Could there be anything worse than the bully, who belittles, degrades, and impairs the victim’s self-esteem? Bullying not only includes the bully and the victim, but also the bystanders who watch the victimizations happen. The bystander, by doing nothing, automatically goes to the oppressor’s side. There is no in between, no neutrality. By not helping the victim, the bystander allows the bully free access to strike. If no one stops the oppressor, who will? Who can say that the bully won’t find another target once he or she is bored of their previous prey? And maybe the next victim will be you. The Holocaust during World War II was a great example of this phenomenon. America did not participate in the war efforts until it was directly involved after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The great country we know today as the United States of America was the bystander. We could have done something. We could have prevented the loss of six million Jews. We could have stopped German invasions of Europe earlier on.

This happens in everyday life believe it or not. When someone witnesses persecution and unjustified suffering and walks away saying they don’t want to get involved because it’s “none of their business,” they are making the same mistakes America has made decades ago. Why prevent it later, when you can prevent it now? Take a stand, and stop being a bystander.

“We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.”
-Elie Wiesel
Holocaust survivor & the author of the novel Night