Don't bully me- I'm a little girly man- If you hit me, I'll pee myself

[Tucker]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1823760

bluestateguy (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sat Aug-27-11 12:38 AM
Original message
Self-defense should be promoted as a remedy against school bullying
   
I am all for demanding that school officials do something about bullying, and that children who are bullied should demand that school officials take action. That is the ideal first line of defense. Sometimes it works. Often it does not. Anti-bullying education and training is fine too; that can be a positive preventative measure, but just like abstinence only sex ed, many kids will just do it anyway.

Self-defense should be part of a comprehensive anti-bullying strategy. I am troubled by these reports I hear of when a child is punished right along with the bully for fighting, even though the victim was just defensing himself. Bullshit zero tolerance policies and brainless administrators have given us this. Self-defense should be allowed, and promoted. Self-defense classes, martial arts or weightlifting would be not only great confidence builders and antidotes to bullying, but good for physical fitness too.

In my case, I faced bullying in middle school for just being different and not being macho enough. In the 7th grade I hit the gym and began working out. I noticed the bullying started to taper off as my muscles grew and my shoulders broadened. By sophomore year the bullying was gone completely.

I only had one physical altercation during that time: in 8th grade some kid ambushed me in the hallway and I clocked him; then he ran away.

In any event, this can be a positive lesson to teach kids: that while it is always important to report misbehavior to the authorities, and you should NEVER start a fight, there will be times when you have to defend yourself because the authorities are either negligent or delayed. In any case, there are times in life when our parents, supervisors and the government will not be there to protect us and we will have to do it ourselves.

You know the panty waists are going to disagree with this tactic. It's the Governments job to protect them.

Manifestor_of_Light (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sat Aug-27-11 12:44 AM
Response to Original message
2. I am still a little person. I cannot fight.
   
I was bullied.There are people on DU that have a fantasy that ALL bullied kids grow up to be six feet tall, big and strong and muscular, so that they can hit back.

That is not true. I would never get in a fight because I would be pummeled and probably have broken bones.

I was five foot three in high school. And I weighed 115. Well, it's almost forty years since I graduated, and I'm still the same height. I've added a few pounds but I'm certainly not ever going to be big and solid and muscular.

Why do some people on DU think that everybody will grow up to be huge and muscular? That is not true. When you're small there is nothing you can do to grow tall.

*



* generic pic. Not of any known DUmmy.

bluestateguy (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sat Aug-27-11 12:46 AM
Response to Reply #2
3. We had a guy that was 5'3 in high school too
   
He was the star of the wrestling team. He was all muscle. I had 6 inches on him and he could have kicked my ass for sure.

One needs the willingness and resolve to defend them self.

provis99 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sat Aug-27-11 01:38 AM
Response to Reply #2
12. there's one advantage to being short and being bullied.
   
If you fight back, and especially if you fight dirty, no one will hold it against you. If someone bullied you, no one would worry if you hit him from behind, or kicked him in the balls. I was considerably bigger than my schoolmates, and as a result, every bully decided to take me on, to prove how tough they were by picking on the big (and gentle) guy.

So I had to put up with bullying, because the attitude was you weren't allowed to hit a smaller kid, no matter what an asshole he was. I managed to solve the problem later by punching out one of the few bullies who was my size, which finally managed to end the bullying. One of the smaller bullies who most aggravated me later grew up to be a Republican car salesman, who bullied his timid girlfriend into marrying him.

Never miss a chance to throw a bouncy in the mix.

MADem (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sat Aug-27-11 01:53 AM
Response to Reply #2
14. Mister Myagi wasn't all that big, now, was he?
   
You'd be amazed at what kind of weapon you can make from a rolled-up newspaper (and not for doing "bad dog" on poor old Rover, either)--you roll that puppy up, and thrust it, end first, into the adam's apple of your attacker--OWCH. Your car keys can gouge someone's eyes out. It REALLY hurts when you rip on someone's ear! Or stick your fingers up their nose and PULL.

The essentials of self-defense are not always applying force, they're often using the very strength of your opponent to your own advantage.

You should take a course, you might surprise yourself.

