If anyone deserves to face charges, it is the bully who struck the kid, not just once, but twice before getting his arse rightly handed to him in self defense. That's assault, and Casey had his back against a wall(figuratively and physically), so he had to defend himself, and I'm glad he did.
Bullies come in all sizes, and they don't stop because you ask nicely. School admin are useless to stop the abuse. If you don't prove to the bully that you are able to take them, they never stop, and you will be abused your entire high school career.
Look at the difference in body language. The little punk is the aggressor, Casey tries to deflect, repeatedly, and finally can't take any more. Little bastard got a well deserved life lesson.

Little bastard got a well deserved life lesson.

Not if he doesn't get administrative punishment in addition to the well-deserved pounding he got from his victim.

The linked article says that the bully has "allegedly" not been suspended, or anything, in the wake of this despite the fact that he started it. Count on the administration saying that Casey's reaction was "an inappropriate response", and that "he should have just walked away"--as if bullies don't have legs. Cripes.

Otherwise, though, you're completely correct. Bullies never learn anything until and unless you feed them some of their own teeth.

First of all, I absolutely love this video! I'm not one to condone violence, but the kid that was being picked on clearly tried the passive approach first. Probably many times before this as well.

Clearly, the word was out that this kid would take the abuse and do everything he could to walk away. Why else would the bully, who is half his size, have screwed with him in the first place? Also note that the bigger kid walked away as soon as he had rendered the bully harmless. The bully is really lucky that the other kid didn't really snap.

I was this kid in elementary and junior high until I totally snapped. One of my many bullies was doing pretty much exactly the thing that you see in this video. I'd been operating for years under my parent's idea that, "you're more of a man if you walk away" and boy did the word get out that if you wanted to feel a little taller, you could pick on me without any consequences. That kid wound up with his face jammed into the water fountain and needed extensive dental work. That was in eighth grade and it was the absolute last time I was in any kind of a fight. I never even came a little bit close to being in another fight. The days of fucking with whistleDick were over.

Fortunately for me, the only adult that saw it was a kind janitor who had seen me get bullied an awful lot. He claimed he didn't see it and had no idea who did the damage while I snuck off and ran home to change my bloody clothes at his urging. This sounds like an extreme measure for the janitor to take, but I was bullied really, really bad.

In the case seen in this video, there doesn't need to be ANY administrative bullshit from the school at all. Nobody needs a suspension or any of that crap. Neither kid will ever be involved in a bullying incident again and all is right with the world.

Count me in the column of folks who love this video and have watched it a dozen times or more.

Kudos to the chubby kid for manning up and putting a tin pot tyrant in his place.

The commentary I've seen elsewhere suggests that the bully got a concussion and a broken angle.

Hoo-ah!

A good start.

I got bullied a bit at school - not enough for me to care now but it was less than fun at the time. At about the age of the kids in this video, one of the favoured torments was to give smaller, weaker (read me) kids "the pole" - they would take a hand each and basically run you up against the wooden supports of the sheltered areas. One of the bigger guys decided it was my turn one day and that he didn't need his friends. He got my arms around the pole, but, sadly for him, I pulled first. Put all my weight behind it too and a foot against the post for good measure. He screamed like a girl, which for all I know he was after having his testicles slammed against a wooden post. He left me alone after that.

Good on the kid for standing up for himself.

I notice his friends weren't exactly eager to come to his aid either...

Kids need to be able to defend themselves and work this out on their own.

Further oppressing the victim here leads to kids snapping WORSE, down the road. He released a pressure valve here and the losers in the school admin are making a bad situation worse.

Also, it looks like he was just trying to subdue the child-like runt creature by wrestling him down to the ground...then he realized he could pick him up and he just went with it.

Anyone know where we can go to support the victim? Like where does he go to school? I want to send them like 1,000 letters of disapproval of their administration robots.

The school should check their state's assault laws. What the victim here did, at least in my mind, is a reasonable response to being attacked. Which makes him innocent of any crime.

Plus, it's AWESOME that he fought back. If this happened more often, maybe more bullies would think twice. This goes for adults too. I'm not saying we need to body slam people, but maybe if we all spoke up more when people were behaving like this, it would make some of them think twice.

UW Girl - yes, the bully was almost certainly guilty of assault. That was a pretty solid punch he landed at the start.

