I agree with Amy and join her in wishing all of our wonderful posters a happy bullying month...

Anti

I'm with you Amy_D .

Champagne wishes and caviar dreams.

Sadly some of the worst bully's cry victim as we saw first hand today.

Very good.

Thanks for posting. I hope all get the chance to read. Fun Fodors should be the lounge logo!

garyt22 wins

A bit hypocritical of Fodor's as they employ under-educated and inexperienced children who censor the boards in capricious and mystrerious ways. Who knows what statement may offend the supercilious board erasers who perpetuate an atmosphere which emboldens the loudest complainers. But, of course, this campaign is limited to the posters.

Aduchamp... thank you for reminding everyone that the forum rules do not prohibit the bullying of our board moderators...

...but please consider simplifying your message... it's much too complicated for us simpletons... words like suck and unfair work much better... best always

Fodors without bullying? Sounds pretty darn amazing to me!

garyt22.

They haven't announced the bullying month yet.
Can we have ribbons?

Mark

Amy, my yellow triangle to report abuse does not work. It has been like that for days. There is advertising today on a website in United States that advertises budget hotels

Hi cd can you email me at forums@fodors.com? Please send any screen shots of errors your receiving and let me know what kind of computer and browser you're using and we'll look into this for you.

Whoops another one censored and that is because I used %^^*## signs. Can you imgaine if I used the actual words. And they erased a self-effacing joke. Very threatening.

I've noticed some posters who were bullied away by other posters are back now.

Then there are the posters who constantly complain about being bullied, all the while bullying everybody in their path.

Dayenu, and some of them are leaving again

Used to be, bullies just got deleted and we went on with a thread, now the rest of the posters leave and the bullies just chat amongst themselves.. effectively killing threads.

When someone has to post a reply to a thread 7 or 8 times in a negative way, that is being a bully as much as attacks etc.
They still get their job done- driving people away, ruining threads, spoiling things for the rest of Fodorland.

And there will always be those insecure sorts who consider facts and logic bullying.

Although some take this issue lightly, I would urge all of us to consider how important the issue of bullying is. Kids around the world have suffered, under pressure of bullies, and some took their own lives. I think, we, as adults, should heed Ann's advise (like most of us do) and consider and CONFRONT bullying in whatever form it presents. People can be scarred by bullying and the old chliche is not far from the truth...people may forget what you say or do but they won't forget how you make them feel. Be kind to one another. Kindness, at least in our country, the US, has been underrated. Many people find it not only OK, but 'cool' to be a jerk...Kindness, pass it on...

In my previous post I meant so type Amy (Amy_D). Instead I typed Ann. My apologies.

lucieV >>Then there are the posters who constantly complain about being bullied, all the while bullying everybody in their path.>>

She is gone for now.

Nice post yannis. Unfortunately, kids aren't the only ones bullied. Both here in Fodor's grammar school and in real life. Toddlers, Children, Teenagers, Young Adults, Women, Men, Lesbian, Gay, Black, White, Single, Married, Middleaged, Elderly

All represent instances of bullying and all deserve a voice.

>>And there will always be those insecure sorts who consider facts and logic bullying.>>

Hear Hear.

And those that don't like being shown they are hypocrites.

But other than them, I live and let live.

If October is Anti Bullying month, can bullying be done in the other 11 months?

Just curious?

the opposite of anti-bully month is Bull month...

there's plenty of bull here...

Thank you yannis and Looking_glass

A teacher was teaching her class about bullying and gave them the following exercise to perform.

She had the children take a piece of paper and told them to crumple it, stomp on it, and really mess it up but be careful not to rip it. Then she had them unfold the paper, smooth it out, and look at how scarred and dirty it was. She then told them to tell it they're sorry. Now even though they said they were sorry and tried to fix the paper she pointed out all the scars they left behind and that those scars will never go away no matter how hard they tried to fix it.

That is what happens when a child bullys another child, they may say they're sorry but the scars are there forever.

ronkala, with all due respect, that same exercise could be used to demonstrate the effects of a constructive relationship as well as a destructive relationship. I.e., if the kids were to hug the paper tightly, kiss it, etc., it would also have "scars" that never go away.

And as strongly as I feel about the topic, I am afraid that it's become the Trendy Concern du Jour, which results in somewhat superficial attention and simplistic advice. As far as I'm concerned, the jokers' comments on this thread are as valid as the non-jokers'.

were you ever bullied L:ucie?

Yes, ronkala, I was. Not by my peers, though.
I also taught middle school.

What's NOvember?

