272 replies to this topic

[jafount]

I know who I am and how I am. You do not seem to take the time to read any other posts I start other than the ones dealing with LGBT issues. If you are going to identify me as gay and gay only, so be it.

Of course I've read them, it's just that I'm not a simpleton who feels compelled to respond to every single thread I see.

In high school I was the quiet kid. I did my work and turned it in on time, I worked in groups when I had to, and when we would have free time in class I would be reading a book.

You were the quiet kid? Gosh I distinctly remember you commenting about starting the LBGT group at the school. That doesn't really sound quiet.

As for what I want out of life, I know what I want out of it. I've come to learn that it isn't a walk through the park. You know nothing of my personal experiences other than me being harassed in high school.

I know as much as you've posted here ad nauseam. I can add, however that you know nothing of the experiences of anyone else on this board, so your condescending and dismissive "I had it tougher, you just don't know what I've been through" speech is tired.

Who have I gone to and have fight my battles for me?

Lawyers. You're doing it because the school didn't adequately fight your battles for you.

As for the "outsiders looking in", that's their own problem.

Not really. It's a situation you've created by constantly banging the big gay drum.

If they don't want to take the time to get to know me (like you), then they can have their own opinions about me. I am willing/ready to meet anyone on this forum. Are you willing/ready to meet me? Do you want to get to know me? Or are you going to keep your opinion about me and not try to learn anything else there is to know about me?

Well let me ask you this. Is the onus on me to go out and meet people with whom I believe I have nothing in common? Honestly, no I'm not ready or willing to meet you, nor do I want to get to know you because other than breathing oxygen and walking upright, we have little in common. Does that make me a bad person? Is there some unwritten rule that says I have to personally meet people before I decide we probably wont see eye to eye? In that case, maybe I should aspire to meet Osama Bin Laden or Scott Petersen or Charles Manson?

You have a short memory, because I've said before that you're probably a nice guy but you wrap yourself in this cocoon of gay injustice and the shtick is a little stale. I beleive you need to step outside of your "normal" mantra-which is to constantly swim against the tide-and try to operate in a slightly more conforming manner. Maybe you should try pick battles that makes sense, not whine about bygone days and bring in hired guns to change the past.

If you ask the people that know me well to describe me, they will have an entirely different opinion about me than you do. Even some of the people that opposed the legislation I lobbied for commented about my personality. And if those people that condemn me to hell can show me some respect, then you can too.

Again, I've said you're probably a nice kid. The problem is that you should be a nice young adult. You're still stuck in immature kid mode looking backwards trying to right wrongs and correct perceived injustices. In the process, you've maligned me because of my perception of you. A perception you've woven with your words on this forum.

It's not "other peoples problem" if they perceive you in a certain way, it's YOUR problem. Like it or not, in life perception is reality and the "in your face" methodology hasn't really worked to date, and likely will continue to fail. Maybe....just maybe, you should think about taking a different approach than constantly screaming "oh yeah I'm different, did this ever happen to you?"

It's just whining and because I refuse to pander to your whining you've created your own opinion of me. The difference between you and I is that I don't really care because I understand you're operating from the 20 year old "I understand how the world works" mentality and my additional 19 years of life experience have taught me otherwise.

As an aside, I will respond to your subsequent response to another poster:

Was your life threatened for being Chinese? Were you ever followed home by racist groups/persons? Have you been called a communist spy like my aunt was? Were you told to go to hell for being Chinese? Was your car vandalized for being Chinese?

My life has been threatened because I was white in a black neighborhood. It's been threatened because I was in a Mexican neighborhood as well. I'm not sure how legitimate your threats were, but mine actually involved firearms in one case, and being chased down by a car in another.

I hear the slums of Folsom are pretty tough, but I'm not sure I understand just how credible the threats on your life have been.

How about if you are mugged on the street and you call the police and they tell you to "man up and move on"?

This makes me laugh. Honestly, how many "muggers" do you think are caught? Are you actually comparing a strongarm robbery to getting pushed down my kids? The police may not actually say "man up and move on" but the truth of the matter is, thats what you have to do in life, like it or not.

[chris v]

I don't know, I don't have issues with anything that swmr is doing even the lawsuit. I wish I had done the same. There is a huge difference between being picked on and having your civil rights violated. Everyone gets picked on at some point in life. When it becomes a daily routine and becomes more dangerous every time is where the line needs to be drawn. I feel that I was singled out in high school and that it was more than just being picked on. Parents as well as kids made death threats. I still to this day hold on to some of what happened to me 10 years ago.

[bordercolliefan]

I'm glad you said that, chrisv. I imagine it took some courage to share your experience.

It is important that all of us get past the "kids will be kids" attitude. A lot of Columbine-type incidents are rooted in bullying. As chrisv points out, there are many, many more kids who suffer for years or even for a lifetime as a result of bullying experienced in high school.

Any parent who doesn't take a strong stand against bullying is part of the problem. I've had a lot of conversations with my kids trying to instill empathy and teach that we never act meanly to someone else. I hope other parents are doing the same -- and I hope it works.