You're absolutely right, if people stood up to asshole behaviour more it would help. I work in the construction industry, and there's a lot of not so subtle physical and psychological intimidation there. Senior managers in some cases using their position or size to push people. They tend to find I don't pressure well. I don't like getting into fights, mostly because I've got nothing to back it up with, but I'll be damned if I'm going to back down to some petty dictator on a power trip.

Please remember, during the fist-pumping and Hoo-ahs! that, even if they are in 8th grade (they look younger), these are still kids.

Yes, the bully was being an ass. Yes, the bullied kid had a right to defend himself. But to celebrate anything here is to miss the essential truth: it is saddening that the bully acts this way, and saddening that the bullied kid had to take things to the point of potentially crippling the bully to deal with things.

Where are the parents? Where is the school? Sure, good role models and involved adults will not prevent or end all bullies from doing their antics, but that does not mean we should cheer on boyhood violence. Put simply, this video is something for the school to consider and grimly address when suspending the bully and making sure the bullied kid is okay with his lot in life. We should not cheer it like some sort of dog-fight video. Those are kids, people.

Spartee as you've observed, these are kids, let's not make too much of the failings of society over the fact that kids fight. They always have.

The basic reason that Casey will be punished is because he has undermined the authority of the school administration. It's not for safety or decorum. It's that he has defended himself rather than seek an administrative recourse - I'm guessing that he recognized that recourse to be ineffectual. He's embarrassed the school.

This is Sparta!

In short, Casey will become the bad guy not because he fought back, but because he won. If he had fought back feebly and been beaten down anyway, he'd be the center of a worldwide support trend.

But he won. He made the little wanker eat his own balls, and we all cheered. And then came the tongue clucking and the suggestions that he "went too far", and how fighting doesn't solve anything (or at least fighting back doesn't).

Remember Epic Beard Man? The old guy who, after getting taunted and harassed by the young black guy, laid him out bleeding in five seconds?

http://www.break.com/fights/epic-beard-man-bus-fight.html

Wasn't long before people found other footage of him, started saying he's a danger to himself and others, all the stuff we're supposed to do when someone stands up for themselves.

The world loves a winner...just not for long.

Spartee - when it comes to violence, I don't cheer (I don't even like prizefights), but I also don't discriminate due to age.

You ask: Where were the parents? where was the school? what happened to the shitty little bully's shitty little camera operator? Both of them obviously thought it would be hilarious to have a record of a fat boy be humiliated for their ongoing entertainment. The camera operator was spared a pile-driving, but I think he should get the exact same punishment as the shitty little bully.

"Spartee - when it comes to violence, I don't...discriminate due to age."

Really? Because I think any sensible approach to life involves drawing lines based on things like age, sex, a person's ability, etc., particulary when violence is employed.

"The camera operator was spared a pile-driving, but I think he should get the exact same punishment as the shitty little bully."

Duly noted that you think taking video is the same as throwing mutiple, unprovoked punches to the head, and that potentially crippling counter-attacks are warranted. Insane, but duly noted.

Someone from an Aussie website posted this email address for the school. I hope they're ready for the coming shitstorm heading their way....

dunheved-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

"Where are the parents?" is a good question. Judging from this bully's behavior, his parents are probably bullies too.

My friend is a teacher. She was just telling me that, whenever she discovers bullying, she calls the bullies' parents in for a conference. "And that's when I see where these kids learned it from," she says.

The parents will first deny any wrongdoing, describing their nasty progeny as "strong-willed," "spirited," and "misunderstood." Then, when my friend refuses to accept those excuses, they get mad and start trying to bully HER -- by threatening to "bring the principal into this" or saying they know the district administrator/mayor/someone in local government and that could have her fired.

So, yeah, where are the parents? Probably egging Jr. on.

Please remember, during the fist-pumping and Hoo-ahs! that, even if they are in 8th grade (they look younger), these are still kids.

Childhood is dress rehersal for adult life.

On the day this clip was filmed, someone found out that you can go too far, and that if you push the wrong person too hard, they push back. If all he ends up with a bum ankle and ringing head and a lesson learned, then it was a good day.

If he doesn't learn the lesson, then he'll repeat his behaviour it until gets beaten into his mind full of mush that picking fights is no way to go thru life. Welcome to HK Prep, son. The School of Hard Knocks.

Duly noted that you think taking video is the same as throwing mutiple, unprovoked punches to the head, and that potentially crippling counter-attacks are warranted. Insane, but duly noted.

