MuttonChops

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Kids being harassed to the point of attempting - or succeeding - suicide is not only tragic; it is happening everywhere. From big cities to tiny towns, there are bullies. In third grade, our class bully was a larger-than-average guy with a buzz cut and a scowl. I avoided him purely because of his reputation. When I finally was side-by-side in line with him, I mustered the courage to speak and found out he was actually civil. Later, I learned he was abused at home and acted out at school. A few years later, and no longer afraid of the quintessential bully, I learned that pubescent friends, (particularly girls) can be cruel. Tweens tend to be insecure, hormonal, and territorial - which can be a deadly combination. My experiences seemed to correlate with scholarly observers who determined that somewhat uncivilized behavior may occur in otherwise domestic social groups sharing similar demographics. In other ...

Hate is expressed when people are: Scared - Greedy - Jealous - Hateful - Mean - Selfish - Ignorant - Uninformed Hate comes in the form of: Persecution: a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate a people because of their religion, race, or beliefs: the persecutions of Christians by the Romans. Denigrate : (Denigration n.) 1. to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame: to denigrate someone's character. 2. to treat or represent as lacking in value or importance; belittle; disparage: to denigrate someone's contributions to a project . Discrimination : treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit: racial and religious intolerance and discrimination. Victims of Hate Muslims * Christians * Jews * American Indians * Cherokee * Navaho * Disabled * African-Americans * Japanes...

During a recent class discussion , I questioned my students about their understanding of the difference between tolerance and acceptance. Immediately, I saw facial expressions change with their recognition of the relationship between the two terms. When discussing such issues in a classroom filled with adult students from a rural community, I steady myself in case there is backlash. I also make every effort to create an environment of open discussion rather than judging comments. Still, I was pleased that students nodded in agreement when considering the point that mere tolerance is not conducive to diversity. Several people in the class even noted that "the Bible doesn't say anything about 'tolerating' others; it says we should be accepting of each other." Since the discussions in my classes, I have continued to mull over the attitudes and comments made, and from that I have drawn a few observations: Even though I am helping them polish their communication skills...

On Oct. 12, 1998, Matthew Shepard succumbed to injuries sustained as a victim of a hate crime. Details of the case spread around the world, and news crews descended on Laramie, Wyoming. Even though his assailants attacked because Matthew was gay, the murderers could not be charged with a hate crime since no federal or state laws were in place. Almost immediately, efforts were made to create hate crime legislation yet, thanks to "politics," it took 11 years to succeed. In October 2009, President Obama held true to his word and signed the legislation named in honor of Matthew Shepard and another hate crime victim, James Byrd, Jr. The Laramie Project is a collection of statements made by people in the town of Laramie, documenting details, recollections, and reactions to Matthew's attack. Moise's Kaufman and fellow members of the Tectonic Theater Project conducted more than 200 interviews over the course of a year and half. The resulting play has also been produced by ...