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[DesertRat]

Bullying behavior always has the same genetic makeup - speaking physically and metaphorically.  Bullies are born to bullies, raised in bullying environments, and the phenomena perpetuates itself via nature and nurture.  The notion that a school system, whether public or private, can mitigate the behavior is ludicrous.  Notwithstanding the fact that teachers tend to be the type of people that seek reasoned responses first, teachers simply don't have the relational basis with students to modify hostile behavior.  What no one wants to admit is that a victim of bullying only has two recourses - to put distance between themselves and the antagonist - a near impossibility in most school systems - or violent physical response.  The violence doesn't have to extend to using deadly weapons, but when we teach people to be victims by telling them not to fight back and penalizing them if they defend themselves we create little kegs of dynamite that will keep trying to be peaceful until the stress of it causes them to snap and they do themselves or others in. 

My dad taught me from early childhood that to exist in society one must learn how to take a punch without crumbling, and by the same token to learn that most fistfights end after the first punch, and the winner is the one who lands that first punch.  That's how I survived having to move to nine different schools in five cities in four states before I got to high school.  In each new school someone inevitably felt the need to take the measure of me, because I was always the short, skinny, new guy.  The pattern was consistent - somebody'd push me around, I'd pop them in the eye, and usually after that we became friends, some of them are still friends to this day, over 40 years later.  My sons, who will attend only three schools to finish high school, have not often had to implement those measures - only once so far - but I taught it to them.   At the same time I taught them to come to the defense of others when needed, which requires the same skillset of knowing how to take and deliver a punch.  Like Jon Meis last week here in Seattle (look him up if you haven't heard the name).  But all but a few of my son's teachers are horrified to learn I teach my sons such a barbarian world view. Call me Infidel.

Okay, sorry to jump on the soapbox, but y'all hit close to home for me.

Sheesh, Bret. Write a paper on it why don't ya. jk Good points, and good afternoon.

Pretty sure that's just from a movie.

When Harry Met Sally, right?

Ha!

[Travellin Dave]

Yea, and you probably drink and smoke in front of them as well...scarred for life, they don't stand a chance...seek counseling now.

Yeah, I'm a real hardass.  I let them shoot my guns, and have swordfights with real swords.  And I make them endure cold, wet weekends on mountain trails and sailboats, and do chores, and earn their own money.  And if their grades drop below A's and B's they have to endure long, loud lectures from me and do physical labor.  And if they sass their mama they get a quick demonstration that dad studied various martial arts. I'm a hardass.

Funny though, everybody tells me I have terrific sons.  Polite, they say.  Generous.  Humble.  Take the initiative.  Smart.  Look out for others.  So they're surviving despite my manifold incompetence.

But you should be locked up!...lol

[razgueado]

Yea, and you probably drink and smoke in front of them as well...scarred for life, they don't stand a chance...seek counseling now.

Yeah, I'm a real hardass.  I let them shoot my guns, and have swordfights with real swords.  And I make them endure cold, wet weekends on mountain trails and sailboats, and do chores, and earn their own money.  And if their grades drop below A's and B's they have to endure long, loud lectures from me and do physical labor.  And if they sass their mama they get a quick demonstration that dad studied various martial arts. I'm a hardass.

Funny though, everybody tells me I have terrific sons.  Polite, they say.  Generous.  Humble.  Take the initiative.  Smart.  Look out for others.  So they're surviving despite my manifold incompetence.

But you should be locked up!...lol

That goes without saying.

[BackyardSmoker]

Yea, and you probably drink and smoke in front of them as well...scarred for life, they don't stand a chance...seek counseling now.

Yeah, I'm a real hardass.  I let them shoot my guns, and have swordfights with real swords.  And I make them endure cold, wet weekends on mountain trails and sailboats, and do chores, and earn their own money.  And if their grades drop below A's and B's they have to endure long, loud lectures from me and do physical labor.  And if they sass their mama they get a quick demonstration that dad studied various martial arts. I'm a hardass.

Funny though, everybody tells me I have terrific sons.  Polite, they say.  Generous.  Humble.  Take the initiative.  Smart.  Look out for others.  So they're surviving despite my manifold incompetence.

Do they still flinch in front of people when you go to put your arm around them.

[razgueado]

Yea, and you probably drink and smoke in front of them as well...scarred for life, they don't stand a chance...seek counseling now.

Yeah, I'm a real hardass.  I let them shoot my guns, and have swordfights with real swords.  And I make them endure cold, wet weekends on mountain trails and sailboats, and do chores, and earn their own money.  And if their grades drop below A's and B's they have to endure long, loud lectures from me and do physical labor.  And if they sass their mama they get a quick demonstration that dad studied various martial arts. I'm a hardass.

Funny though, everybody tells me I have terrific sons.  Polite, they say.  Generous.  Humble.  Take the initiative.  Smart.  Look out for others.  So they're surviving despite my manifold incompetence.

Do they still flinch in front of people when you go to put your arm around them.

Nah, I beat that out of them.  They do have annoying head twitches, though, and they mutter to themselves.  I blame the schools.

[razgueado]

Workaference.  I'll shut up for a while.

[jswaykos]

Workaference.  I'll shut up for a while.

Send me $5 PayPal or I'll kick your ass.  Fucking new guy skinny little bitch.

[LuvTooGolf]

Workaference.  I'll shut up for a while.

Send me $5 PayPal or I'll kick your ass.  Fucking new guy skinny little bitch.

I'll not kick it for $3.50.

[BackyardSmoker]

Workaference.  I'll shut up for a while.

Send me $5 PayPal or I'll kick your ass.  Fucking new guy skinny little bitch.

LMFAO!

[LuvTooGolf]

Workaference.  I'll shut up for a while.

Send me $5 PayPal or I'll kick your ass.  Fucking new guy skinny little bitch.

I'll not kick it for $3.50.

$2.50 and a jawbreaker! A dollar and some envelopes!

[flip from jersey]

How can I ship a bottle of booze, usps will not take it?

  Why did you tell them what was in the box?  Pack it well, and tell
them it's very fragile, yeah say it's a lamp, or lamp parts, you can make a lamp
from an empty bottle.  It's just not empty yet. 

[DesertRat]

Workaference.  I'll shut up for a while.

Send me $5 PayPal or I'll kick your ass.  Fucking new guy skinny little bitch.

LMFAO!

PotD contender.....

[LuvTooGolf]

Hazzuh!

[KC]

Okay, sorry to jump on the soapbox, but y'all hit close to home for me.-----raz-----Always being the biggest kid in Grammar School and Jr High School I never had any problems.  But when I got to High School the class bully decided he was going to fuck with me because I was in the advanced class.  Like you said, there was only one punch.  My Dad was an amateur boxer before WW II and taught us well.  I blocked his punch and landed a right hook below his nose.  He went down hard, with his loose teeth protruding from his bloody upper lip.  No one ever fucked with me again. 

[BackyardSmoker]

Hazzuh!

Later, Dave.