Bullies

Liberty Jail Week 2

 

As seen from the Dec 1 post, the early Mormon saints suffered many persecutions during the early days of the church.  While there were various causes for these persecutions, for the most part the actions against the church were carried out by the mobs.

Mobs, gangs and bullies have these things common; they hurt, frighten, threaten, intimidate or tyrannize those who are smaller or weaker. Much of the persecutions the Mormons suffered were the result of inciting to violence by particular individuals or groups.  It is true that the local residents had some valid reasons to dislike the Mormons, but those differences were of such a nature that they could have been worked out and solved by working together and within the law.  It was a lawless element of the frontier which found opportunity to plunder and ravage for personal gain which incited the mobs and resulted in much of the persecutions.

Where are the accusing politicians of that day who persecuted the saints?  Where are the mob bullies who tyrannized without just cause; who were the members of the mob; husbands, fathers, and everyday citizens who would rather follow the inciting dialect of an enraged bully rather than even slightly scratch the surface of discovery to find truth for himself; gone, they are all gone, delegated  into the fine print of history.

“When people hurt you over and over, think of them like sandpaper. They may scratch and hurt you a bit, but in the end, you end up polished and they end up useless.”
― Chris Colfer

 

Bullying

 

Recognize Bullying

Bullying is aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions.
Bullying involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time.
Bullying involves an imbalance of power or strength.

Respond to Bullying

Stop it on the Spot
Don’t’ give Bullying an audience
Help those who are being bullied to get away
Find out what happened
Support the Kids
Be a good example

Don’t get caught up in rumor, gossip or malicious comments.

 

“You can’t be right by doing wrong,
You can’t be wrong by doing right”.
              Pres. Thomas S. Monson