With all that is going on in the world, the following four words united an otherwise divided nation this weekend: “Why do they bully?”
When Kimberly Jones of Knoxville, Tennessee picked up her son, Keaton Jones, from school last week, he asked her to record a video of him in the car.
“Why do they bully? What’s the point of it? Why do you find joy in taking innocent people and finding a way to be mean to them?” he asked as tears drizzled down his cheeks. As it turned out, Keaton, a sixth grader at Horace Maynard Middle School, was heading home early in fear of having lunch at school. He described schoolmates having poured milk on him and stuffed ham down his clothes at lunch. He added, “People that are different don’t need to be criticized about it. It’s not their fault.”
Bullying continues to be a pressing issue in an era where even the president uses the condescending act as fuel in his brazen social media attacks against rivals. Elsewhere, the act has produced some of the most heartbreaking headlines this year. Earlier this month, 10-year-old Colorado fifth-grader Ashawnty Davis took her life after being a victim of bullying at school. Her family has since In May, parents of an 8-year-old Ohio boy, Gabriel Taye, sued his school district for his wrongful death after the third grader died by suicide on January 26 two days after he was assaulted by classmates and left unconscious on a restroom floor.
All of that said, Keaton’s video brought the world face-to-face with the severity of its effects.
Since the video was posted to Facebook on Sunday, it has since amassed over 36 million views, garnering attention from the public, including many celebrities, all of whom were all quick to stand aligned with Keaton and slam bullying.
But the narrative quickly changed on Monday (December 11), after internet detectives uncovered Keaton’s mother’s Facebook page. In the internet age, where everything in the dark comes to light, just about everything posted on the web can and will be used against you. This notion came clear when previous posts by Kimberly Jones surfaced, including photos of her with the confederate flag. Among the posts in question was one that featured her slamming black protesters, which can be read below.
The irony behind Jones’ views is that the very people she slammed is who showered her family with love and support following Keaton’s video. While karma is obviously the first thing that comes to mind in this story, the larger point here is that no matter the color, creed, or belief — love knows no bounds. The compassion by the athletes, musicians, and celebrities altogether not only quashes Jones’ views, but also provides a colorful note on the power of humanity.
According to a since deleted Instagram post, it appeared that Jones’ son Keaton posted an apology on behalf of his mother.