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Everything I Needed To Know About Dealing With Fascists I Learned As A Boy

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DistressedAmerican Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 08:54 AM
Original message
Everything I Needed To Know About Dealing With Fascists I Learned As A Boy
Edited on Sun Jun-26-05 08:56 AM by DistressedAmerican
To combine some thoughts I had the other day with some I had when I saw MoPaul's bully thread this AM:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3950577


LESSON ONE: BEAT ALL BULLIES UNTIL THEY CANNOT STAND
Let me tell you a story.

When I was a kid there were not a lot of kids around to play with. Two who were were some dickish little bullies, Ron Tarr and J.R. Dent (both now likely in jail). Now, most of the time I would hang out with these guys and all would be fine. But, say 1 in 10 times we'd hang out they'd gang up and beat the shit out of me.

That sucked enough. But the problem was made far worse by my parent's policy on fighting. They told me (and enforced) that if I had not just "walked away" then I was participating, which was strictly forbidden. Got me grounded etc. So, every time these guys would start in with me, I'd try to walk away and they would grab me from behind, hold me down and beat the shit out of me. I'd come home bleeding from the nose or whatever and get punished for fighting. Went on like this for a long time.

Finally, my parents put it together and my dad came to me one day. He told me that I had tried walking away from the fight and it just got me beaten. He now instructed me to UNLOAD. I was advised to fight dirty. Kick them in the nuts, gouge the eyes, throw shit. That conversation was a huge weight off my shoulders.

The next time they started in on me there was another kid named Troy visiting and we were playing wiffle ball. They started in with the usual MO. One grabbed and held me while the other two started in on punching me.

However, my MO was now different. I went bat shit psycho on those bully boys. I was bleeding from everywhere and hurting but, as I busted all three up with fists, feet and of course the wiffle ball bat I felt NONE of it.

These three bullies crawled off leaving me covered in a mix of all of our blood and hurting. I made my way home, half expecting some sort of punishment. When I got there, my folks flipped out. Until they realized most of the blood for a change was theirs. I got washed up bandaged and got a nice dinner in the deal.

That day left the other three COMPLETELY docile. I was never threatened or even talked to inappropriately by them again.



Moral: Bullies can ONLY be dealt with by punching back! Once you have pulled the rope-a-dope for 13 rounds like we have as a party for the past 4 and a half years it it time to hit them with your own "shock and awe". Fight dirty and mean. Don't stop to think about any pain you may be feeling just draw blood! Lots of it!

Don't tell Bush, Cheney And Rummy. But the gloves are now OFF!



LESSON 2: THERE IS INCREDIBLE STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
This one is a bit less involved as you already know this story

I refer to the great satirist Jonathan Swift's, GULLIVER'S TRAVELS. As you all know the "giant" Gulliver blundered into Lilliput one day. The tiny Lilliputians were terrified. Did they cower or run for their little lived in the face of this overwhelming force? Hell no!

They got organized and coordinated. May have been some organizing over the LWW (Lilliput Wide Web). He doesn't discuss those details. But, suffice it to say working together this tiny and seemingly powerless population rendered the giant threat harmless.



Moral: Bushco is a massive Multi-headed beast of individuals, corporations and churches compared to the gentle and friendly Gulliver. But, our Lilliputians are coming with out torches, pitchforks and rope to bring this giant down!!!

Lilliputian Powers Activate! Form of an army of patriots! Shape of a new national awakening! (learned that as a boy too!)

Send These Fascist Bullies Straight To Jail!!!
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Deja Q Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 08:58 AM
Response to Original message
1. My parents merely taught me to go to them or the principle if a bully...
Edited on Sun Jun-26-05 09:01 AM by HypnoToad
attacked...

Fat lot of good that did.

Personally, we need to band together and go after the bullies. It takes a village...
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Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 09:28 AM
Response to Original message
2. I was a girl, undersized and underweight at the age of 10
and my tormentor was a kid who weighed in at 140 at the age of 11, most of it muscle.

One day I simply had enough, went looking for a helper and found a 2x4 piece of lumber with a nail sticking out one end.

He'd followed me, and when he caught up to me I went batshit crazy. I put that kid into the hospital.

When he got out a few days later, his mother broght him to see my mother and threatened lawsuit. My mother called me out of my room. The woman looked at what size I was and what size her son was, shut her mouth and left. I was REALLY tiny.

I got bullied again, of course, but NOT BY THAT KID.

