Take a Stand Against Cyber Bullying

To start I'd like to applaud Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the other technology forums in their initial efforts to combat bullying. They acknowledged that the problem exists and has evolved to a new level in the cyber communities. Facebook has taken the approach to establish a HUB where their users can specifically report bullying. Twitter and Instagram have taken a less direct approach to have them reported as abusive users.

Yet I believe that it is possible for the companies to take a proactive approach to dealing with bullying. The software exists when red flags can be raised if certain words are used. Rather than rely on the victim to muster the courage to report their attackers protocols should be in place for the sites to contact the victim and attackers if certain keywords are used. There would be some who believe this would squash freedom of expression but direct, premeditated attacks should not be included under that heading. 

These technology forums have been used as a tool to advance a growing culture of hate. The flawed philosophy of sticks, stones and words has been around for years. The right words can cut deep. A single individual is capable of inflicting much psychological damage and that is increased exponentially when there are multiple attackers piling on as a pack.

That is the mentality that has developed in cyber space where people feel they have the right to attack any one for whatever reason. Even celebrities are not immune to such attacks. Jimmy Kimmel highlights this situation for comedic purposes with his Mean Tweets segments. Yet that raises the question as to why someone would follow someone on Twitter or join their Facebook page just to say venomous things.

A recent story in the news revolved about several people launching a campaign of hate against someone who shared the same name as their intended target. Rachel Canning was the recipient of the attacks and she was able to spin the situation to raise awareness and funds for autism. She also made the effort to personally scold some of the attackers for their actions against someone they did not know from the safety behind their computer. One hero that has risen above the situation and created something positive.

The idea of wearing the white hat or black hat has been around for years. There is no denying that those that embrace the bully culture have chosen to wear the metaphorical black hat. It really is a situation of black and white. The difference between right and wrong. A problem that must be dealt with wherever it arises.

-population-we™ blog post by John Bohan

© 2014 population-we, LLC 
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Thanks for Loving Us!

Love and family is what makes us who we are. Many of our loyal readers know this blog is a family affair. If you’re new to population-we™, welcome! With Valentine’s Day this week I wanted to share what readers around the world can agree on – you love population-we™ too! We have the Google Analytics to prove it. We’re all in the same boat, population-we™ readers, and our goal is to provide a constant stream of Think We Before Me articles, which our dedicated contributors have done for three Valentines. So, for our population-we™ readers this Valentine’s Day, we will share the top 10 most popular read posts ever.

         We ♥ population-we™!

No. 1:  Teacher Appreciation Week pop-we Post in Honor of Sister Anthony
Worldwide this week May 2-6 is Teacher Appreciation Week. In honor of teachers past and present population-we™ dedicates this week's post to Marian High School teacher Sister Anthony. Read more.

No. 2:  Williamsburg Walk the Talk Lends a Helping Hand for Those Starting Over
Rev. Harry Warren is chair over a mentoring program that helps ex-offenders transitioning back into society when they are released from the Peninsula Regional Jail in Williamsburg, Va. As there is no public bus service on that section of Route 143, a person without friends or family to provide a ride would have to make a long trek of three miles to the nearest bus stop. Read more.

No. 3:  Applying the Scriptures Can Help When There is Bullying at School, Home, Work or in Cyberspace
How we respond to or treat a bully may determine whether bullying behavior ceases or escalates. I learned this insight and have had my understanding of bullying enlarged as I have been taking an online course by Israel “Izzy” Kalman called, Bullying: The Golden Rule Solution. What I liked about the course is that it seemed to care about both the victim and the perpetrator of bullying. Kalman is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and Director of Bullies to Buddies, Inc. Read more.

No. 4:  [Earth Day Edition] Arbor Day Brings Back Doggy Memories
This Friday, April 27, the U.S. will celebrate Arbor Day, a day set a side to remind Americans how important it is to plant trees. Growing up hearing of stories of the 1930s Dust Storms, trees have a different connotation for our family. However, when it comes to Arbor Day it might come as a surprise that it also brings back memories of a dog companion that my husband and I knew once. Read more.

No. 5:  2011 Flood Brings About Stories of American Glory This July 4
What could be more American than helping your neighbor? population-we™ readers have seen Omaha, NE on the center stage due to the recent flooding highlighted during coverage of the 2011 College World Series and other national media outlets. Most of the population-we™ staffers live in Omaha and the surrounding areas. We personally have not been affected but have friends and coworkers who are dealing with this devastation. Read more.

No. 6:  Join Project Pink'd Aug. 25 for its 2nd Annual ‘Exposed: Real Women for A Real Cause - Take Two’
Pink has a different connotation these days. Today it tells a survivor's story. Those who are adorned in its vibrant color wear it as a badge of honor in the fight against breast cancer. An Omaha-based nonprofit has embraced this new found sisterhood attitude. Introducing -- Project Pink'd -- started by founder and breast cancer survivor Cynthia Sturgeon. Read more.

No. 7:  1887-2012: Benson Nebraska Celebrates 125 Years
My family does not wait for “Small Business Saturday” to roll around to patronize small local businesses. The Benson Business District is located just blocks from our house, but unlike strip malls or developments in suburban areas, the business district and the Benson Community have 125 years of history. With the celebrations in 2012, there will be even more community activities and entertainment close to home.  Read more.

No. 8:  pop-we Highlights 2012 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha
The 2012 College World Series (CWS) will be played in Omaha, NE at TD Ameritrade Park from June 15 thru June 25 or 26 if necessary. There are several story lines to follow. Can top seed Florida live up to its seeding? Can Stony Brook or Kent State continue their Cinderella runs? Will South Carolina be able to three-peat? Read more.

No. 9:  CHANCE: Changing How Adults Nurture Children’s Egos in Domestic Violence
Do you believe that people can change for the better? Christina Dalpiaz does. Working in a high burnout field, it is her belief that people can change that continues to motivate her. She said, “People change when they are given new tools that work. I watch transformation every single day. That's what makes this job so great. People often say that my line of work has to be hard but I say it is great as I see them make their lives better for the sake of their children. One father told me that he was abusing his family after a one-day class, said he didn't want to do that anymore and entered into therapy with me. When all you have is a hammer the world looks like a nail. Give them more tools. They'll use them.” Read more.

No. 10:  pop-we Contributor Reviews Dr. Deborah Serani's Book on Living with Depression 
Dr. Deborah Serani studies her opponent with as much tenacity as an FBI profiler, a prosecuting attorney, or a defensive coordinator in football. Her opponent is depression. Depression is a liar and robber. She knows that you can’t just snap your fingers and it will go away. But one need not worry because she knows its triggers and how to survive its attacks. In her book Living with Depression Why Biology and Biography Matter Along the Path to Hope and Healing, her passion for learning all she can about depression in order to learn how to overcome -- it is infectious. Read more.

Thank you so much for being our valued readers and always remember the virtual population-we™ welcome mat is out for you. This Valentine’s Day -- thanks for loving population-we™ and being our Valentine!

-population-we™ blog post by Becky Bohan Brown
© 2013 population-we, LLC 
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