Some might argue that the 'dedication' of a day or a month for a certain cause, i.e. in this case the month of October, may not be a clear and suitable way of addressing the issue (as another poster indicated...are the rest 11 months of the year OK to bully?). But, one has to recognize the importance of an issue, and if we can raise awareness via ..say a day/month dedicated in x,y,x cause, then so be it. It does not of cource mean the rest of the year we go around doing stupid things. But, awareness is the key. And yes, bullying does not happen only to kids, it happens to adults too. It is so critical though to note that in kids, during their formative years, it imprints so well and leaves them scarred for life. As adults, we may (may is the operative term) be able to better deal with it, but kids many a times have no recourse, no support, and they have that d@mn guy by the name...peer who keeps insisting on messing with their heads...Bottom line is, be kind. Show kindness no matter what. As I posted before, kindness is underrated. The 'cool' image has been so well promoted that now it incompasses all kinds of attitudes and behaviors...mostly negative ones! and they keep resurfacing as ...great attitudes!!
Good posting all.
Remember,
kindness, pass it on.

Hi Amy:

I won't say I have been 'bullied' as I don't allow or acknowledge any of that, but I do find that there are a select few who can't resist responding unkindly to anything I post--something about my style, substance, topic, content, ..??? don't exactly know. Maybe too many folks with too much idle time..but I do enjoy coming here, sharing my travel thoughts, other subjects, etc., and hope that Foder's will be around a long time.

Meanwhile, my focus (as directed to me by DH) is to find a nice Autumn cruise...so I'm going there now.

I agree, they are quite unkind to justwishin, not sure why, some sort of snobbery I think. They will hijack a thread just ot badger her/him/it. I rarely look at who wrote what.

Every month should be ant-bullying
includig on this forum.

I agree with cigalechanta, it should not have to be a special month or day, Bullying should just not be allowed.
I feel terrible for justwishin after reading her most recent post and seeing all the responses.

I think that was my point, as well, when I mentioned "What's November?"...

In so many ways I disagree with all these "designated months". Don't get me wrong, I guess it brings special attention to some cause or another, but really, these "causes" should be ongoing. every day of the year.

I was never a "Hallmark" kind of girl. You shouldn't have to have a day, or a month, to believe in something that is right.

the bullying of justwishin and others is so transparent, yet they continue to try to twist it in their favour as if they were the righteous enlightened ones that know best

it's sad

Oh, please. She gives as good as she gets. Better sometimes. A victim she is not.

Lucie... that sounds like a bully response...

Oddly, I have witnessed hundreds of posts bullying justwishin. She's fine, she is thick skinned. However, I have never once seen her bully another fodor's member. Not once.

Other posters presume to step in-- puffing themselves up in self-righteousness-- and bully on behalf of Clara/Jusrwishin. Those are some of the ugliest, most bully-ing posts found here.

Speaking of bullying, I just 'bullied' the neighbors into giving me a drink, and now I'm fixing to 'bully' DH into taking me out to dinner. Bullied DD into paying the lunch tab and going to bully the dog, if he doesn't start acting right.....The Bully pulpit....!yeah

well dear heart aren't you the randy dandy one! I think you don't like youtubes, but my gang is in the kitchen and we are dancing the wooly bully on your behalf!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHF558u6Q_8

Getting ready for some old school weather, whether people believe it or knot, they should get the boats in dry dock.

"bullied" the waitress into bringing me more chicken for my salad, bullied DH into letting me run the conversation, 'bullied the folks at the table into realizing that I an the 'greatest' thing since sliced bread, and about to bullie everyone I know in cyber space....wooly bully....yeah.

Hmmmm. Well, at least you admit to it!

and you?

"bully bully in the grass
How to know he's not an ass,
And if I holler, will he let go
Me and podiatrist want to know?"

et tu brutus?


I guess this is where college kicks in...

zelphi: "but cesear was an honorable man"

Alas, Amy_D you had the best of intentions.

Well, Amy, at least you see here what the dynamic really is, and how the real bullies chase off anyone who does not agree with them, all in the name of anti-bullying. It is interesting, non?

What is interesting is that people do not realize or do not know that a preteen or a teenager who was bullied by his/her peers can still be stressed out by it sixty and seventy years later. There is no humor in bullying, bullies.

PeaceOut--I looked in the mirror today, and thought about people "puffing themselves up", as you put it above, and what to my wandering eyes should appear, but a "puffed up" face, much clouded, not clear. I think I done went and got an alergy..can you be allergic to Fodor's?

Anyway, gonna get out my recipe cards and look up the rinse you makde for 'acne', not food caused, but by 'environmental' factors. I think I remember now, you wash your face with 'essence of camber oil, then swallow three aspirin, washed down by 1/2 cup whisky'...works every time!! face is now clear as a bell, but funny, everything else in the room is swaying....dang!!!