guess i was wrong

When I was counselor at camp, I remember having some kids who always called someone else a name or blamed them for any and all misfortune or was the first one to accuse someone else for some mistake most likely made by them. When the question was asked what happened, the response usually consisted of she is a liar, he made me do it, he is bad. Seldom did this group of kids ever answer what happened, but instead moaned about everything else except how to solve the problem. I soon realized that the lack of admitting to your own actions, the inability to solve the problem you created, and the knee jerk response of trying to defame someone else meant that a particular individual never wanted to be accountable for anything deemed disastrous or demeaning.

When I student taught I witnessed some kids bully other students. I watched as the physically stronger kids taunted and tempted a weaker child. I listened as physical violence was suggested if there was no acquiescence. And I had to intervene when the bully felt he/she could intimidate, another peer and attempt to run roughshod all over he/she. When I was a Teen Worker at the JCC I interacted with some very popular kids some wonderful, caring and some who knew their social prominence somehow made them someone special. I watched as they manipulated the less popular teen, the less attractive teen, the 'wanna be' teen into begging their way into acceptance. When the bullies were approached by any authority they immediately denied any responsibility, or insisted it was the actions of others that provoked their reasonable behavior or a complete refusal to address the problem they created.

Now that some Americans are fighting back against the wealthy, the corporations, the banks and the too to big fail companies in this nation they are being called names. Now that some Americans are insisting they will no longer be bullied by lobbyists, religious bigots, politicians beholden to donors, they are now accused of being the cause for the economic breakdown in this nation. Now that those whose voices have been manipulated to stay silent or quiet or speechless are talking they have been scapegoated and shrunk to no more than vermin, hippies, Communists and Socialists.

We are told by some millionaires, the CEO's the gang from Wall Street, the not fair and not balanced boys and girls from FOX, Karl Rove, the band of hooligans running for president from the Republican/Tea Bag party, so called social Christian conservatives, that all that is wrong in America is wrong NOW because the have nots are declaring a Class War. We are told by this demographic that it is the greed of the unemployed, the gluttony of the under insured, the undemocratic machinations of the equal not separate but equal minorities as the cause for the recent recession, the deficit, and the high unemployment. All we hear from those who have had the power and still maintain the power in this nation, who buy their way into power excuses, name calling and threats. What we don't hear is how to solve the problem fairly, equitably and with concern for all. What we don't hear is consensus. What we don't hear is lets define the real problem. What we don't hear is lets forget the blame and name calling lets speak about how we solve the problems.

I remember working with kids, and Teens thinking that once these individuals actually get a taste of the real world they will understand that bullying, blaming and denying their own actions or thoughts are futile and lead to no resolve. I remember thinking that once these kids and Teens became adults they would figure out that inclusion was a better remedy than exclusion. I remember thinking that once these kids and teens had to face the world head on they would discover compassion, concern and compatibility.

Guess I was wrong.