Living with Age

It was a great day for a parade.

Our group, the Stop Bullying Coalition, has great people with resources and ideas. Here are the ideas and experiences reported by two women who have chosen different responses to bullying. Eileen presents an analysis of bullying across the life cycle; Marian tells how her gift of music protects her. Thank you for sharing!

The Stop Bullying Coalition started as an effort to gather support for a new legal framework to protect people living with age and/or disability. Many people are not even aware of the terrible impact of bullying in these groups.We have few resources, we are few but not yet connected to a broad constituency, so how can we win? I am reaching out to all of you to seek your ideas and collaboration. And I have been looking for examples of how leadership, organization, and strategy have achieved success. Others have gone from weakness to strength and to victory.

The federal sequester is a cruel weapon: a raw deal that is part of an effort to undo the heritage of the New Deal and the safety net. It is striking home and eliminating programs that are essential to the needs and rights of the elderly, the poor, children, and the disabled. Today I learned about the end of an excellent advocacy program for the disabled.

The front page story, by Rick Foster, is headlined: Bullying at any age: Experts say aggression by seniors against other seniors is a growing problem—and it's being felt in Attleboro Foster details specific instances of bullying in Attleboro senior housing.

If we create the right kind of personal identity, we can say things to the world around us that they don’t yet believe, and get them to do things that they don’t think they can do.---Bryan Stevenson, founder Equal Justice Initiative, speaking at TED

Great progress! Our petition and proposed bill has moved to the Joint Committee on Housing. We will need support from all concerned citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to move this through the legislative process. Write to us to share your experiences, write to your elected state representatives, and let us know if you are prepared to testify in support of the bill.

A birthday tribute to my two wonderful children, Elana and Ari. And to Canaan Dog Keren, who has been with me for nearly all of her 10 solar years. And in celebration of Tu B'Shvaat, the New Year/Birthday of the Trees.

You shall leave in joy and be led home secure. Before you, mount and hill shall shout aloud, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

A victory and a beginning. The STOP BULLYING COMMITTEE has introduced a bill to stop bullying to the Massachusetts Legislature. SD01635 A bill to protect residents of subsidized housing developments from bullying; bullying prevention policies and plans; research and demonstration programs.