Overcoming Bullying

By: Uthman Guadalupe

I am a Latino Muslim, which is still an anomaly here Eventually, I got tired of it and told them to stop. At in the U.S. My peers could not make fun of my that time, they stopped calling me names. However, religion, because they were also Muslims, so they the next day, they started again. These incidents targeted my background instead. Ever since I was in remind me of the quote: “Why try to do right if school, all the kids called me Mexican and asked people will always look at me and assume wrong?” me if I had my visa, and many other racist com- When I tried to tell them to stop, they made even ments like that. I used to be called names for other more fun of me.They even called me a wimp, but in things such as the clothes that I wore and the food I my mind, I knew that I could defeat them if I chose. ate because I was Latino. I was always the class They even went as far as verbally insulting my target of name-calling. family. I firmly told them to stop again. They One day I wore a sweatshirt from Jiu-Jitsu school. insulting me. The sweatshirt had a slogan on it: “No egos; stay humble,” which to me meant that we should never I tried to take matters into my own hands,I made a be arrogant. Ironically, that became the next object drawing of me beating him up. My friend posted a of ridicule. My classmates used to say the slogan picture of it on social media. We both got in trouble. with a Japanese accent and make fun of Jiu-Jitsu as a martial art. They said that “No egos; stay humble” From that experience, I learned a valuable lesson: had become a meme now that I wore it. Despite when somebody does something bad to you, do not that, I still wore the sweatshirt with pride. try to seek vengeance by doing something similar. Eventually, I got tired of it and told them to stop. At right.” Try to solve the problem without a fight. It is that time, they stopped calling me names. However, also a good idea to have your parents involved. the next day, they started again. These incidents stopped insulting my parents, but continued Like the saying goes, “Two wrongs do not make a remind me of the quote: “Why try to do right if After a while, the bullying ended because the boy people will always look at me and assume wrong?” who bullied me the most got a very bad haircut. His When I tried to tell them to stop, they made even head was completely shaved. He knew it would be more fun of me.They even called me a wimp, but in easy for my friends and I to get a comeback by my mind, I knew that I could defeat them if I chose. making fun of him. This was divine justice! HowevThey even went as far as verbally insulting my er, I would not mock him because I never want to family. I firmly told them to stop again. While they stoop to the same level as a bully again. Sometimes stopped insulting my parents, they continued when we ridicule people, we end up in a bad insulting me. situation as a punishment for our bad actions. 6