Hello,
I do a regular post (you can read it here) to help red headed kids who contact Gingerfightback about being bullied. The advice aims to help kids understand that they are not alone and the importance of talking to someone about what they are experiencing.
A friend informed me about an article that has appeared in the Press - “National Kick A Ginger Day”. The article can be read here. Basically, Ginger kids in a Yorkshire school were set upon by other pupils.
This story got me thinking.
When I was at school I was teased (or bullied – call it what you will) for having the glory that is ginger hair. As this was a few years ago, my response was usually a flailing right hook or a kick in the knackers to the perpetrator.
“Standing Up” to bullies is often the advice that you hear today.
However, when every ginger kid in a school is targeted by other pupils, the idea of standing up for yourself becomes tricky. The impact of a group dynamic and a systemic approach to abuse is not only macabre but also sinister. When the accelerants of Twitter, Facebook etc are added to this mix, the methods behind “National Kick A Ginger Day” will soon become custom and practice. Violence will accompany verbal abuse.
I worry that in the weeks, months and years to come we will hear how this concoction of physical and cyber bullying will lead to serious injury to an innocent kid who happens to be Ginger – but it is OK – it was only done “for a laugh” and “no harm was meant.”
If kids were singled out and attacked because they were Jewish or Muslim or Catholic or Pakistani or Bengali, we would be talking hate crime. If this took place in a school (presumably the Nick Griffin Free School – lavishly funded by that gleaming turd Michael Gove) – all hell would break loose and well-meaning intellectual fops would be decrying the death of childhood in modern-day Britain.
But it is happening and I fear the cat is out of the bag. Like a modern-day cyber version of Lord Of The Flies. Jolly japes that will be constantly ratcheted up.
So, as I would probably pull a hamstring trying to kick these perpetrators and their parents in the knackers I have;
- Written to the school asking them to outline what punishment has been handed out to the kids involved and what steps they are taking to prevent this recurring.
- Asked Facebook to close down “Kick A Ginger Day” pages and sites.
If you can spare the time to contact Facebook about this issue – I would be very grateful. Ironically Facebook has nominated October as bullying prevention month!
It is only a hair colour after all.
Cheers
And remember – BETTER A REDHEAD THAN A DEADHEAD!