You can't walk away from a bully and expect anything to change. YOU HAVE TO STAND UP TO THEM. Yes, you will probably get hurt, but that will be the last time.

Kerry, are you listening? Clintons, are you listening?

The world isn't like those prep schools you went to. The world is like a public middle school. Most of us in hardscrabble land learned to deal with thugs and bullies early on. YOU need to learn from US.

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marions ghost Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-27-05 08:41 AM
Response to Reply #2
33. people sometimes don't realize
that bullies prey on girls as much as boys. My sister went through a couple of years of abuse by a gang of bullies who would wait for her everyday as she walked a few blocks to elementary school. They would taunt and chase her and throw things like rocks and dirt clods. My sister was sweet and docile by nature, not very physical. She retreated into a fantasy world to cope, which probably did save her sanity. She never told anyone until years later and it really affected her life. She has had serious issues of trust and safety and boundaries. She's still very fearful of fighting for her rights, even when intellectually she KNOWS she's correct. At the time of the harassment she didn't believe that anyone would help her even if she did tell on the boys. She chose to suffer in silence. I doubt she could have physically taken on a group of boys, but I wish that she realized that she had some resources somewhere. I approve of even young children being taught basic self-defense and certainly by high school they should be familiar with the basics.
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undergroundpanther Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 09:43 AM
Response to Original message
3. Law and order
What if "law and order" as we have it now is made,run and controlled totally by bullies?

When bullies write bad laws for us to obey we have a duty to dispobey it for the sake of our consience .human rights our own dignity...When law itself becomes a bully, it becomes lawless inhumane and corrupt twords people who are oppressed by bullies.Lawlessness cloaked in the flag religion and the constitution. It becomes EVIL.


For law and order to be worth respecting it has to be NON BULLY law and order,one based in a social contract, one based in fairness and human rights and negotiation where the people have a voice and the powerful's voices are muted so all can be heard..

Right now we got cops TAZERING little kids. Cops TAZERING handcuffed people.
This is nothing but sadism, BRUTALITY and bullying done under the nation of law and order.Tazers are torture devices(the S/M community has used them a long time as"violet wands").We the people lost our vote outr voice,now we have Bush in the WH a bully who blew up frogs as a kid for jollies and says god told him, to start a war..when the DSM tells a very different tale.. he is a SOCIOPATH..Which means bush has no sense of shame,no guilt, remorse or consience,no empathy or love to feel,Busgh is devoid of all the emotional things in people that leads most human beings to have ethical and moral discernment and the ability to negotiate a social contract and co-exist in a free society.

When bullies are allowed to become the authorities over us, and bullies write the laws,hire the cops, control the money/resources of a nation, and when bullies run the country into the ground you HAVE to STOP standing by when abuses happen, you must break the laws that protect the unlawful ,whistle blow, refuse,resist create dilemmas and even punch the bastards in the nose!! This resistance to tyrants is in our RIGHTS as citizens to do for the sake of outr own freedom.The founders knew what a tyrant is and they trusted the people to protect thier constitution..because they knew bullies do not stand by anyone elses freedom. Bullies seek to secure thier own freedom in opression of others. A bullies Freedoms are things like unrestrained stealing without ever paying back the robbed..To abuse others without facing a victims retaliation or voice tellinfg what happened, and as bully seeks to manipulate others..without being called on thier game and called out as a liar.

A bully deserves NO PITY.No tolerance,no excuses.No haven,no trust,no power.

Obeyance to the law at some point when dealing with tyrants who write laws becomes ENABLING abuses.



A New Political Ideology

Ethicism

The more I think, read and write about politics, the more I realize that I do not fit into any of the ideologies that we see today. I am inclined to believe that there are others out there who feel the same. America has been on the path to self destruction for many years. Taxes are higher than they have ever been, our prisons are filled to capacity, violence is an everyday occurrence in many peoples lives, poverty is on the rise, the government is taking more and more of our money, our environment is being destroyed, and worst of all, most Americans think “all is well”. There is a solution but it does not lie within ideologies of the past or the present. It does not lie within the Republican and Democrat parties. The solution is hidden within the thinkers of America, those who are capable of thinking beyond the norm and finding logical solutions based on the needs and opinions of both Liberals and Conservatives and everywhere in between.


A new ideology for the next generation of Americans is needed. An ideology based on ethics which is the foundation of our government.


