4 ms·
I am appalled at some of the responses telling the author to "get over it". If it were the case of the kids not inviting him to the prom or verbally mocking him
by strlen 17y ago
I am appalled at some of the responses telling the author to "get over it". If it were the case of the kids not inviting him to the prom or verbally mocking him, it would be one thing.
But having a swastika a swastika painted with gasoline on his lawn and having their fingers broken?
I'd say in vast majority of this country, if someone (particularly Jewish, or as in the authors' case mixed-race) saw somebody lighting their property on fire in shape of an unmistakable hate symbol and reached for the family heirloom M1 Garand (that their grandfather used against other fans of this particular "symbol"), that would the very example of a "justifiable homicide"/"castle doctrine".
If someone had their fingers broken by a stranger on the street, the stranger-- if caught and identified-- would face assault charges.
Why is that what would be unambiguously a felony crime when done in the street, treated as something that should be "forgiven" when it's done in a high school environment?
Yes, many of the bullies came from abusive families and suffered many psychological issues themselves. However, I doubt this excuse would work in court on trial for an arson charge with a hate crime enhancement --or in an assault case. These people should be in prison, where they themselves may themselves find out what it's like to be weaker/smaller/less "street smart" than somebody else.
- deleted 17y ago[deleted]
- jacquesm 17y agoEvery bully is in charge of their own body, they make choices every time they go for someone that's weaker (or they will use a couple of buddies if they're real cowards). Abusive families do not come in to play as an excuse.
- strlen 17y agoRight, as I've stated-- this is not an excuse. There may be explanations for bullying, but when one commits a transgression that has a victim there are real consequence (e.g. the example I gave of those excuses not standing up in court). I'm in full agreement.
- jacquesm 17y agoWhat is really sad here is that your average not-so-strong kid doesn't stand a chance in a regular school. There is hardly any oversight that will give all the kids the feeling that they are safe in school. My son is 15 and is going through a very hard time in school.
- strlen 17y agoWhere do you live? Have you considered a private school or (if you're in the United States) home schooling? Some public school districts also offer the ability to take the last two years at a local community college: this option would also be great in terms of preparation for going on to a university. Here's a program many of my friends attended (and have ended up earning their Bachelors degrees at universities like Berkeley and UCLA): http://www.fuhsd.org/MIDDLEcollege http://www.fuhsd.org/MIDDLEcollege Perhaps your high school district offers something like this, or could create a similar ad-hoc arrangement?
- kragen 17y agoWhat do you think he should do that wouldn't benefit from getting over it? Having his kids take karate, for example, would probably be an even better idea if he wasn't still full of anger. It seems like the only benefit of this kind of anger is collective: it might motivate him to take some kind of action to improve the situation for everybody — but he doesn't seem to be doing that. Oh, and the swastika was on the street, not on the lawn.
- strlen 17y agoOn the street in a very dry environment. Even if done on the street, in most every place in the US it would be treated as arson with a hate crime enhancement. What good would going to the reunion do to him? Speaking out about this, would on the other hand do him-- and others-- very well. Writing can heal old wounds.
- hc 17y agoyes, when the choice is between "get over it" and "cry about it" the latter is clearly the superior option