(click on picture for movie trailer)
The Motion Picture Association of America has caused controversy by giving the movie Bully an R rating. Protests and petitions have begun because the rating does not allow anyone under the age of 17 to see the movie without parental accompaniement. Many teens and “tweens” are upset about this, but I think they do no fully understand that the benefits just might outweigh the drawbacks. Repeated in the protests and coverage is that the movie will now be missed by the people who most need to see this movie, but that’s where they are wrong.
Let’s pretend Joe is a bully, 15-years old. Neither Joe nor any other bully will be lining up to see this movie. Joe does not think bullying is wrong. Even if Joe did manage to see the movie, does anyone really expect him to come out of the theater thinking, “Oh, no! I’ve been wrong all this time! I need to change my ways!” No. That’s not happening.
The R rating will make it so that parents will have to go with their kids to see this movie. BINGO! That’s the idea. That’s what needs to happen in order for this movie to have the greatest effect. Bullies are not born. They are raised – by ignorant parents. Bullies are created when parents do not teach kids the right way to interact, respect, and socialize with others. Parent are the ones who need to see this movie so they can learn what they have been doing wrong. Parents need to see this movie so they can learn what is happening to their own kids and what they can do to help.
Don’t preach to the choir. Make it so that parents will have to see the movie. Make it so kids will bug their parents to take them. That is how this movie will have its greatest success.
brainsnorts inc. 
Good point about parents going with the kids!
thanks sir
sometimes there are people who just want to protest because there is the need to jump on the bandwagon, Awesome post!
thanks. kind of you.
I understand your point, but I don’t agree that this will get parents to come to the movie with their kids. I do think the rating will hinder the movie’s effectiveness. Kids, parents, teachers, administration, politicians and law enforcement ALL need to see this movie, not just kids and parents. Many have contributed to the atmosphere that kids are learning from nowadays, and we all need to pitch in to help. My son was bullied terribly until we pulled him from the school. One of the things that really hit home for me in just watching the preview was how clueless the administrator was when the parent was confronting her, and how it sounded almost exactly like an administrator from my son’s former school. Kids who are bullies often grow up to be adults who end up in trouble because of their behavior. The cycle of violence needs to be stopped.
i know what you mean. i’ve seen many school bullying situations in which i was helpless and couldn’t get involved because it was in another teacher’s classroom, and it wasn’t my place to do what that teacher should have done. it’s sad.
Very nice post. I just saw this story tonight on the entertainment news and was thinking about blogging it myself.
Encouraging parents to see this with their kids is a *fantastic* idea. But the R rating is not the way to do it, in my opinion.
An R rating will keep kids away. They aren’t going to say “mom, please see this with me, it’s the story of my life!” They won’t just openly admit an insecurity like that.
Parents *should* see this, and should bring their kids. But the kids won’t be the initiators by inviting their parents out with them. And, since most parents probably won’t take the initiative, either, we should let the kids see it on their own. Then, maybe, they’ll tell their parents about it and start the discussion that way.
Or the kids can just sneak in.
kids already know this. parents don’t. and parents don’t know that their kids are suffering unless they see the movie and know just how bad it can be.