Explanation of…


We can examine and explain every one of the problems that we see in America today and boil them down to one cause. Corrupt, immoral, deceitful politicians. Our government has been taken away from ‘the people’ by these leaders and handed over to corporations and special interest groups. Government to them is a game where the richest, most powerful wins. They will do whatever it takes to win, even if it means death. Backroom meetings, secret deals, handshakes in the shadows, and conspiracies are now common place in our government.


The social conditions that we see today came about because of the desires of our leaders to increase their wealth and power. They have segregated Americans by every imaginable difference inciting hatred and resentment among every single group. They do this because they know that a divided people are a weak people. Fortunately, they have not yet been able to take from the people, our ability to completely remove them from their positions of power.


Society has become nothing more than a group of consumers as designed by the government. The average American is more concerned with paying the bills at the end of the month than educating themselves in political affairs. This puts them in the position of not having the time nor desire to become politically aware. It also prevents them from having enough money to compete with big business in the political realm.


Morality, honesty, and integrity are virtues passed on to society by leaders whether they are our parents, teachers, or government officials. It is important that future generations learn these virtues and pass them on. How can our children learn these virtues when the leader of our country commits such despicable acts as having sex in the Oval Office then lying to the American people with a completely straight face?


"The road to tyranny, we must never forget, begins with the destruction of the truth." William J. Clinton 10/15/95 speach given at the University of Connecticut.


We have started down that road. As written in President Woodrow Wilson’s “New Freedom” which he campaigned on in 1912, "There is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so pervasive that they better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it."


Politics today is controlled by corporations and special interest groups through the leaders who we the people continue to elect. These organizations donate huge sums of money to politicians and political parties, mostly through less than legal means, expecting those politicians to return the favor. It is no coincidence that the politician who spends the most money on the campaign usually wins. The favor is returned in the form of laws and ‘bending of the rules’ to help organizations make more money and achieve their desired goals by continuing to exploit the human and natural resources of this country. This is a vicious circle where the powerful protect each other. As long as the people stay uninformed, the circle cannot be broken. Wars are fought today because they make money for the rich and powerful. Our children die for this reason. Of course the government and the media tell us that we are defending democracy. Such a noble cause.


Senator George Malone of Nevada, stated before Congress in 1957, "I believe that if the people of this nation fully understood what Congress has done to them over past forty-nine years, they would move on Washington. It adds up to a preconceived plan to destroy the economic and social independence of the United States".


The government uses our economic system to control Americans and keep them down, making them more reliant on the government. When the country is in a recession, it is the lower and middle classes who suffer. You will see the upper class lose money but they know that it will all come back to them in time. In the meantime, their lifestyle does not change and they go about their business the same as they always have while low and middle class Americans worry about how they will feed their families.


Evaluation of…


In Evaluation of the current conditions of our country, we can assume that things are good when the government represents the best interests of the American people above everything else. When the liberties we are guaranteed by the Constitution are protected. When we are free to live our lives as we please as long as we do not harm others. When the government stays out of our lives as much as possible. When the government protects us from outside harm and secures our comfort without infringing on our rights. When the environment is protected rather than the bank accounts of corporations. When we have people with integrity, morals and honesty as our representatives.


Orientation of…


People are pictured under this ideology as being rational and caring individuals who are capable of making decisions that affect society based on logic and reason rather than emotion. Their belief is that an honest politician with opinions differing from theirs is much better than a corrupt politician who pretends to share their opinions. Their principal concern is that the people representing them in government are honest and will always be looking after the best interest of the people they represent. They are compassionate to all people regardless of race, sex, religion, age, etc. and do what they can to help others who are less fortunate without being forced by the government. They expect the government to use the money they collect through taxes wisely and without waste. They care about the environment and our natural resources and will keep the government in check when it comes to environmental policies. They have respect for other countries and the people of those countries and will not try to impose their ideals on them. They will ensure that the judicial system makes decisions based on the law rather than personal opinion or other outside influence.


Political Program of…


The political program is centered on removing corrupt politicians from office and replacing them with people who can be trusted. This can be done by educating Americans in politics, finding those who are capable of becoming leaders, and electing them into office. These leaders will vow to represent the interests of the American people and will understand that if they sway from that vow, they will at the very least be removed from office. It will then be the responsibility of every American who values a government ‘by the people’ to keep a constant eye on the representatives and actively participate by educating themselves in politics.


It is the responsibility of all Americans to recognize the truth and act upon it. I believe that once the American people see someone they can trust on the ballot, they will turn out in droves to vote.


