Justice (Yarn)
This yarn can help to illustrate how easily we can be intimidated into becoming accessories to bullying - (you can read up about the Bystander effect
The subject is more serious and is probably more suited to more senior cubs and scouts.
Kicked out of class
Beginning of term. The teacher enters the class. He looks around.
"You there in the 8th row. Can you tell me your name?" he asks a student.
"My name is Sandra" says a voice.
The professor asks her, "Please leave my class. I don't want to see you in my class."
Everyone is quiet. The student is irritated, slowly packs her things and stands up.
"Faster please" she is asked.
She doesn't dare to say anything and leaves the lecture hall.
The professor keeps looking around. The class is scared.
"Why are there laws?" he asks the group.
All quiet. Everyone looks at the others.
"What are laws for?" he asks again.
"Social order" is heard from a row
A student says "To protect a person's personal rights."
Another says "So that you can rely on the state."
The professor is not satisfied.
"Justice" calls out a student.
The professor smiling. She has his attention.
"Thank you very much. Did I behave unfairly towards your classmate earlier?"
Everyone nods.
"Indeed I did. Why didn't anyone protest? ... Why didn't any of you try to stop me?
Why didn't you want to prevent this injustice?" he asks. ...Nobody answers.
"What you just learned you wouldn't have understood in 1,000 hours of lectures if you hadn't lived it. You didn't say anything just because you weren't affected yourself. This attitude speaks against you and against our society
You think if it doesn't concern you, it's none of your business.
We must instead be aware of injustice, because one day you too will experience injustice and we hope someone will stand-up for you. Justice lives through us all. We have to fight for it."
“We live in our community and we need to take ownership of that community. We need to be aware of the problems of others and we need to stand up for others. Injustice happens in business, in sports or even in scouting.
Hoping someone else will sort it out is not enough. It is our duty to be there for others. To speak up for others when they cannot.”
Lessons
- Unless we are aware - we are less likely to stand up in defence of others that are being bullied
- It takes courage to call out an injustice - be brave, sometimes just one voice is all that is needed to bring other bystanders to their senses.