You're a douche ass-hat!

The cycle would go something like:

Bullying-->resentment-->pressure-->explosion-->Columbine-->fear-->misunderstanding-->paranoia-->reaction--
-->bullying-->resentment-->pressure-->explosion-->Columbine-->fear...

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Of course, what would help is for schools to actually PUNISH BULLIES for starting shit and support the kids who they're currently having too much fun expelling on grounds of sticking up for themselves. "Zero tolerance" laws are a great, big, steaming pile. But noooooooooo, we can't expel the high school football hero two weeks before the regional championships, can we? What ever would Coach do?

Honestly, though, cyber-bullying? Gimme a fucking break. Anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of XHTML can put together some shitty website ragging on a classmate. Anyone with a knowledge of CSS can do the same and it might even look less shitty.

Of course, anyone with a knowledge of port scanning, buffer overflows, and other exploits can turn the tables in a heartbeat, so I guess I shouldn't bitch too much. REVENGE OF THE NERDS, BITCHES.

Seriously, though, it bears mentioning that what kids do on their own time in their own homes is NONE OF THE SCHOOL'S GODDAMN BUSINESS. I remember laughing to myself when I had to attend a "mandatory" meeting for all first-years at my high school about their extracurricular disciplinary requirements. Basically it said that you weren't allowed to partake in any extracurricular activities (clubs, sports, etc.) if you were found drinking, using illegal drugs, etc. at any time, on school grounds or off. Of course, to those of us who just wanted to take classes at school and had better things to do with their day, like work or study more academics, the entire thing was a huge joke. Quote me studies on emotional duress, developmental psychology, or what-have-you until you're blue in the face, but as far as I'm concerned, anything that extends the power of schools into the home even one iota is unwelcome and needs to be shot down like a Titan missile headed for your favourite pub. Schools can do what they like on their own grounds, but once my kids are home, they are MINE and school officials can kindly fuck off.

Of course, while on the topic of my (would-be) kids, this all is to say nothing of the hell that will become their lives if I ever find them on the giving end of bullying, and my wrath is a thousand times worse than that of any high-school counselor, therapist, principal or other official.

...Damn. Now I see my lady's point about not wanting kids.

Jam it back in, in the dark.