Worst case, you'll make a friend or two.

No he wasn't. But then he wasn't real either. He was a fictional character.

MADem (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sat Aug-27-11 01:47 AM
Response to Original message
13. The sad thing is, though, that the bullies will also learn the techniques.
   
That said, I agree with your general premise and I think self-defense is a good thing for every kid to learn. It certainly has more utility than, say, square-dancing. Not that I have anything against square dancing, either, I think all forms of dance are a good fit for PE programs where you don't want to have kids changing into gym clothes, messing up locker rooms, having to buy gymsuits that they cannot afford, etc. Dance is something they can do in their street clothes. So's self-defense.

That's the answer. Avoid PE because you might get physically fit.

They look for any excuse to avoid anything physical.

NNN0LHI Donating Member (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sat Aug-27-11 10:16 AM
Response to Original message
27. My first day of HS school there was a boy bullying the girl sitting in front of him about having sex
   
She reached into her purse and pulled out a barbers razor and proceeded to cut that boys face up like she was carving a turkey on Thanksgiving. I seen his teeth through his cheek. Blood everywhere. I can still remember that mother of pearl handle glistening under the lights. And that stainless steel blade too. It was a real horror show.

Think that didn't leave an indelible impression on me?

I am not recommending this approach but I can remember vividly completely changing what I would say and how I would say something to my classmates after witnessing that incident. To this day I say "Yes, ma'am.", a lot. Sure do.

Bullshit.

[compaqxp]

NNN0LHI Donating Member (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sat Aug-27-11 10:16 AM
Response to Original message
27. My first day of HS school there was a boy bullying the girl sitting in front of him about having sex
   
She reached into her purse and pulled out a barbers razor and proceeded to cut that boys face up like she was carving a turkey on Thanksgiving. I seen his teeth through his cheek. Blood everywhere. I can still remember that mother of pearl handle glistening under the lights. And that stainless steel blade too. It was a real horror show.

 

[JohnnyReb]

She reached into her purse and pulled out a barbers razor and proceeded to cut that boys face up like she was carving a turkey on Thanksgiving.....DAMN....Mooch-Shall Obama was a badass in school, wasn't she.

[Texacon]

Bullshit zero tolerance policies and brainless administrators have given us this.

Thank a liberal.  That's where that shit came from.

NNN0LHI Donating Member (1000+ posts)     Sat Aug-27-11 10:16 AM
Response to Original message

27. My first day of HS school there was a boy bullying the girl sitting in front of him about having sex
   
She reached into her purse and pulled out a barbers razor and proceeded to cut that boys face up like she was carving a turkey on Thanksgiving. I seen his teeth through his cheek. Blood everywhere. I can still remember that mother of pearl handle glistening under the lights. And that stainless steel blade too. It was a real horror show.

Someone has been watching too much Sweeney Todd!

Lord these people make up the weirdest shit.

Don, I *seen* your mistake too. 

KC

[Toastedturningtidelegs]

Manifestor_of_Light (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sat Aug-27-11 12:44 AM
Response to Original message
2. I am still a little person. I cannot fight.
   
I was bullied.There are people on DU that have a fantasy that ALL bullied kids grow up to be six feet tall, big and strong and muscular, so that they can hit back.

That is not true. I would never get in a fight because I would be pummeled and probably have broken bones.

I was five foot three in high school. And I weighed 115. Well, it's almost forty years since I graduated, and I'm still the same height. I've added a few pounds but I'm certainly not ever going to be big and solid and muscular.

Why do some people on DU think that everybody will grow up to be huge and muscular? That is not true. When you're small there is nothing you can do to grow tall.

Bullshit! If you have a foot and the bully has a set of testicles....You can fight just fine!

[jukin]

Of course this would keep them from smoking pot and eating Cheetos in their parent's basement but they could try to hit the weight room a few times a week.  Pretty amazing what putting in some effort and work will do, not just for your financial situation, for all other aspects of your life.

[Evil_Conservative]

Self defense?  Isn't that violent?  I carry a gun for self defense and certain people shit their pants over the fact.

