These tributes from the art and music world should serve as notice to the schools that don’t protect children as well as to the would-be bullies on the playgrounds. Taking a stand is a far more acceptable thing nowadays
By Ellen Eldridge
I can personally attest to the power behind Marilyn Manson’s take on bullying with “Lunchbox,” but the idea of fighting back with a strong voice instead of hurtful fists (or lunchboxes) is making a comeback in both art and music.
In March, Shinedown’s 2012 release, Amaryllis, featured the single “Bully,” and on July 17 Saving Abel will release its first eOne album, Bringing Down the Giant.
Shot in the band’s hometown of Corinth, MS, this is a unique example of total community participation, both the town and band came together to make this video. They stood together to make a statement against the bullying epidemic in America and hope the video serves as a call for others to do the same.
Fans can watch the video for “Bringing Down the Giant” now:
And in its own right, the art and literature world dances within the thematic circle with the release of Cyan Jenkins’ illustrated story “Small Voices,” a tale about a bullied boy who uses his sister’s karaoke microphone to amp his voice and make a stand for himself.
These tributes from the art and music world should serve as notice to the schools that don’t protect children as well as to the would-be bullies on the playgrounds. Taking a stand is a far more acceptable thing nowadays than when many of our idols were kids. Maybe Marilyn Manson paved a solid concrete path for artists to follow in making their voices heard, but acts like the Columbine shooting and kids destroying themselves over Facebook posts are fast becoming a thing of the past with so many examples in the entertainment world for today’s kids to take hold of.
Download and read “Small Voices” for yourself or to your kids – even young kids will enjoy this work – for less than $5 dollars. Heck, use that lunch money you won’t have to give up to the bully!
Click HERE to listen to Shinedown’s “Bully” and pre-order a copy of Saving Abel’s Bringing Down the Giant.
