Stand up to Bullies

I read an article this week that both angered and disgusted me.  Mary Beard, OBE and Professor of Classics at Cambridge University suffered unbelievable and unacceptable cyber bullying after appearing on Question Time, a BBC topical debating program.  Apparently the cyber bullies disagreed with her view on immigration, that's fine - that is what debate is all about.  However... their bullying took the form of an attack on her person.  They didn't like how she looked and went to extremes with their insults.  They called her ignorant (yes, a Professor at Cambridge) and "a vile, spiteful excuse for a woman who eats too much cabbage and has cheese straws for teeth" - how grown up is that?  Instead of ignoring these infantile tormentors, Ms Beard fought back and publicly spoke of the bullying.

How I turned the tables on my trolls: Mary Beard suffered vile online abuse about her looks after appearing Question Time

How shallow has society become when some grey hair and a make-up-free face result in such ignorant base behaviour.  How sad are these people's lives that they seek happiness from being nasty and malicious.  Bullies online hide behind anonymity and offline behind fawning sycophants, I admire Ms Beard for showing leadership in standing up to them in her little part of the world.

Bullies must be stopped.  Legislation is unlikely to help but I vote for public shaming.  If they cannot hide behind anonymity then just maybe they will stop.

If you are bullied, remember bullies are weak and typically suffer an inferiority complex.  This is why they need to be anonymous or surrounded by worshipers.  They hide their own failings behind nastiness and it is OK to stand up to them, but yes it is hard although ultimately, the only way to stop them.  Showing weakness feeds them.

As to the debate, it is exactly that - opposing sets of views being discussed - it is what intelligent people do.  We don't have to agree with her but it is wrong to try and stop her expressing her opinion, especially when it is based upon extensive research.