Is it worse to throw punches at someone, or record someone getting their ass kicked then post it to Youtube to further humilate them?

Thanks God the kid snapped then and hit back then and there. Because it could have been 10 times worse from a school shooting to his own suicide.

I think the best ever commupance towards a bully comes from my own family. My brother was also bullied too (me, too). One kid everyday before school in a small town that is very a middle class on the way to school would jump and bother or hassle my brother. This was in about grade 8 or 9 for my brother. My brother snapped slowly but coolly. My brother could get access to my father's locked 9mm pistol. So one day he got the gun out. Put it in in his bag, and waited for the bully at the usual stomping ground. Bully comes along expecting an easy target and gets a gun in his face! Attitude changed then and there, my brother said stop bothering me or I will kill you. Bully cries, begs for life and forgiveness! Brother goes home and puts gun away and goes back to school, he is never bothered again. I just wonder what would have happened if my brother had been pushed too far!

Good for Casey. I will be donating if there is a fund.

"Is it worse to throw punches at someone, or record someone getting their ass kicked then post it to Youtube to further humilate them?"

Society presently allows for much different treatment for such different behaviors. Punchers can be counter-attacked, sued, and imprisoned.

Videographers recording events and then distributing them to the public typically have no legal liability for acts they witness and record and, in fact, are often called journalists and paid for their work. Mike Wallace made a whole career out of humiliating people on tape and publicizing it.

That said, if the videographer conspired with the bully to assist in the torment, that makes him part of the event in a way that opens him to liability. It does not, however, open him up to physical attack.

I think these lines are, by and large, properly drawn. The fact that these kids are about 13-14 only makes me less apt to agree with you that the videographer should be body slammed to address his behavior.

I don’t condone unnecessary violence but there is a difference between fighting and provoked attacks. In this case, it was clearly self-defense. He tried to walk away. It even sounded to me like he even told him to stop. The shithead bully was only going to learn by getting a taste of his own medicine and in my opinion, the bullied kid did just the right thing. He could have done a lot worse and kicked the bully when he was down, which I have no doubt the bully would have done if he had gotten the other kid down, but he didn’t. He got him down, and then walked away. To me, that means he isn’t a violent kid but merely a kid who had no other option. He took what he thought was a necessary precaution to stop an attack on himself and nothing more.

I was bullied horribly as a kid. By three boys. I was jumped multiple times by those boys at the bus stop. One of the boys was in class with me and would also bully me on the playground during recess. Their reason? I was a skinny little white girl who “deserved” to have her “honkey ass beat”. My parents did nothing. (FWIW, dad was busy abusing me at home but that’s for another thread). Administrators told me that since it happened off school property, they could do nothing, and my friends did nothing for fear of getting it themselves. They always did it when no one was looking. Every single time I reported it to a teacher or the bus driver. Since they didn’t see it, I got accused of exaggerating or was told “ignore them” and they were never punished. One day at the bus stop after school, one boy jumped on my back, knocked me to my knees, pulled my dress over my head, and sat on my back while taking shots at my face. The other two just gathered around and cheered, along with some other kids who happened to be there. I finally had enough and snapped. I don’t know how but I managed to roll him onto his back, straddled him and beat the shit out of him. One of his friends tried to pull me off but I managed to get a punch to his face too. No one else tried to intervene. I went home covered in blood. My dad then beat the shit outta me for fighting…. *sigh*

The next morning, I got called into the office. I don’t remember my parents being called in or having to go through any process or anything. It was literally just my principal, the guidance counselor, and me in the office. They tried to suspend me for fighting. I don’t know why but I suddenly felt empowered and said “You can’t. It happened off school property. Isn’t that how it works?” I didn’t get suspended but I had a “mark” in my record for fighting. It didn’t stop the abuse at home (in fact I got beat for the “black mark on my record”… go figure…) but those boys sure backed off. I never found out how the principal found out, and I never heard from the boy’s parents either. I guess they figured their little shit got what he deserved too. That or he lied because he was embarrassed that he got beat up by a girl. I started taking martial arts shortly after that.

"When I was bullied, and told "You killed Jesus," where do you think the kids got it, but from home."

I find, as I get older, that it is not so simple. I have met wonderful kids whose parents were snarling simulacrums of humans. I have also met nearly evil kids, whose parents where quite obviously wonderful people, distressed by their child's apparent, increasingly-sociopathic misbehavior.

