Interview with anti-bullying activist Manwar Khan - Don't be a bystander

                                          Interview with anti-bullying activist Manwar Khan (YouTube Video)

  I had the pleasure of interviewing anti-bullying activist and advocate, Manwar Khan.

  Manwar, 37 felt the urgent need to initiate his, 'Don't be a bystander' campaign rallies across the province of Alberta soon after trying in vain to intervene and stop the 2012, December 28th deadly beating of John Hollar ,29 on the Edmonton LRT by Jeremy Newborn, 32.

  During the incident, Manwar had called on bystanders on the train to intervene and help him stop the beating with no success. His last resort was to pull the alarm on the train notifying LRT authorities of the deadly situation.

  As a result, Manwar was recognized as a hero for his actions on that day by the local media.

  During the interview, Manwar proposed the following questions which would allow him to present his best insights to the bystander problem.

  Manwar believes that bystanders have the powerful potential to stop bullying when it occurs. And his message is a simple one - do not be a bystander, speak up, get help. His purpose is one of spreading awareness of this message.

  The bystander problem is especially pervasive in countless incidents of High-School bullying across North America. When bystanders silently watch bullying occur they are not protesting the injustice but rather their silence sends a strong message that they approve of the bullying (whether intentional or not). This reality can be summed up best by the following quote,"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

  Manwar does not suggest that we alone courageously put ourselves at risk by joining a fight that we witness. The fear of becoming involved in the bullying, and thus becoming bullied is one that lead too many bystanders to not intervene. But the problem occurs when the number of bystanders far out number the bully and thus the bullying can be immediately stopped, but it is not stopped.

  Too many times crowds of people fail to realize their power in being united to stop violence because individually they are all too scared to be the one to initiate action.

  Other times, bystanders justify their inaction thinking, 'it's not my business', 'maybe they deserve it', 'I don't know enough to intervene', 'I don't want to take the wrong side.'

  But the goal should not be one of judgement, it should be one of stopping the violence from occurring. We can still call the police on our cell phones, or ask others to help report it or stop the violence from continuing on.

  We need to be the example we wish to see in others if we were to be the ones unjustly being hurt by someone. What would we as individuals want others to do if someone was beating us, and dozens of people witnessed our demise? What if it were one of our loved ones in the same situation; our children, our brothers and sisters, our friends?

  And we also need to consider how would it affect us personaly if we could have save a human life, and we simply did nothing? 

  I believe there needs to be more awareness met with much discussion and dialogue. The bystander problem is a complex one that needs to be addressed with constructive criticism, and debate concerning proposed solutions.

Whether or not you agree if what I have had to say, the fact is doing nothing is not a solution to the bullying problem.

Darryl Learie

 
 

 
 

Interview with Lowell Levine - President of the Stop Bullying Now Foundation

Interview with Lowell Levine - President of the Stop Bullying Now Foundation

                                Anti-bullying interview with Lowell Levine President of Stop Bullying Now Foundation (YouTube video)

 Introduction

  I have had the pleasure of interviewing anti-bullying advocate Lowell Levine who is the president of the Stop Bullying Now Foundation. 

  The Foundation operating out of United States, Florida provides education on bullies, and bullying for children, teens, parents, and grandparents. The foundation also works with the schools advocating on behalf of the bullied.

  Their economic model allows them to operate purely on donations from companies, organizations, and individuals who are empathetic to their cause. Thus there is no cost to those requiring their help.

  Lowell, has stated that he is one of the top 3 anti-bullying advocates in the country - effectively helping hundreds of bullied children.

  You can reach Lowell at 1-561-374-0673. Or check out his website at the following link; 

Stop Bullying Now Foundation

 Insights

 Lowell has said that one of the biggest challenges in his work is getting the schools to cooperate in reducing the bullying problem. In his opinion, the schools are more concerned about their image than those being bullied within their schools. And school administrators fear that addressing a bullying problem in their school could lead them to lose their jobs. 

 He also points out that no school has a true,'no tolerance' policy when it comes to bullying. And that most schools are inadequately educated on handling the bullying problem but persist to make no constructive changes. 

 I for one would have to agree with Lowell's assertion. I have personally mailed and shared my bullying story with every school principle,  school superintendent,  school board member, including the minister of education here in my city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - and not one of them offered to meet me to discuss the bullying problem. 

 There seems to be a silent conspiracy where schools simply do not want to deal with the bullying problem. Perhaps they are afraid to admit that the education system is incompetent when dealing with the bullying issue. 

  Bullying is first experienced and learned in the home or within the school. Schools therefore should be concerned with not only the well being of their students but the emotional nurturing of their students. 

  I believe schools need to be concerned with building and teaching emotional intelligence within their students - not just promoting academic performance. The truth is that those who have a great deal of emotional intelligence tend to be quite successful in their own lives. 

 Every school has a bullying problem. What the schools do not realize is that if they admitted that they had a bullying problem and were genuinely seeking resolution - their image would be one of a school of integrity that genuinely cares about the well being of their students. 

  There is a cost to schools that choose to ignore the bullying problem - and that is more High School drop outs, and a over-all lower academic success of that school. 

  But Schools ought to consider that they are the one's responsible for the type of society that we ultimately have. Because they teach those of us that make up society. 

  We can either have a society that is empathetic, understanding, compassionate and made up of effective communicators . Or a society only concerned about academic and financial success at the cost of others. 

If you live in the United States, and are feeling hopeless or helpless or know someone that is, please call; LIFELINE 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

  Darryl Learie