The triadic model below shows the agent of this new ideology as being the individual. The ultimate goal of the agent is government by the people and the obstacle to overcome to reach the goal is corrupt government officials.


Contemporary Liberalism and Conservatism can not bring America out of the state that it is in simply because our leaders do not represent the interest of the citizens. In order to gain the wealth and power that they desire, they must represent the interest of corporate America first and foremost, at the expense of individual liberties. The American people have been deceived and led to believe that their safety is at risk so our leadership can create more controls as our liberties erode.


The current state of America, which has been under the control of the more conservative Republicans and the more liberal Democrats for the past 125 years shows us that the modern ideologies of Liberalism and Conservatism do not work. Both parties have had the opportunity to make our country great and both have failed miserably. The original concepts of Liberalism and Conservatism have been contorted into something that has the sole purpose of controlling and manipulating citizens with the ultimate goal of acquiring money and power. They have presented these new concepts to the American people as the only viable ideologies. Americans being the complacent, self-interested people that they are accept this without question and follow the leaders like sheep following the shepherd. According to Niccolò Machiavelli, a prominent official in the republic of Florence in 1512, “the complacent and self-interested citizen is the greatest enemy of a free government.”


Since the days of Thomas Hobbs, author of Leviathan in 1651 (the first major work that defined Liberalism), Liberalism has been most simply defined as the protection of individual liberties and that individuals possess the ability to think for themselves and make decisions based on reason. It is apparent that Hobbs and other early liberal political philosophers also agreed that a social contract*** must be entered into by every citizen in order to create a government to protect these liberties. They seem to agree that when a government ceases to protect the liberties of the individual, then the government must be replaced.


Thomas Payne says it best in a pamphlet published in February 1776 entitled Common Sense. ”Government, even the best government, is a ‘necessary evil’. It is evil because it coerces us and controls our lives; but it is necessary because most of us, fallen creatures that we are, cannot be trusted to respect the natural rights of others. To protect our natural rights, then, we create government. If the government does its job, it deserves our obedience. But if it fails to protect our natural rights–if it turns against us and violates our rights—the government ceases to be a necessary evil and becomes an intolerable one. When this happens, the people have every right to overthrow their government and replace it with one that will respect their rights.”


This is one area where modern day Liberalism falls short of the original ideology. The average citizen, not necessarily the politically informed, identifying themselves as ‘liberal’ seem to believe in individual liberties but do not seem to mind when the government takes their liberties away. This is due to the fine job the government has done at reducing most Americans to mere consumers rather than active citizens who truly care about the security of their liberties. A true Liberal of the classical sense would see the government, which creates and enforces laws that take away our liberties, as the obstacle that must be overcome in order to reach the goal of living as one chooses. A true Liberal would not put up with what our government is doing. They would move to replace those in charge, those who violate the rights of Americans as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “We, the people, are the rightful masters of both congress and the courts. Not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow men who pervert the constitution.”

"Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire." - Robert Heinlein
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DistressedAmerican Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 09:57 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. WE MUST COMBINE THESE FOR A DA FEATURE!!!
GREAT!!!!!!!!

Working feverishly on a graphic right now. But, let me know if you are interested and I'll make it a priority item!!!

LOVE YOU PANTHER!!!!
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earthboundmisfit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 04:22 PM
Response to Reply #3
15. Well said, as always. Love the way you wield a pen, Panther.
(Or keyboard, as it were) - :applause:
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Mythsaje Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 09:14 PM
Response to Reply #3
24. Insightful
I'm left wanting to know more...or at least discuss the ultimate ramifications of a new political school of thought.
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hootinholler Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 10:48 PM
Response to Reply #3
30. Whadya mean by
What if? Seems like it is.

Other than that, a righteous rant.

-Hoot
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prole_for_peace Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 10:08 AM
Response to Original message
5. my dad told that if someone hit me to hit them back
and if they hit me again, hit them again and so on until i got the last one. and i am a girl. i actually got in trouble in middle school because the school bully hit me and i lit into him. i was told that girls didn't do that. i told them (had an attitude even then) that i wasn't going to let someone just hit me and get away with it. asses. i got a "good talking too". i think they gave me a worse time than him.

i still fight back even if it isn't physical. you can never let anyone get away with bullying you. i won't be a victim dammit.
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elehhhhna Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 10:08 AM
Response to Original message
6. I was threatend by a bully in 5th grade.
Daddy said "Hit 'em first--if it looks like they're gonna punch you, smack 'em in the chops & run away".

