ON MY SOAPBOX: BULLYING

I might be opening a can of worms here. But what the heck. Sometimes worms come in handy.

We have a nine year old boy who stood up to his bully here in Denver. Both boys have been suspended. I say HOORAY for that kid. He followed the rules, and had told teachers about the bullying. Nothing was really done. His parents also knew. They told him that if he needed to defend himself, to do so.

The bullies had been beating on this kid. He was kicked in the back and groin, and hit in the face. The bullying had been going on for quite some time. He finally had enough and punched his tormentor in the face.

I, as a child, was also bullied. I took crap off of them for years. It started in first grade and went on until seventh grade when I had finally had enough. I struck back. And yes, it felt good.

There were others who thought they could bully me also. I got my butt kicked several times, but I tried to give as much as I got. After each fight, the bullies would leave me alone. I got their respect one way or another. I never went looking for a fight, and I never bullied others.

Back then, a lot of us had access to firearms. As kids, we grew up around them because our parents hunted or were into shooting for sport. Never once, in all of those years, did any of us take a firearm to school or have the intention of causing harm. If we had a problem with some one, we settled it with fists.

Nowadays, you get arrested if you defend yourself on the playground -- or if you defend yourself anywhere. I have a special needs child. He is now in his 20's. When he was a child, he was picked on by a school bully. It had been going on through several grades. His mom, my ex, DID NOT want him to be fighting. His stepdad and I also didn't want him to be fighting, but we both DID want him to protect himself.

One day at school, during recess, the bully started in on my son. Bryan, my son, had brought to school that day, his baseball glove and bat. Bryan carried the glove in one hand and had the bat over his shoulder. The bully stood right in front of Bryan, called him several names, and then punched Bryan in the stomach.

Bryan never dropped his baseball glove. He still had the bat over his shoulder, and he took the bat from his shoulder to the kid's head. A swing, if you can call it that, of about a foot or less. Not a lot of power behind it. But enough to bring tears to the bully's eyes. Bryan, upon seeing the tears in the bully's eyes, dropped the bat and glove and, with tears in his own eyes, went and told on himself to the playground teacher.

Bryan's mom was not too happy. She was upset, which I can understand. We all had a talk with Bryan. As Bryan's mom turned her back to Bryan's stepdad and I, he and I gave each other a thumbs up sign. We were glad that Bryan had stood up for himself. Bryan never had another fight.

And the bully? Well he and Bryan became friends. Kids of all ages are going to have a bully sometime in their life. Heck, I know a few adults who have a bully to this day.

I think that we have taken the rules too far. Kids will be kids. But, now it seems that they all think they are entitled to everything. Parents buy cars for their kids now. When I was old enough to drive, I worked to save money to buy a car. Are parents now just trying to buy their kids' affection? I would say it is something to at least think about.

There are way too many spoiled and undisciplined brats running around. And just think: one day they will be running this country. In charge, when we are old.

Scary thought.