Bully! I say!

Recently someone sent a f/b private message to me demanding an answer to why I had not contributed to his online campaign to raise money for his short film / foundation. They had put together a short film about bullying and were raising money and awareness.

Let me say I saw a blurb in his wall regarding this short and some other things, but he had not asked me for money and/or support before. Then I was impressed by how easily he wanted to goad (bully) ME into contributing.

I spent nearly every day of my high school life petrified of bullies. Catcalls were a common and nearly daily event Those "We are four, you are one. We WILL torture you." And so Ruffin and Aaron and their friends did. And on top of that, my racist parents had segregated me from blacks until high school; and so add another set of people I was afraid of. I limited in using the student bathroom 3 or 4 times in four years because of fear. I would sneak into the teachers bathroom maybe once a month. (No wonder I go a lot now. I'm making up for lost time.)

Once I came out, I adopted a "Oh hell no you won't" attitude which has served me well. But now sometimes when I smell weakness I can be a bully. This has come to me over the last few years.

I am very humorous and funny. It's a fact. I AM. But with that lightning sharp witted tongue can come a tendency to get my way. I often attribute it to my singleness. If not me, who? Or maybe it's the only child syndrome. Or maybe I am what I feared: A Bully.

I really never set out to hurt anyone. It's not my style. And I hope I don't. But this Bully in the China Shoppe does like his way. Bully. Control Freak. Dominator. Afraid. Some, all, none? So many questions.

So back to my f/b bully. I may contribute. I may not The jury is still out. But I can tell you my opinion: Enough Films short or long about bullying. GO. GO. Make A Difference in the life of a Child, Friend, Co-Worker who is being bullied. If not you,who?