News & Articles

From the bully pulpit

There’s been a lot of talk about bullying in school districts all along the South Shore and Bay Areas of Wisconsin. Maybe with our friends in Minnesota as well? Regardless, wherever it occurs such issues cannot be dismissed or ignored.
See, bullying is generally a sign that something deeper is going on. High levels of anxiety; depression; distractibility; an at-risk situation at home or within a bully’s personal life which may not yet be known but must be uncovered; and more. Any or all of these conditions can run together in the life of a young bully. They are miserable kids, or worse, and are making others miserable. Or worse.

That said? Adolescents, middle schoolers, and elementary age bullies can modify their boorish behavior. They can do better and by extension feel better. Here’s how: Adults – start acting like adults. Stop fostering pain by being abusive. Physically. Emotionally. Via obviously bigoted, racist actions, slurs, and the like (a quick search online will identify what any of these things look like). Instead? Be there for kids – particularly those who are suffering. Start in your own communities by calling out bullying on a playground. Or in church; in school; at the store; from adult to child; from sibling to sibling; from White to Brown, from whoever to whomever. If you’re an adult partial to bullying on the job or wherever else? Stop. Right now. Add an apology for prior transgressions. That’d be cool.

Bullying is really, really bad. It promotes a toxin within and without that if unresolved never goes away. It lingers amongst and upon all of us. But it can be modified. And it must. Why? Because the older the bully gets, the bigger the consequences become. Bad things typically and, eventually, do happen to bad people.

Bullies – you have a problem. Own it ... and get some help.
Contact NAMI Lake Superior South Shore for more information regarding their mental illness support groups and programs.
NAMI Lake Superior South Shore
Serving Ashland, Bayfield and Douglas Counties, 920-452-5152, namidouglascountywi@gmail.com, NAMILSSS.org.
Francis Sheehy
Iron River, Wisconsin

Not a mandate
President-elect Trump has not won a “powerful mandate” in this election. And he certainly did not win by a landslide. Out of 59 presidential elections, only 5 popular vote winners won by margins smaller than Trump’s. Regardless, though majorities rule in the U.S., minorities have rights in our constitutional republic. But that republic is in danger of an “autocratic breakthrough.” Trump is out to purge top military leaders and civil servants, and install loyalist bootlickers in their place. When politicians, the military and the civil service pledge allegiance to a man instead of the constitution, an autocratic breakthrough will have occurred, as has happened in Victor Orban’s Hungary. Some of the most deformed personalities imaginable will soon be wielding power without much in the way of checks and balances. Maybe enough Republican senators will remember how to stand on their hind legs, and attempt to defend our constitution from autocracy. Or maybe not. 
David A Sorensen
Duluth, Minnesota