Friday, January 20, 2012

Bully

Do you know what a bully is?
I am not talking about the dictionary definition. Or even the popular one.
A Bully.
Is a person who uses their size, temperament,ability or just plain meanness to intimidate, coerce, cajole, threaten or force others to bend to their will.
That's it.
All there is to it.
I was a small child. I had a big mouth that got me into a lot of trouble. I also had (have) a defective gene that tells me I can kick anybodies ass.
I never "bullied" anyone. I saw others get bullied, I knew both bullies and the bullied.
It confused me.
Even if you get your ass stomped, the bullying generally stopped. Willingness to fight for your own self gets a lot of respect.
I am speaking primarily of the male version of the species, the female side is quite mysterious to me and I am vaguely aware that they have very different rules for their bullying.
I spend a lot of time at my children's schools. Volunteering for this and that and field trip chaperon. I realize its not manly but I really want to be a part of my kids lives.
I see what goes on amongst the small folk.
The children.
Their squabbles and lives are every bit as involved and dramatic as ours. The adults.  More so in some ways.
I have seen the two boys whose fathers belong to separate gangs fight each other since kindergarten, the little girls grow up to be sweet or vicious and the normals stay normal.
One boy I have seen develop into a bully.Textbook case.
He is larger than all of the other small humans, meaner, problems at home and much older siblings cause him to terrorize the other children. He likes to pinch them. Small little pinches that probably hurt a lot.
I have spoken with him, with his teachers the Principal and his Father.
His Father tried to bully me.
That was funny. Funny for me, I don't think he enjoyed it much.
I have also seen one of the other boys. Small and loud. A very quick mind and a mouth to match. He frustrates the teachers and delights the other students.
The bully takes great joy in torturing him.
I have had to physically restrain the bully on field trips from hurting this other child.
He is agile and fast this little guy. Always has a smile for everyone.
Seems to have a bright little light of excitement about him at all times. I know that he is having a difficult time at his home as well. Very similar to the bullies home. odd
He reminds me of me; this little human.
My child told me a story about today. A play by play of what happened in her little world.
The bully was bullying. Had a couple of kids up against the wall. Pinching them, laughing at them. Being the little asshole that our emasculated society encourages.
So the swift mouthed little boy dashed in.
He was not involved.
But.
That little bright light he has shines into the darker spaces, leads him there. He taunted the bully. Drew his attention.
So the bully grabbed him, shook him, knocked him down and pinched him.
His mouth and brain caught up to themselves and he stood and punched the bully in the face.
He was suspended.
The Bully was not.
Because like all good bullies, he can manipulate adults and situations to his advantage. Becoming the victim in a milli-second.
Clear bright little lights are incapable of this sort of deception. So they get punished, and the bullies walk free.
I detest that.
I abhor the society we live in.
I see the majority whine about bullies, complain about them, coddle them, encourage them.
This society that only wants everyone's light to be dim.
America is a Bully.





2 comments:

KMW said...

I'd be filing law suits if my kid got suspended for defending himself. That, and the karate crew would be paying the bully and his family a little visit that would not end well for the bully and his family.

Brat said...

Sadly...so true. Our society is not raising kind, responsible humans. It starts at home, but is reinforced outside of the home. Grim future, if this keeps on. And I think it's keepin' on...since this was written in 2012, and it is much worse now. What a conundrum. I hate bullies...and their parents.