DV in the Arts, part 9

This month's selection was difficult to choose. If you read the In the News post on bullying on this website, you'll have an idea where this is coming from. If you search "songs about bullying", there's a list of over 60 different titles from artists like Korn, Hunter Hayes, Katie Perry, Taylor Swift, Shinedown, Rage Against the Machine- it's a huge list.

My choice for this series this month was Morgan Frazier's "Hey Bully".

Here's a song that is aimed at exactly the demographics I think need to be addressed- pre-teens and teens who we all knew in school that had to be "that person" who thought they were "more" than anyone else and made a point to show everyone what they were.

She says: "Did someone hurt you, Make you feel small? You take it out on me, 'Cause it makes you feel tall, I bet you're scared and alone. If you looked in my eyes, you'd see Hey, Bully, you're a lot like me."

The song acknowledges the probability that there's a root cause for the Bully's behavior- violence at home, violence in peers, underlying mental disorders are all logical causes for behavior like this. When these behaviors go unchecked, they become the blueprint for future relationships. Bullying is not “practice” for relationships—it’s a warning sign. Healthy relationships don’t hurt, scare, or control.

It's critical that schools address this issue continually and encourage students to be brave and watch for and guide friends toward behavior that's not self-destructive to themselves or others.

Have a listen and tell us what you think. If you had this experience growing up, how did you get past it? Or are you still coping? Let us know in the comments.

Morgan Frazier - Hey Bully (Official Music Video) - YouTube