I stood by and let it happen

When I was a kid, around nine or ten years old, over forty years ago... I stood by while my friend was assaulted by a pack of rowdy morons after school. They pushed him and said nasty things. They shoved him into the shallow creek near our school, where he got ice-cold and muddy.

I stood there. I refused to shout back, to push back. I refused to come to his aid in the face of petty evil. Out of fear, out of unmitigated cowardice.

I shamefacedly told this to my young girls yesterday at dinner... The issue of 'schoolyard bullying' has been raised at our kids' school. The school wants them to tattle. I want them to know the shame of tacit complicity, to fear cowardice and dishonour more than "punishment."

Now today I am doubly ashamed.

Ranald Hay

Posted by Ran at April 17, 2007 07:29 AM