Dear "Straight Pride" Jerk . . . .

[giblets]

I'm just saying EVERYBODY changes things about them, or at least portrays a different image of themselves, to gain in social interaction with others. We wear many masks.

I don't feel sorry for those who don't know how to switch masks. It's not even about changing who you are. It's just about portraying an image to certain people in certain social situations so you come out on top.

Yeah... you really know how to "come out on top". I think I would rather stick with sincerity. For someone who is supposedly a master of tact you certainly didn't put on the right "mask" at Wells Fargo.

[-Jrabbit]

Alby, you are being a total idiot and a douche here.

[rah]

Yeah, if that gay kid just would punch the guy out, the bullying would stop.
I'm sure any black kid that punched bullies back in the 50's solved their problems.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

is anyone thinking of jerks, what about "jerk pride" you could have both straight and gay people in that one

[rah]

and making fun of nerds and saying they chose to be bullied on a "nerdy web site", is probably not the smartest thing you've ever done.
Which mask was that?

[Ming]

All that requires more changes...

Then why haven't you made those changes... one could say that "simply having confidence" is all you need for that full list... and you seem to think that having confidence is easy.
If it's so simple for bullying, why isn't it simple for you in the rest of your life?

[MOBIUS]

So Albie...
you choose to get robbed
you choose to get in fights
you choose to not being able to get a job
you choose to not being able to get a girl friend
you choose to not being able to get into the Marines
you choose to not being successful

Let's just cut to the chase, shall we? He chooses to live in Philly...

[Al B. Sure!]

Whoah whoah whoah let's not loose sight of what my original point was that I don't think comparing being a nerd to being gay is a fair comparison. Being gay is more intrinsic than whatever being a nerd entails.

[Ming]

Whoah whoah whoah let's not loose sight of the fact that kids get bullied in school for many different reasons... being gay... being a nerd/unpopular, bad looks, bad clothes, taking funny... they are all similar in the fact that they are getting bullied for being different.

[Al B. Sure!]

So being gay is like wearing out of fashion clothes?

Your thoughts, MrFun?

[-Jrabbit]

Alby, your interpretation of Ming's straightforward post about "being different" is just pathetic. In fact, it's almost Ben-like in ignoring the actual point being made.

People who are not gay -- just different -- are bullied as "queers" all the time. And let's not forget that kids in middle school/junior high, even many in high school and beyond, do not all have a highly developed sense of their sexuality.

There are no acceptable excuses for bullying, and your implication (that those who are bullied should somehow just man up, lift weights for a couple months, act confident, and it will stop) is both incredibly naive and places blame on the victim.

Your POV in this thread is an epic fail.

[Al B. Sure!]

I just think being gay in close-minded areas and bullied for it is worse than being a nerd and bullied for it. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems worse to me to be bullied for things like your ethnicity or sexual orientation than because you're really into Magic and ignore basic hygiene. There's less (or nothing) you can do about it.

But fine. Maybe I'm wrong.

But don't be acting like nerds are some innocent victims. Like I said, I was messed with in 8th grade by guys that would be considered nerds.

[-Jrabbit]

Bullying is bullying. The nature of the target is irrelevant to the discussion.

[Al B. Sure!]

I also think there's a partial generational gap here. High school is less like what was depicted on Back to the Future and more like the remake of 21 Jump Street. I went to a gifted school, though, so maybe my experience is not typical.

[loinburger]

I just think being gay in close-minded areas and bullied for it is worse than being a nerd and bullied for it. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems worse to me to be bullied for things like your ethnicity or sexual orientation than because you're really into Magic and ignore basic hygiene. There's less (or nothing) you can do about it.

I didn't know you supported hate crime legislation.

"You killed him because he was black??? Life in prison!"
"No no no, I killed him because he was into Magic and ignored basic hygiene."
"Oh, in that case we'll call it euthanasia, since the guy was asking for it."

"You killed him because he was black??? It's the death penalty for you!"
"No, I killed him because he was wearing a hoodie. Only thugs wear hoodies."
"Case dismissed."