Le Roy youth arrested for allegedly attempting to buy an unlicensed gun

It is scary , but yet the problem keeps getting worse and more frequent along with being close to home . Along with hugging your kids , lets continue to teach our children to not bully and to not to alienate others . I know this won't solve the problem , but it can't hurt .

Very well said both of you. Great idea, Thomas. I know the school district has been working on putting an anti-bully policy/education...into place, but it's been a long process. Talking to our kids about it absolutely can't hurt and can only help b/c so many times bullying ends in a very violent act that no one really wants to happen, even the bullies.

I love how every time the possibility/result of a school shooting is brought up in conversation, bullying becomes the next topic. To be honest, that's like blaming the drug dealer when the dope fiend robs the bank. .......not that I'm condoning bullying or narcotic sales......

You're absolutely right, Ken and Chelsea, it could have been something "innocent", but it seems to me that if the gun were being purchased for plinking at cans or targets or just to own one, then the parents would have purchased it. I am not in anyway vilifying the person who tried to buy it, what I am saying is that there could have been any number of reasons that are not so innocent as to why it was being purchased and that we should be concerned. Being concerned is healthy; asking questions is healthy. There are examples daily of youth being violent towards themselves and/or others, so there is nothing wrong with being cautious or concerned. I'm sure it's the social worker in me that raises such concerns and it really is out of concern for others, the "purchaser" included, that I raise them. Yes, people do need to learn to deal with adversity as life is not a bowl of cherries; however, if we minimize the negative effect that the kind of bullying that drives people to violence towards themselves or others then we are not being realistic and honest. Also, there really isn't anything wrong with just being nice and tolerant of each other, including people who make bad choices; at least in my opinion.

Posted by Chelsea Dobson on November 5, 2009 - 9:02pm Not to minimize the situation, but bullying happens at all stages of life. Dealing with it at school and learning to cope cane become an important mechanism as the person grows older. Teaching the tools and skills to deal with stressful situations as well as negative situations and relationships is more important than saying "bullies are bad". Well said. There are adult bullies who, apparently, never received the training or skills to learn to cope with situtions that trigger that behavior. Yes, it would be nice to always turn the other cheek and allow that behavior to continue because one shouldn't say, "bullies are bad" but turning the other cheek only encourages the bully to continue the behavior with no willingness to correct it. Teaching our children how to cope with peers who display this behavior is difficult enough. Teaching ourselves how to have compassion for adults, who walk through life as a bully, is even more difficult.

Good point, Bea.

Thanks, Howard. That's a great idea. I'm really looking forward to learning more as we are able to.