It worked (and I'm a skinny girl).









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DistressedAmerican Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 10:22 AM
Response to Reply #6
7. Good Advice!
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XemaSab Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 04:11 PM
Response to Reply #6
13. So your dad established a doctrine
of pre-emptive war?

I see..........
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FormerOstrich Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 10:48 AM
Response to Original message
8. I guess Dad's everywhere have advice on this topic....
When I was a kid my Dad always told me if someone physically threatened me to fight back. However, what he mainly stressed were bullies are chicken shit and rarely attack without their buds. He said if attacked to determine which is the leader (even if it's not the person that started it) and to take the leader out. He stressed keep your focus on the leader even if the others are on you don't get distracted. Don't waste any energy on the followers... Take the leader out and the others will go away. He also showed me a couple of tricks to help (like folding someones thumb back)

I was probably 11 or 12 when I actually was forced to find out if his advice was true and it worked for me. btw...I am female and 3 boys attempted to throw me in a canal.
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DistressedAmerican Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 11:41 AM
Response to Reply #8
9. I Got Pushed Off A Spillway Into A Pond And Lost My Fishing Pole.
He and brawled years later.

AGAIN, I went on the attack just once and that was it. He was suspended for two weeks and my principle, also my B-ball coach let me walk as the kid had a record a mile long.
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DistressedAmerican Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 01:25 PM
Response to Original message
10. Kicker!
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dxstone Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 04:04 PM
Response to Original message
11. YAY! Keep punchin', DA!
Kicked AND nominated... and I'm gonna come back and kick this mother again later, just to teach it a STERN LESSON!
:mad: Grrrr!
:crazy:
d
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XemaSab Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 04:07 PM
Response to Original message
12. I did it like this
Edited on Sun Jun-26-05 04:13 PM by XemaSab
I did it like that

I did it with a wiffle ball bat.

~beastie boys~

On edit: Yo DA, Comrade has one M!

Kick for your sig!
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DistressedAmerican Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 04:20 PM
Response to Reply #12
14. That Line Has Always Conjured Up Fond Memories For Me!!!
Edited on Sun Jun-26-05 04:22 PM by DistressedAmerican
Re speeling: Hey, what can I say. I'm dyslexic.

My learning disabilities (LD or was that DL? NO, LD yeah!) teacher used to have me play SIMON when I was in third grade. I guess that helps. I'm sure you could find one on EBay and send it over so I can brush up!

It is a wonder that I can walk. Let alone compose a gramatically correct post!:evilgrin: :rofl:

Seriously, That is pretty funny as I had it that way then thought it was wrong. I went back and made a new cell to insert into the gif. Saved over the old one. I'll fix it soon!
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hiley Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 04:56 PM
Response to Original message
16. Moral: Bullies can ONLY be dealt with by punching back!
damn right, hit em' hard and don't stop !
nominated DistressedAmerican
Send These Fascist Bullies Straight To Jail!!!
now that is what I like to see ...
hiley
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I Have A Dream Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 06:12 PM
Response to Original message
17. Kicked & recommended.
Edited on Sun Jun-26-05 06:19 PM by I Have A Dream
This is absolutely true.

Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform and a leading figure in both the DeLay and Bush political operations, describes the future as follows:

"Once the minority of House and Senate are comfortable in their minority status, they will have no problem socializing with the Republicans. Any farmer will tell you that certain animals run around and are unpleasant. But when they've been 'fixed,' then they are happy and sedate. They are contented and cheerful."

The Right thinks that it can beat us into submission. I DON'T THINK SO! You're right on, DistressedAmerican! (Norquist's quote has inspired me to fight even harder. Thanks, Grover!) :)


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glitch Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 07:18 PM
Response to Reply #17
18. They are all such creeps. Everytime you think this one is the creepiest,
another piehole opens. Is it junior, is it cheney, is it frist, is it rove, is it delay? Who is the true king of the creeps?
So, today it's norquist. Remember when we thought they couldn't get any creepier than gingrich and lott and scalia?
This whole bushco era should become known as "the revenge of the despised".
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I Have A Dream Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 07:27 PM
Response to Reply #18
19. What you described made me think of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".
Did you ever watch this show? There would be times when her group would be fighting the demons and, for every demon that they killed, another 20 came out of the Hell Mouth (the hole in the Earth) towards them.

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Bouncy Ball Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 07:30 PM
Response to Original message
20. I learned somewhere along the line that bullies DEPEND
on their victims to quietly take their treatment.