When a child starts acting out physically or threatens to, it is fair to ask as an initial question, what the parents are going to do about the problem. If they deny any need to address it, or sincerely state they find themselves helpless to modify their kid's behavior, then the state must step in and provide a more crude and expensive counterweight to the kid's predatory behavior. Most kids will react to a parent's disapproval, however, so it is properly the first step in addressing what you see here.

When I was bullied, and told "You killed Jesus," where do you think the kids got it, but from home.

They could have gotten it from other kids, or from the nuns at Catholic school.

Amazing story, Sabrina!

This CRAP happened to me in high school - after being targeted for well over a year this girl attacked me in school in front of everyone, they formed a circle and chanted, "Get her shirt off, get her shirt off!" There were teachers in their rooms when it happened and none of them did anything - they didn't even poke their heads out to see what was going on. Then I got suspended for "fighting back" - my arms were full of books when she attacked so I all could do was kick her, which I did pretty well, I also landed one on her head, thanks gymnastics. Then she just stopped and ran to the principal's office and turned herself in so she could get suspended. They also suspended me. Luckily my Dad came in right away so I could return to school the next day (lucky me), he also defended me which was great. But how can they not see how unfair and ridiculous it is that someone can't defend themselves? Who are these "adults"??

Bullies can only be stopped by force. And i mean physical.

This same thing happened to me in Junior High School, except I was the little kid and the big bully kid was picking on me. One day in gym class I snapped and out of pure adrenaline managed to hoist the big kid onto my back (he had grabbed me ... again) and body slammed him to the ground (ala Bobo Brazil.) There was no concussion or broken bones, but it knocked the wind out of him, and he lay on the ground for several minutes gasping for breath.

My gym teacher witnessed the whole episode. The difference was that this was 1972. My gym teacher walked over with a smirk on his face and threw the bully out of class (for attacking me.) He then turned around and patted me on the back with a warm smile and never said a word about it. Everyone including the teachers knew this kid was a bully.

Where is our common sense these days? Why does there have to be zero tolerance policies that involve no consideration and usually punish the victims? I can tell you that this bully nor any others ever bothered me again, and I never got into any other type of fight or trouble. I became somewhat of a folk hero that lasted through high school.

Thanks Kishke.
I am not proud of my violent reaction but I am also not apologizing for it either. If he hadn't been sitting on me to hold me down, I likely would have just ran away and told an "adult" again, but... Desperate measures ya know... I am glad to say though that I learned the value of sticking up for oneself that day and I will never forget the feeling of empowerment I got from standing up to the idiot principal. I just wish I didn't have to learn it that way. (I also wish I had stood up to my dad but hey, I could only handle one battle at a time at 11 years old.)

I just hope this is the only time the bully in this story has to learn his lesson too.

I'm seeing reports that the bully's mother has demanded an apology from the victim, so right there is where the kid gets his attitude. A scrawny kid like that is not going to pick on someone twice his size unless he is absolutely sure he won't get hit back, so it's clearly not the first time the bigger kid has had to take grief from him. The scrawny kid absolutley got what was coming to him--he was the instigator. He provoked that kid. He threw the first (and second and third) punches. He made a sport of it. He then got his own ass kicked, and it's what he deserved, 100 percent. HE ASKED FOR IT.

mse, I think the bullied kid should go with this as an apology:
"I'm sorry that you are a scrawny little runt that has been raised to believe that you can pick on people with no recourse. I'm also sorry that when I slammed you to the ground I couldn't get you to bounce higher. I'm sorry that you have been picking on me repeatedly and the first time I actually hit back I wiped you out..."

I will not trade my son's self-esteem for the self-esteem of a bully.

Why were you fighting at school? Oh, that seems like a pretty good reason. Well, I can't do anything about your teacher being pissed at you; but you and me? We're good.

This boy was not hit just once but 4 times before he retaliated. After he defended himself he simply walked away. The law allows everyone the right to reasonably defend themselves. What it doesn’t allow is excessive use of force. There is no evidence on the video that he was excessive. He showed great restraint and with no other available remedy he lawfully defended himself. The boy who was the aggressor should be charged with assault and battery. If the boy who did the video was there at the behest of the perpetrator and knew an assault was emanate, he should be charged with aiding and abetting a felonious assault.