[GOBUCKS]

bluestateguy (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sat Aug-27-11 12:38 AM
Original message

In my case, I faced bullying in middle school for just being different and not being macho enough. In the 7th grade I hit the gym and began working out. I noticed the bullying started to taper off as my muscles grew and my shoulders broadened. 

Now that's inspiring. DUmmy bluestateguy achieved his dream of being a top.

[FreeBorn]

Hey DUmmie, my kid beat up your wuss! 

[Vagabond]

These idiots have no clue.  Bullies might settle for humiliating you and letting you walk away.  Maybe they won't, maybe they'll follow you.

It's the small sick kids that need the help.

[delilahmused]

Thank a liberal.  That's where that shit came from.

Someone has been watching too much Sweeney Todd!

Lord these people make up the weirdest shit.

Don, I *seen* your mistake too. 

KC

I know, sometimes I think I've slipped into a borg hive living in a universe that's a twisted mix of Sweeney Todd & Donnie Darko.

We always told our sons if anyone messes with them, drop their asses to the ground and their father or I would deal with the school if we needed to.

Cindie

[Airwolf]

God These DU bouncies get worse everytime.

[Tucker]

I know, sometimes I think I've slipped into a borg hive living in a universe that's a twisted mix of Sweeney Todd & Donnie Darko.

We always told our sons if anyone messes with them, drop their asses to the ground and their father or I would deal with the school if we needed to.

Cindie

I was told to fight back. If I fought back and lost, everything was fine. If I didn't fight back, my Daddy would put a whoopin on me.

[I_B_Perky]

I was told to fight back. If I fought back and lost, everything was fine. If I didn't fight back, my Daddy would put a whoopin on me.

Same here. I was more scared of a dad whooping than anything a school yard bully would do.

[Revolution]

That's really rude to post a picture of me just to prove a point...

Seriously though, without the big nose, and coke bottles on his face, that was basically me in school. Hell, I'm a buck thirty-eight now. I've filled out a bit if I were to post a pick of myself shirtless. (Take it easy, single ladies...) but I've never been the big bouncer type guy. (Though for the record, I lifted enough back in school that even though I'm not bulky, you can see every.single.one of them, and I'm proud of that.  

Bullshit! If you have a foot and the bully has a set of testicles....You can fight just fine!

Not me, TTTL. That's actually below my personal belt. I'll kick a guy if he looks like he's gonna get back up in an effort to keep his ass down. I'll even put the knuckles to his throat to win, but to kick a man in the balls? Nope. Not doing it. Cheap win in my book. If a woman needs to do it, you go girl! However, in the ranks of man fighting. Not in my repertoire.

[BattleHymn]

I only had one physical altercation in school, and even though I was small, I was mad, and the other guy was only my size.  It was over in about 10 seconds.  Fights were few and far between, mostly.  

Revolution and Evil Conservative look like they've mentioned handling an altercation today (not in a school bully situation).  

I would handle an altercation on the street in a totally different way.  Not putting myself in the position where I have to defend myself would be the first thing.  If that isn't possible and an assailant charges me, and I have room to pull my weapon (just outside of arm's reach) , I'm firing on his kill zone from my hip or from my elbow.

If he is within arm's reach, and I need to create room and time to pull my weapon, I'm gouging for anything I can get in contact with on his face- be it eyes, lips, forehead, whatever; I'm looking to turn your face into a bowling ball with my fingers, or drag off as much flesh as humanly possible.  I'm not too noble to do whatever needs to get done to get you off of me.  The noble guy usually ends up in the body bag.  As soon as I can get you to drop back away from me even for a second, I'm pulling my weapon on you, and dropping you with two the kill zone, one to the head.    

Body alignment shooting technique are what myself and many of my friends have been trained in and practice with, enabling us to draw and fire rapid successive shots in a very short amount of time.  I hope to never get into a life threatening situation, but if I do have to draw and fire on someone who is attempting to kill, rape or injure someone like my wife, I won't be playing around- I'll do what needs to be done, and go to McDonald's afterwards and order a double, and not think twice about doing it.        

[Revolution]

Revolution and Evil Conservative look like they've mentioned handling an altercation today (not in a school bully situation).

