Re: Terrorism, bullying

[Guest guest]

> Terrorism is not all THAT new, seems to me. It is just bullying in

> a scale that gets headlines.

I was only a kid myself when I saw a connection between schoolyard

behavior and the behavior of warring countries.

[Guest guest]

It all depends who you classify as a terrorist

but if we agree with the headline makers, then these 'terrorists' only

cause terror (rightly or wrongly, justifiably or unjustifiably) due to

a percieved threat or attack from mightier powers. ie they do it for

defensive reasons.

Bullies do not cause terror for defensive reasons.

Bullies attack for unjust reasons.

Bullies are mightier than their victims.

To equate juvenile bullying with political terrorism is IMO very

simplistic and naive.

Anas

> > Terrorism is not all THAT new, seems to me. It is just bullying in

> > a scale that gets headlines.

>

> I was only a kid myself when I saw a connection between schoolyard

> behavior and the behavior of warring countries.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Call it simple or naive, as you wish. These are Aspie traits that I

admit to owning. People who are bullied are terrified, more often

than not. I say that qualifies bullies as terrorists.

In legal case history, the perception of being terrorized, harassed

or discriminated against is a factor in determining how to decide

a case. Perception of being bullied lies with the victim.

Ask a kid who is bullied if he is afraid, terrified. Ask a person

who lives in a neighborhood that is swarming with unfriendlies if

it feels as if there are bullies and terrorists running loose. Old

people who are afraid of being robbed in broad daylight feel

terrified. Bullies? We need to treat them early. We need to be

aware of kids who begin young to bully, to find that it feels good

to beat up a smaller kid, a weaker kid. Oh, sure, usually such a

kid is bullied by a bigger and badder bully. That's how it works.

Let's not shrug off bullying, as if it is not significant. It is

significant. If we catch it at an early stage, we can 'cure' it with

effective methods. -Zer (who despairs of discussions that split

hairs to complicate simple matters by calling them 'simple' and

naive; most solutions are just simple logical grassroots

procedures; simple really works!)

> > I was only a kid myself when I saw a connection between

schoolyard behavior and the behavior of warring countries.

> >

[Guest guest]

Forgive me if I offended you Zer, it wasn't my intention, it's just

that your use of the words terrorise and terrified et al can not be

used along side the words terrorist or terrorism. I don't think that I

am splitting hairs but for a juvenile bully to be a terrorist (in the

modern sense of the word) he would have to be an extreme danger to the

public at large not just his or her peers. Grammatically I feel that

you are wrong to use such words side by side. To me, you are either

belittling an important issue or exaggerating another issue.

If there are bullies running loose in a neighbourhood, one should call

his/ her parents. If there are terrorists running loose in a

neighbourhood, one should call the military.

Good grief !!! at least 3 aspie traits within one paragraph, maybe

I've missed the plot?

Anas; has an unbalanced pet hatred for gramatical errors, has been

likened to a 'dog with a bone' and has a tendency to rile friends.

PS no hard feelings Zer I'm just dysfunctional

> > > I was only a kid myself when I saw a connection between

> schoolyard behavior and the behavior of warring countries.

> > >

[Guest guest]

Anas, I do not feel offended. <g> Guess that means I'm okay with

hearing that you do not share my viewpoint. <vbg> Thanks for

taking time to chew over this topic. I appreciate your writing.

I do seriously feel that we must not minimize schoolyard bullies.

If we catch bullies in an early stage, we can perhaps 'love the

devil out of them' (as Stokley Carmichael said on a march during

the civil unrest in the USA as voices were raised against

segregation and social laws were made to crumble). Imagine

the difference in a kid who has only physical bullying as a tool to

use to gain attention -- having learned that at home, probably -- if

that kid is offered different tools to achieve attention. Imagine

teaching in schools what a parent has not the wit to teach, that

there are many ways to win acclaim or attention or satisfaction.

Such a kid has a chance to make something of himself and to

improve a world that is too given to bullying, to warring, to

strapping explosives on a kid who is tired of living. Terrorism

begins early. Let us address it early.

I believe we can offer kids different tools, as we teach life skills in

school. Life skills? All of these can be taught in the course of a

few years of basic math, reading, reasoning. We have lost our

way in educating kids. We merely incarcerate them, make our

teachers wardens, lament the lack of knowledge coming out of

the education system. Time to address bullies -- the kids and

the administrators who did not get trained in how to manage

without bullying. Yes, it all ties together, far as I can tell.

And I am not offended. I'd like to hear what everyone thinks

about this. As we discuss the matter, some of us will be in a

position to bring up this topic at a school meeting. We can get

the message across if we work out the wording. -Zer (who feels

bad that schools are forced-attendance institutions instead of

places that a child can learn what a joy learning can be!)

> Forgive me if I offended you Zer, it wasn't my intention...

> Anas; has an unbalanced pet hatred for gramatical errors, has

been likened to a 'dog with a bone' and has a tendency to rile

friends