Years ago I watched Scooby-Doo… Like Enid Blyton’s ‘Famous Five’… four children and a dog solve mysteries. The plot was always the same… a haunted house… some bad guy’s doing bad things – but who was it? The children split up, worked as a team… there was some crisis… Scooby-Doo and his friends solve the mystery.
With Scooby-Doo you always knew who were the good guys and who were the bad guys.
We went to the football on Saturday. (Come on you yellows!!) The good thing about football is that the crowd know who the good guys are (your team – and specific favourite players) and who the bad guys are (the opposition… sometimes the referee).
I went to Men’s Shed yesterday… ‘older’ gentlemen eating bacon rolls and drinking cups of tea… putting the world to rights… The Scottish National Party, the slave trade, Harry and Meghan, Jeremy Corbyn, estate agents, The British Empire…
The discussion was heated but good humoured. We couldn’t agree who are the good guys and who are the bad guys.
A local high school has been in the news. Children at East Point Academy have been demonstrating against rules which they say prevent them using toilets during lessons…
Are the bad guys students who abuse school toilets or school authorities who make apparently draconian rules? Are the good guys well-behaved children who deserve to be treated with respect, or teachers trying to maintain an orderly school?
It’s not so straightforward.
Dividing people into ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’ may be convenient, but it’s not always helpful. Emma Ineson describes the ‘call to break the pattern of ongoing enmity and to choose to relate in a respectful way with those who are our enemies, despite our differences…’
Musing… Jesus’ words: ‘You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…’ Good guys and bad guys? Jesus points to another way.
malcolmsmusings.org 
As a former teacher, I appreciate that you did not paint the instructors as villains! Managing bathroom use was the bane of my existence as a teacher!
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Thanks Stacey. My 36 years teaching would tell a similar story. I know that these stories are never as straightforward as either the press or the parents would have you believe – but equally, although most teachers are good people doing a good job, they aren’t perfect
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