Oh no, I've handled my buisness in school fights before. I was actually bullied because of disabilities, and other sh*t, but hey, I was never one to cry about it, or tattle. Actually, more often than not, I would let it go, and go about my business. (Which, I regret now. Should have folded a few more teeth back than I did) However, I have also been in fights that I have kind of sluffed off, and made non-fights in the school in order to keep us BOTH out of the dog house. One time in 9th grade, a guy blindsid pushed me when I was getting a soda outside of the gum, and knocked me down. I got up, and was cornered between the machine, and a doorjam, so I took a swing. While it didn't connect, he then took a swing that ever so slightly grazed my jaw. Kind of felt like a big fly landed on it, actually, as soon as he took the swing, I pivoted toward the door in an effort to cool things down, To my surprise, my speed, and agility serves me weell. Even being half blind.

So after that, I went to the office to notify them of the situation, and also to tell them that if I found the guy, I was going to beat the hell out of him. You don't blindside a blind guy. You just don't. So things cooled off, and later that day, I found out from someone that I knew that when things cooled off, he went, and hid under one of the lunch tables until he knew I was gone.

Can't stand people like that!


On another note, I haven't been in a fight for quite some time. The bad feelings of the past, and the testosterone is rolling around in there something fierce, so I guess it really isn't right to WANT to get into a knock-down brawl, but I yern for it. I dunno...maybe it would put the beast inside to bed. At least for a little while.

[Paul Heinzman]

I am still a little person. I cannot fight.

Toughest guy I ever knew was 5'8" and maybe 110 pounds dripping wet. I saw him take down a guy more than twice his size once.

[SherryBaby]

What about a girl bullying a boy?  A neighbor's daughter pushed, punched & slapped my son - really hard! - (they were 10 at the time) and he was furious, flaming red mad but did the right thing and didn't touch her, he just walked away.  Thankfully she turned out "okay" instead of "violent miscreant" and they are now best buddies.  But what would you do if you were a guy being bullied by a girl... there's not a lot you can do, is there? 

[Karin]

I could have sworn Manifestor_of_light was a woman.  Every one of its posts is pure female. 

[Tucker]

I could have sworn Manifestor_of_light was a woman.  Every one of its posts is pure female. 

See title. Girly man described ALL liberal males.

[Evil_Conservative]

What about a girl bullying a boy?  A neighbor's daughter pushed, punched & slapped my son - really hard! - (they were 10 at the time) and he was furious, flaming red mad but did the right thing and didn't touch her, he just walked away.  Thankfully she turned out "okay" instead of "violent miscreant" and they are now best buddies.  But what would you do if you were a guy being bullied by a girl... there's not a lot you can do, is there?  

Are you sure your son wasn't bullying the girl first?

I had a similar thing happen when I was really young.  The neighbor boy was bullying me and I finally had enough.  I knocked him to the ground and "beat him up" (in an eight year old's world...).  My mom saw it and told me to leave him alone.  His dad came out and said he deserved it because he was picking on me.  



Edit to add:  The neighbor boy grew up to be an Air Force guy and we are still friends.

[JohnnyReb]

Where can I buy steel-toe flip-flops? It's hard to kick sand in the DUmmies face with your standard flip-flop.

[Tucker]

Where can I buy steel-toe flip-flops? It's hard to kick sand in the DUmmies face with your standard flip-flop.

I thought Birkenstocks was the shoe of choice.

Silly me.

[SherryBaby]

Are you sure your son wasn't bullying the girl first?

I had a similar thing happen when I was really young.  The neighbor boy was bullying me and I finally had enough.  I knocked him to the ground and "beat him up" (in an eight year old's world...).  My mom saw it and told me to leave him alone.  His dad came out and said he deserved it because he was picking on me.  



Edit to add:  The neighbor boy grew up to be an Air Force guy and we are still friends.

It all started as a property line dispute.  They were arguing over whose yard began where, and it escalated to a screaming match.  She then popped him with a punch-slap, both hands, and pushed him out of the way. They laugh about it now and she gets embarrassed at the story.  And, she's turned into a lovely girl, albeit still with a temper.