If I ever wondered why I made myself "come out", let those friends who are closest to me know the truth, I don't regret it now.
4 comments:
J
said...
Is there any reason why these kids should come out? The way gays are treated is probably the best argument for them to hide in their closets until they are adults. I've always had a huge admiration for those who come out and are so big and aggressive that they can wipe the carpet with any twit who tries to bully or belittle them. Another kind of hero is the big, aggressive straight guy who doesn't like to see anyone bullied. I've got a friend like that who's 6'5", with very cold eyes, and who is very dangerous if you get him angry. He once told me that he frequently ran interference for classmates in high school who were being picked on, and all it took was one intervention for the crap to stop. Unfortunately, not everyone is big and aggressive, or has a bodyguard. Every time I think about Matthew Shepard I wish I'd have been there at that fence with a baseball bat. There'd probably have been some broken bones or redneck brain matter left on the sagebrush before the night was out. And if you're wondering if such conduct is excusable in law, it is; it's known as the defense of duress, which is closely related to the doctrine of self-defense.
There will always be bullies in this world. But as long as we ignore it in our schools, it impacts these kids in some shape or form. Most educators don't want to deal with this. They have enough to deal with as it is. They see it as just another thing for them to have to do in their job. This is wrong of course but this attitude is systemic in our culture. Solution? We need people in authority who have the 'balls' to stand up and make people 'pay' for their actions upon others......not matter what the consequences for themselves. Jim
4 comments:
Is there any reason why these kids should come out? The way gays are treated is probably the best argument for them to hide in their closets until they are adults.
I've always had a huge admiration for those who come out and are so big and aggressive that they can wipe the carpet with any twit who tries to bully or belittle them. Another kind of hero is the big, aggressive straight guy who doesn't like to see anyone bullied. I've got a friend like that who's 6'5", with very cold eyes, and who is very dangerous if you get him angry. He once told me that he frequently ran interference for classmates in high school who were being picked on, and all it took was one intervention for the crap to stop. Unfortunately, not everyone is big and aggressive, or has a bodyguard. Every time I think about Matthew Shepard I wish I'd have been there at that fence with a baseball bat. There'd probably have been some broken bones or redneck brain matter left on the sagebrush before the night was out. And if you're wondering if such conduct is excusable in law, it is; it's known as the defense of duress, which is closely related to the doctrine of self-defense.
I'm glad to see prominent personalities like Ellen speaking up.
But it's a shame it takes the death of innocents to focus public attention.
There will always be bullies in this world. But as long as we ignore it in our schools, it impacts these kids in some shape or form. Most educators don't want to deal with this. They have enough to deal with as it is. They see it as just another thing for them to have to do in their job. This is wrong of course but this attitude is systemic in our culture. Solution? We need people in authority who have the 'balls' to stand up and make people 'pay' for their actions upon others......not matter what the consequences for themselves.
Jim
Shopping list:
Coffee
Milk
Bread
Cheese
Steak
Chicken
Baseball bat
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