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Does 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer' Promote Bullying?

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Does a Christmas classic send the wrong message?

A Long Island University professor says "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" promotes bullying.

There's even a book about it called "No More Bullies on the North Pole."

Dr. Paul Friday, head of Shadyside Psychological Services, has heard the conclusions of Long Island University Professor George Giuliani's that the 1964 film about Rudolph's tribulations amounts to classic bullying.

Millions of viewers have reviewed the evidence. So, was Rudolph bullied?

"What they do to him is bullying especially what they're teaching the kids now as big as it is in the schools, but yes, he was definitely bullied," Audra Bamford said.

"We just watched it the other night and I was telling my kids that's not how we treat our friends," Ronette Hillenbrand added.

"No I don't think he's being bullied," Dr. Friday said. "I think the problem lies with Santa. He's just not hugging this poor defenseless thing."

Professor Giuliani says the message that Rudolph's uniqueness must have a useful purpose for Rudolph to be accepted is the wrong message for our children.

"I think our society perhaps has really gone one couch too far," Dr. Friday said. "I think the idea that you can take something as innocent and as nice as 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer' and pull some kind of psychological or sociological pathology and place it on there – I think this guy has too much time on his hands."

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