Bully - 4 smiles

You have to wonder why “Hunger Games,” a movie about children killing children (and a movie I really liked) received a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America while “Bully,” a documentary, received an R because of the use of profanity. This clearly illustrates that the MPAA’s system is too rigid and out of touch and loses sight of the bigger picture that “Bully” is attempting to address. Ask any child about profanity and he or she will tell you that it’s heard at school, on the playground, in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, profanity is a part of the real world whether we like it or not and using the number of times the F word is used to create a rating for “Bully” will prevent a large number of people, including teens/preteens, from seeing it. “Bully” is certainly difficult to watch. It shows real kids in real situations trying to cope with others that pick on them and hurt them, both physically and emotionally.

Director Lee Hirsch’s documentary presents five interwoven stories. The main story, which takes place in Sioux City, Iowa, focuses on 12-year-old Alex Libby, whose appearance is that of a typical ‘geek.’ He’s a timid loner whose biggest problems occur on the bus trips to and from school. He has become so accustomed to the bullying that he says, ‘It’s not that bad.’ His parents make repeated attempts to force the school to take action, but the vice principal is shockingly out of touch with the situation, believing that bullying can be fixed by getting the victim and the perpetrator to shake hands. Another story involves Kelby Johnson, a 16-year-old lesbian in Tuttle, Oklahoma, who has become an outcast since coming out. In a town where the Bible is of utmost importance, she has become the object of taunts and silent hostility. Ja’Meya Jackson, a 14 year old living in Yazoo County, Mississippi, has been bullied for so long that she finally brandishes a loaded handgun on a school bus to scare her bullies.

The other two stories involve the families of boys who killed themselves as a result of bullying. In October 2009, 17-year-old Tyler long hung himself in his bedroom. Following his death, his parents, Tina and David vowed to make speaking out against bullying their crusade. Not long after Tyler’s death, 11-year-old Ty Smalley of Oklahoma committed suicide and his parents, Laura and Kirk started an on-line anti-bullying organization. As this film shows, bullying is commonplace and the results are painful and sometimes deadly. However, bullies rarely recognize that they are part of the problem and it’s too easy for adults to say that it’s just kids being kids. The movie also illustrates the lack of understanding often exhibited by school officials and their willingness to coddle bullies rather than provide tangible consequences for a bully's actions. “Bully” provides an opportunity to gain a little first-person experience, provide opportunities for discussion and, perhaps, ways to solve a pervasive problem. For additional information, go to http://thebullyproject.com or see Featured Links below, right. 3/30/12