I noticed bullies never pick on certain people--people who stand up for themselves and others.

And you're right--you can't just fight back once or twice, but AS MANY TIMES AND AS LONG AS IT TAKES.

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AndyTiedye Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 07:52 PM
Response to Original message
21. You Were Fortunate to Have the Ability to Fight Back Effectively
Many do not.
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I Have A Dream Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 07:56 PM
Response to Reply #21
22. You're correct. However, we can stand up for them NOW.
Edited on Sun Jun-26-05 07:59 PM by I Have A Dream
This is what being part of the left is all about, in my opinion. How many Conservatives say that they're doing something for their fellow Americans. (Well, they may say it, but you know that it's really for themselves.) We on the Left really do care about people other than ourselves. We'll stand up to them together so that this bullying on people who can't defend themselves stops! It may take time, but we just need to be persistent and organized.
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AndyTiedye Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 08:36 PM
Response to Reply #22
23. That Is Why I Am Here
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DistressedAmerican Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 09:33 PM
Response to Reply #22
26. HEAR HEAR!!!
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

Applause for both of your posts!!!
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DistressedAmerican Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 09:31 PM
Response to Reply #21
25. We All Do Now!!! Get On The Bus!
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Independent_Liberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 09:34 PM
Response to Original message
27. Kick!
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dxstone Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 09:58 PM
Response to Original message
28. It's PAST time to say ENOUGH!!!
And every day, MORE people are WAKING UP!
WHOOO!
SAVAGE KICK!
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CrispyQ Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jun-26-05 10:16 PM
Response to Original message
29. You are spot on!
It's called defending yourself & it doesn't mean you advocate violence. Thanks for sharing your great story!
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I Have A Dream Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-27-05 07:41 AM
Response to Original message
31. Kick
:kick:
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merbex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-27-05 08:09 AM
Response to Original message
32. "Don't start it;finish it" my parents rule for both me and my brother
bullies come in both sexes. In my case, girls could be verbal bullies and I was expected to verbally stand up for myself

It helps a lot when you deal with passive/agrressive people. You know the ones I mean:the people that already have a comment planned to say to people. It is usually so shocking and unexpected that the victim sits there tongue tied. My parents would say"you better be able to talk back to them. Don't come whining to us". What I have noticed is that passive agressive people are taught that behavior and that if one person in the family uses that behavior others in the family unit do so also. My in laws are a case study in it.

Far be it from anyone in that family to say something direct about something. Mostly snide,vicious comments. An example: a young group of cousins get together on holidays. Christmas came and went and evidently a certain cousin and his wife were to hold a Christmas party,but for whatever reason never did. Rather than ask WHY didn't you hold a Christmas party this group decided to get a Fake tree and decorate it and have it present during their Memorial day party and oh yea,not talk to said cousins during Memorial Day Party. They were to get the silent treatment at the party. This was to show them that everyone else was upset.

I have no time for people like this or for any bully. What a waste of time
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I Have A Dream Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-27-05 11:50 AM
Response to Reply #32
35. I really love the "don't start it; finish it" concept.
It's basically about refusing to be either a bully or a victim.

You had wise parents, merbex.
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DistressedAmerican Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-27-05 11:51 AM
Response to Reply #35
36. Agreed!!! Great Post!!!
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marions ghost Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-27-05 09:20 AM
Response to Original message
34. Good post
and I particularly like your example of Gulliver and "strength in numbers." Working together is the only way we can take on the Juggernaut. And yes we need to focus on the kingpins, the leaders--and not get distracted by the mindless bleating of the Sheeple jockeying in their stock pens.

AGREED--we are going to have to knock these bullies back--using more creative means than fists of course. We have a lot of brainpower and resources and we need to use OUR power wisely. But I appreciate the 'bully on the schoolground analogy.' We can no longer participate in our own subjugation. We have been too nice. The Rethuglicans are depending on us to roll over as soon as the going gets rough...that's the role they have defined for us. We must clearly REJECT this role and hammer them with a new reality. It is the ONLY thing they will understand. They don't do nuance.

We who understand this central truth must fight for those who cannot fight, for whatever reason. There is a war going on right here on the homefront. You can't always be polite in fighting tyranny. Lately it's getting harder for The Abusers to hide their slimy, greedy intentions...we must take every advantage of this moment of vulnerability. We must EXPECT our representatives to fight, to play hardball, to confront the abusers. If they can't, then we need to find someone who will. Otherwise we will continue to live under increasing oppression.
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