Bullies? What to Do?

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It's sadly common to read about some young person who has committed suicide as a result of being constantly bullied. The problem is deep within our culture and we need to attack it on several levels. Here are some of my ideas: 1. Severe consequences for those who bully. Many times bullies do so because they know not much will happen to them if they are caught. 2. Encouraging good moral values, such as kindness, helpfulness, and community. People are so disconnected that others seem more like objects than people. 3. Strengthen those who may be vulnerable to bullying. This doesn't necessarily mean teaching them how to fight, though that can be part of it. More important is that the potential victim feels that they are part of a community that cares about them. People who commit suicide usually do so because they feel isolated and hopeless. 4. Teach children to value all human lives, theirs and others'. When everyone is valued, then bullying and targets disappear. None of these actions described above are easy. As humans, we can succumb to our base desires to be better than others. That makes it easy for someone to become a bully. If people don't build up the weaker members of a community, they become targets. I hope that we can do our part, however small, to eliminate bullying.