Opinion on bullying

With the release of the new film Bully I can't help but think about my days in high school. I saw lots of bullying in my small high school in Plainfield but didn't really pay it any attention. Of course the bullying happened because people were different. Although the school was predominately African-American, most bullying occurred not because of "race" but because of other reasons: sexual preference, clothing worn, etc. Yes I was made fun of at times but it was never a big thing. High school is that time in your life when social norms are introduced and society puts you in a box.

I recently also red an article in NBC Latino about two Puerto Rican students being bullied in a Connecticut high school. Then it hit me. Do most bullying incidents occur when the school is predominately white? I know this accusation may sound horrible at first but it could be true. Regardless of whether or not race is involved, bullying is a serious issue. These hurtful words can damage a child's mind and the future consequences might not be reversible. Words are hurtful; it's that simple.

Glee is a great program which portrayed bullying at a small and large scale. In various episodes, Glee touched on certain character's sexual orientation (men and women). Some were strong enough to move on with life and some were not. Suicide is probably the last thing on anyone's mind but it's possible. There's also a fine line of bullying and being made fun of. However, there are still hurtful words being used. Remember, being different is cool :). Don't let society tell you where you need to be; you make your own decisions in life.