s behavior.  That is the wrong message to send to  children who are watching the adults behaving badly.   

We also know that someone who exposes bullying can experience backlash from their coming forward.  On the playground the child can become a target for sneak attacks or isolation.  In the workplace it is no different.  A police officer who reports unprofessional behavior can be given the worst or most dangerous beat with no backup.  A teacher can be given a class with severe problems and receive no support from administration.  A nurse can be given a multitude of gravely ill patients, compromising patient care.  The list can go on.  From children to adults can be bullied in many ways.  So far we really don’t know exactly what happened with these two football players.  The details are still foggy.  The ways they, the NFL, are acting, it seems like they have something to hide.  Everybody against the victim makes people suspicious.  Any kind of hazing should not be condoned. Sport’s is a business. It should be look upon and treated as such.  The NFL or any organization should always seek to be professional.  Treat everybody with respect and dignity. Do not tolerate bad behavior and people will not be as willing to behave disrespectfully.  All we can do is watch the situation and hope they work it out quickly.  They have to remember that the children are watching, observing, and learning how the adult world works.