EDITORIAL: Bullying is not a productive way to influence change
Apr. 4—We've said in the past that anger can be a highly motivating force—but it must be channeled into productive action. Unfortunately, much of the anger over the news that Bartlett House lost its grant from the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness was not channeled into productive action. Instead, that anger was taken out on individuals who have no bearing on the grant process.
A disturbing number of people believed—despite repeated official statements saying otherwise—that the LGBTQ-friendly shelter Rainbow House somehow "stole " the grant money from Bartlett House. We will once again reiterate that Rainbow House had no influence over allocations from WVCEH. This year, Bartlett House didn't meet the WVCEH's standards, though it may have an opportunity to earn those dollars back.
But that misconception led to people in the community bullying members of the Rainbow House staff and board of directors. Those people should be ashamed of their behavior.
Repeatedly calling a Rainbow House board member for hours on end—then screaming obscenities and anti-LGBTQ slurs when they do pick up the phone—is not a productive way to influence change. This was the primary form of harassment against Brian Butcher, who was one of the founding members of Project Rainbow and Rainbow House and was a member of its board of directors until he resigned recently. Butcher said his resignation was in part a re-evaluation of his priorities, but the decision was also largely influenced by the anonymous terrorizing. Because in addition to the obscenities, people were making veiled threats against him and his family, saying they knew where he lived.
That kind of anonymous intimidation has proliferated since the advent of the internet, but its pervasiveness makes it no less unacceptable. When mature adults have a disagreement, they either sit down face-to-face and discuss it, or they communicate—civilly—in signed correspondence.
Telling a child to tell their mother she is a "b ----h " is out of line. That's what happened to one board member's kid. There is never a legitimate reason to involve someone's child in a disagreement you may have with their parent. Such behavior is immature and embodies the cowardly school-yard bullying tactics that any grown adult should have left far behind.
Harassing the Rainbow House's staff, board and clients does not fix the funding problem Bartlett House faces. If people are truly upset that the emergency shelter at Hazel's House of Hope might close, then their anger would be best channeled into writing to the WVCEH in support of Bartlett or reaching out to legislators, county commissioners and city councilors to ask for financial help to keep the shelter open.
But considering the immature bullying tactics that have been aimed at Rainbow House, its staff and clients, we highly suspect the harassment has less to do with supporting the Bartlett House or the unhoused community and more to do with hatred toward the LGBTQ + community and its allies in general. So to those who childishly badger the Rainbow House's staff and clients, let us remind you of some childhood wisdom: If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
