Romney's Bullying/Gay Bashing High School Days

[11B4V]

If your child is a victim of bullying, try helping him with the following strategies:

Listen carefully to your child's reports of being bullied. Be sympathetic and take the problem seriously. Be careful not to overreact or under-react.
Do not blame the victim. When a child finally works up the courage to report bullying, it isn't appropriate to criticize him for causing it or not handling the situation correctly. For example, don't ask, "Well, what did you do to bring it on?"
Realize that for a child who is being bullied, home is his refuge. Expect him to have some difficult times in dealing with victimization. Get professional help if you think your child needs it.
Encourage your child to keep talking to you. Spend extra time with him. Provide constant support and encouragement, and tell him that you love him often!

Teaching your child safety strategies

Remember that hitting back is not a choice at school and shouldn't be encouraged. In a school with a "zero tolerance policy" for physical aggression, encouraging your child to hit back may just get him expelled.
Encourage your child to walk away and tell an adult if he feels someone is about to hurt him.
Talk about safe ways to act in situations that might be dangerous. For example, identify a "safe house" or store or where he can find sanctuary if pursued by bullies. Encourage him to walk with an adult or older child. Give him a telephone number of an available adult to call if he's afraid and needs help dealing with a bullying situation.
Teach your child how to report bullying incidents to adults in an effective way. Adults are less likely to discount a child's report as "tattling" if the report includes:
What is being done to him that makes him fearful or uncomfortable
Who is doing it
What he has done to try to resolve the problem or to get the bully to quit
A clear explanation of what he needs from the adult (or what he wants the adult to do) to get the bully to quit. 
Brainstorm and practice strategies with your child to avoid further victimization.
Nurturing your child's self-esteem
Educate your child about bullying and bullies. Help him put the problem in perspective and not take it personally.
Teach your child how to walk in a confident manner.
If needed, help him pay particular attention to personal grooming and social skills.
Identify and encourage your child's talents and positive attributes; doing so may help him better assert himself among his peers.
Encourage your child to make new friends. A new environment can provide a "new chance" for a victimized student, as he won't be subjected to the negative stereotype other classmates have of him. Encourage him to make contact with calm and friendly students in his school. Such action may require some assistance on your part, or perhaps a school mental health professional, to develop the child's skills at initiating contact and maintaining a friendship relationship. This is especially true if your child's learning problems make his social interactions difficult. Be sure to provide ongoing support and encouragement, because your child, due to earlier failures, will tend to give up in the face of even slight adversities.
Encourage your child to participate in physical training or sports, even if he's reluctant. Physical exercise can result in better physical coordination and less body anxiety, which, in turn, is likely to increase self-confidence and improve peer relationships.

[The Brain]

If needed, help him pay particular attention to personal grooming

This cannot be stressed enough.

[11B4V]

I mean...come on now.

[garbon]

Because Mart was talking about failed parenting and teaching kids about the line between conformity and self-expression.

It's a point and not hard to follow really.

A bad point if bullies are deciding what is acceptable.

[11B4V]

Because Mart was talking about failed parenting and teaching kids about the line between conformity and self-expression.

It's a point and not hard to follow really.

A bad point if bullies are deciding what is acceptable.

Acceptable in their world or who they pick on?

[The Brain]

Because Mart was talking about failed parenting and teaching kids about the line between conformity and self-expression.

It's a point and not hard to follow really.

A bad point if bullies are deciding what is acceptable.

Do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?

[11B4V]

Because Mart was talking about failed parenting and teaching kids about the line between conformity and self-expression.

It's a point and not hard to follow really.

A bad point if bullies are deciding what is acceptable.

Do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?

Unsure of your target.

[The Brain]

Because Mart was talking about failed parenting and teaching kids about the line between conformity and self-expression.

It's a point and not hard to follow really.

A bad point if bullies are deciding what is acceptable.

Do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?

Unsure of your target.

Gay racially confused man with purple hair.

[11B4V]

Because Mart was talking about failed parenting and teaching kids about the line between conformity and self-expression.

It's a point and not hard to follow really.

A bad point if bullies are deciding what is acceptable.

Do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?

Unsure of your target.

Gay racially confused man with purple hair.

This is rather bizarre. 

[The Brain]

Because Mart was talking about failed parenting and teaching kids about the line between conformity and self-expression.

It's a point and not hard to follow really.

A bad point if bullies are deciding what is acceptable.

Do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?

Unsure of your target.

Gay racially confused man with purple hair.

This is rather bizarre. 

You and my last date should meet.

[11B4V]

Because Mart was talking about failed parenting and teaching kids about the line between conformity and self-expression.

It's a point and not hard to follow really.

A bad point if bullies are deciding what is acceptable.

Do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?

Unsure of your target.

Gay racially confused man with purple hair.

This is rather bizarre. 

You and my last date should meet.

I'm not Gay.

[The Brain]

Because Mart was talking about failed parenting and teaching kids about the line between conformity and self-expression.

It's a point and not hard to follow really.

A bad point if bullies are deciding what is acceptable.

Do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?

Unsure of your target.

Gay racially confused man with purple hair.

This is rather bizarre. 

You and my last date should meet.

I'm not Gay.

Awesome.

[11B4V]

Because Mart was talking about failed parenting and teaching kids about the line between conformity and self-expression.

It's a point and not hard to follow really.

A bad point if bullies are deciding what is acceptable.

Do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?

Unsure of your target.

Gay racially confused man with purple hair.

This is rather bizarre. 

You and my last date should meet.

I'm not Gay.

Awesome.

So, who the hell has purple hair?

[Martinus]

Except who determines an acceptable level of weirdness?

General consensus. I mean, you might just as well ask who determines social norms.

I think there is today this mentality from certain portions of the society that simply argues that weird = good, and any eccentricity should be encouraged. I don't think this is really correct. While diversity is important and we should prevent people from being violently attacked for being different, I think we do need some form of social control or it gets very solipsistic. Bullying (which I understand to mean more like ridicule and not violence) serves that purpose to an extent, even though it is a crude and primitive tool.

[Martinus]

I guess I should clarify/refine my position in that I am not claiming that bullies are "good" or "correct" in what they do. They are dumb and primitive, but neither they are morally evil - just more "lower brain functions" in their social responses.

They pick victims who are socially "weak", e.g. have no friends to call on/are unpopular etc. I think anti-bullying actions should focus less on punishing these brutes and more on teaching children how to overcome these "weaknesses" - and where this does not happen, parents are usually to blame.

Does it sound more acceptable?