Hillary ClintonSecretary of State Hillary Clinton recently released a new public service announcement on the topic of bullying. In it, there are no flashy bells and whistles or clever gimmicks, rather she just delivers a simple and powerful message against bullying in a way few before have done so.

She talks about how important it is for a society to embrace all people. "Strong societies draw strength from the talents of women, people with disabilities, religious minorities, LGBT people and those of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds," she says. She talks about how everyone can contribute to building tolerance, and then -- just when you're starting to get a little bored with the same old message we've heard before -- she turns things up a notch and speaks directly  to the bullies.

She says:

And if you are bullying someone else—take a hard look at your actions and the pain you cause.  Whether it’s physical, emotional, or social— bullying is wrong.

I love that. It's so simple, but it's amazing how frequently our efforts against bullying fail to speak to the bullies. Other campaigns tell people who have been bullied that it gets better; we offer tips and techniques for remaining strong, but we typically fail to go straight for the source of the problem.
 
As Lindsay Cross as Mommyish points out, it's much like the approach we, unfortunately, take when it comes to sexual abuse.
 
... look at how closely our anti-bullying messages sound a lot like the response to sexual harassment. We tell people how to deal with it, instead of addressing the fact that it occurs at all. Secretary Clinton’s message puts the focus where it should be: on the people who choose to bully.
 
So way to go, Hillary. Hopefully, more people will be inspired by this kind of head-on attack and incorporate it into other anti-bullying efforts as well. Here's the entire PSA; see what you think:
 
 
Do you think we need to do a better job of going after bullies head on? What do you think of Hillary's PSA?
 
 
Image via YouTube