Not bullying isn’t just about refraining from cruelty. It’s about actively respecting others’ dignity, especially when we hold power—whether social, emotional, or physical. It means using our influence to include, support, and uplift rather than exclude or belittle. This virtue safeguards self-worth, fosters kindness, and makes our homes, schools, and communities safe places to grow.
A True Story: The Student Who Changed a School
In 2013, a Canadian high school student named Travis Price witnessed a younger boy being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. Instead of staying silent, Travis and a friend bought dozens of pink shirts and handed them out to classmates. The next day, nearly the whole school wore pink in solidarity. That one act of standing against bullying sparked a global movement—Pink Shirt Day—celebrated every year in over 25 countries. It reminded the world: kindness can be contagious, and silence enables cruelty.
Three Quotes from Books on Kindness and Anti-Bullying
In Wonder by R.J. Palacio (2012), a teacher tells the class:
When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.
~ R.J. Palacio
In The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander (2002), Barbara Coloroso wrote:
Bullying is not about anger. It’s about contempt—a powerful feeling of dislike toward someone considered to be worthless.
~ Barbara Coloroso
In Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (1999), the narrator reflects:
It’s easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button your lip, can it. All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say.
~ Laurie Halse Anderson
Five More Powerful Quotes on Not Bullying
At the 2009 National PTA Conference, Michelle Obama said:
Bullying is never okay. It’s not okay at school, it’s not okay in our workplaces, and it’s not okay in our homes. It’s a sign of weakness, not strength.
~ Michelle Obama
In a 2011 speech, Lady Gaga said:
I’ve been bullied, and I want kids to know that it’s okay to be different. It’s not your fault. You are beautiful just the way you are.
~ Lady Gaga
From This I Believe radio essay (2005), Bill Strickland shared:
When someone is isolated and humiliated, the cruelty doesn’t end when the words stop. It echoes in their heads for years. Don’t be the voice that haunts them.
~ Bill Strickland
In a 2016 interview, Ellen DeGeneres stated:
Be kind to one another. It’s the simplest thing we can do. It costs nothing and means everything.
~ Ellen DeGeneres
From an early 2000s lecture, Fred Rogers said:
What really matters is helping others feel less alone and more understood. That’s the opposite of bullying. That’s the beginning of love.
~ Fred Rogers
Life Lesson:
When we bully, we become the wound. When we choose not to—especially when it’s tempting or popular—we become the healing. Not bullying isn’t passive. It’s a daily decision to make people feel safe, seen, and strong. It protects fragile hearts and growing minds. We never forget the ones who made us feel small—but we also never forget the ones who stood up for us. Be one of those people. Be the reason someone believes they belong.
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