Blindone's Blog

Hey y’all!

I heard about the most recent shoot spree at yet another high school and I must admit that it must have been laying heavy on my mind; because I think that I figured out what’s going on. The scary part is that I can oh so well identify with the actions of these kids: now that’s an eye opener!

Huh, what?!? Yeah I understand, or have figured it out. Ok so maybe I’m slow or just maybe I’ve stumbled on to some thing that some of you may not have considered. Either way it kind of scared me.

Ok so what am I talking about? It all starts with an innocent prank, a joke on a friend or someone that you know. Only thing is, is that it gets out of hand and now more people have joined in on the “fun”. To you and everyone else this is just poking fun at some poor soul: “it’s just a joke”, “we didn’t mean anything by it”. Yeah well kids allow me to clue you in on the truth; contrary to popular believe that stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me logic: that’s not true. Yeah physically that may hold true, however the damage done mentally can be over whelming. Unless you are the one who exposed to daily teasing, being picked on etc, you have no idea the pain and suffering that a person goes thru because of your jokes.

And just like a cornered animal, that person will get to a point where they cannot deal with your cruel insensitivity any longer. Now they just want an out. And that can be any number of destructive moves: they can become extremely anti social and with drawn, or they could become abusive to themselves (why not no one else loves me) or something else (like animals), they could decide that the best way to “deal” with the problem is to simply make it go away.

Do you see where I am going with this? Making it go away could be killing those who are the antagonists, get rid of them and the problem stops; only it doesn’t solve the problem completely. You see now I have to deal with the responsibility of my actions; that has created a whole new set of disastrous issues. Ok, so how can I make them go away; I know I’ll kill myself!  Not the ideal solution, but certainly an option. Because while it doesn’t cure the complication, at least I won’t have to clean up my mess And the ones who were making sport of me won’t be harming anyone else anymore.

Point is, is that I just justified their actions by explaining to you how they got to that point. So nice theory you say; how do I figure that this is a viable path? What do I possess that allows me to come to these conclusions?

Simple my friends; I’m a victim. I’m 51 years old and for as long as I can remember I have been teased, picked on and made fun of. I currently work with a 20 something kid who has taken it upon himself to bully me! If he were one of my own, I’d have laid his rear end out. And done it repeatedly if that’s what it took to get it thru his head that he cannot talk to his father like that: either that or he can leave the house. My point being that someone who is 30 odd years my junior has got no business treating me (or anyone else for that matter) with disrespect. I didn’t do it to my Dad; he did do it to his etc. Respecting your elders. Novel concept? New idea? No just one that most kids don’t bother with these days.

And honestly to a point I understand the rebellion. “Stupid adults think they know everything, they treat us like we’re the stupid ones” Sound familiar? I bet it does, and I’d be lying if I said that I never thought those things myself. BUT, I’ve grown up and realize just how wrong I was. Those stupid adults really did know what they were talking about after all. Wow !

So what does all of this got to do with the High School kids killing each other and etc? The answer, everything. The root cause is the harassment that goes on everyday in the hallways, and classrooms. The teasing that occurs out on the playground, the looks, and sneers. It’s all got to stop. We have to come to some understanding that this kind of terrorism cannot be tolerated. Yeah I hear you, “but kids will be kids”. And you are exactly correct, however, where did they learn that behavior? YOU! As parents are the roll models for them as they grow up. If you expose them to the “harsh reality of life” by constantly teasing and taunting others, then what do you think that they’re going to do when they get older?  If you expose them daily to the trash talk and related garbage on TV and in the movies, then again what do you think that they are going to do?

Wait a minute! Now you’re sounding an awful lot like a bible thumper…………Ya think?!? Does that bother you? It shouldn’t, because if nothing else if you treat someone the way that you’d want to be treated then guess what? Nine times outta ten the chances are that they will treat you that way. “Course there is still that 1% that’s just plain ol’ rotten. Can’t change them no how.

And don’t go off on me calling me a Bible thumping wimp, (1) that’s just not being nice and (2) I ain’t no Bible thumper. However if you back me into a corner I will come out thumping: you!

Here’s another thing to consider; some people can roll with the punches, others cannot. For some unknown reason they just don’t know how to be thick skinned enough to avoid being hurt by your sense of humor. We don’t have the ability to go toe to toe with you folks who seem to get off on ripping each other. Oh sure we try and join in on the “fun” but usually end up being the target of your “playing.” So how do we respond? The only way that we know how to, we attack. And for me anyway (although I would hazard a guess that many others feel the same way) I get no pleasure from this tactic, because it only seems to escalate the ripping. So in the end it has only made me feel even worse for having opened my mouth. This is also the time when things are said in anger that really weren’t meant, but got said because we didn’t know what else to say/do.

Walking away is really the correct thing to do, but that’s not an acceptable option; because then that opens one to the feeling of being a wimp.

There’s GOT TO BE a better solution. And certainly one that doesn’t include a gun or worse. Fighting never solves anything, it just heightens the anxiety.

I needed to let off some steam and maybe cry on someone’s shoulder. I am tired of the daily grind and want to bring an awareness to everyone about how damaging this type of behavior can be. To those whom I have offended over the years with my attempts at having sport with you, I am sorry. I will try to hold my tongue in the future….as long as you’re not driving in front of me! LOL!!!!

I’m pooped and it’s way past my bedtime.