The boy who defended himself should be proud of his actions. No one, regardless of age, has the right to intimidate, harass, terrorize or humiliate anyone else, physically or verbally. This is why we learn to defend ourselves, not because we necessarily want to but because far to often we have to.

This school district should be ashamed of themselves and if I was the father of this boy (who lawfully defended himself) I would make sure the district attorney got this video and that charges were pressed to the fullest extent of the law. I also would sue the school district for allowing a hostile school environment to exist and allowing it to escalate to this extent…..

"You're not like all the other Jews."

You only wounded Jesus?

Red, I love it. I also am sorry the little douchbag didn't bounce higher.

I mostly heard the "you killed Jesus" thing from Catholic school kids. The public school kids sufficed with "dirty Jew-boy" and the like.

I used to get beat all the time by my cousins and my mom never noticed or paid attention. Later on when we moved away from the area I got bullied by another relative. Again mom didn't care to notice, to her I didn't exist anyways. So one day figuring I was going to get beat anyways I beat the shit out of my tormentor. That day I learned how to handle bullies. Am I advocating violence? Certainly not but with some people you have to put them in their place and those people need to learn boundaries and limits.

By the way someone that taught me how to handle people was this agent I worked for. He was the nicest most enjoyable man in the world but when someone did not respect boundaries he put them in their place

I had to watch the Comedy Central roast of Donald Trump last night. One jab at Larry kind, who was on the dias - "Larry King is so old, he's one of the Jews who actually killed Jesus."

Sabrina, good for you. I also finally fought back a bully .. sadly, he was nuts (really) and despite a good ass-whuppping came back for more. Repeatedly. That's scary .. last I heard he's cleaned up his act after many yearsioin jail ...

Spartee,

"Where are the parents? Where is the school? Sure, good role models and involved adults will not prevent or end all bullies from doing their antics, but that does not mean we should cheer on boyhood violence. "

The parents are likely at work. The teachers are likely in their classrooms preparing for the next class.

You're right. These are kids and it isn't right to cheer on boyhood violence. However, I don't see anyone cheering for the violence so much as cheering on the end of the violence, which is what we see here. As I said before, neither of these kids will probably ever be involved in a bullying incident again.

The bully is probably a good kid as well. He was testing boundaries as all kids do. He just needed a good ass kicking to learn how society works. He'll probably grow into a functioning adult just fine and will be better off with his new understanding of what can happen when you treat people poorly.

If parents and involved adults are too involved, kids won't learn how society works and you'll wind up with one of those creepy home-schooled kids that turn into socially inept, home-schooled adults.

Duly noted that you think taking video is the same as throwing mutiple, unprovoked punches to the head, and that potentially crippling counter-attacks are warranted. Insane, but duly noted.

Yes, potentially crippling counter-attacks are warranted, because unlike in the movies, multiple punches to the head are not only potentially crippling, they are indeed life-threatening.

People wind up with surprise manslaughter (or worse) charges from "just throwing a few punches" all the time. A guy I knew nearly died, required multiple corrective surgeries, and permanently lost his movie star good looks and sweet disposition to a single punch to the face.

For the record, the bully got off light.

sss, go back and reread. I think you missed something there, namely that the point was taking pictures =/= a punch to the head, and therefore, what happened to the bully is not appropriate for the video camera operator.

"He just needed a good ass kicking to learn how society works."

0_o

What you see here is not how society works, but how things go when society breaks down.

"If parents and involved adults are too involved, kids won't learn how society works and you'll wind up with one of those creepy home-schooled kids that turn into socially inept, home-schooled adults."

Pre-industrial modernity, kids likely spent their time with adults, doing adult-like things to help the family unit survive. I would conjecture that those kids got socialized better than do kids today, who are penned together with other kids until sometime into their early twenties. The fact that such young people act like 13 year olds well into their late twenties is then surprising to us?

"What you see here is not how society works, but how things go when society breaks down."

Exactly. The smaller kid caused his micro-society to breakdown and learned that it isn't a wise thing to do.

I'm pretty sure pre-industrial kids learned the same lessons. I don't think bullying behavior is a modern construct.

I believe that when kids are penned in together with constant adult supervision (and I mean adult supervision rather than adult interaction as in the cases of so many daycare raised children), they wind up less socialized than a well parented, "free range" kid.

Casey 3:16 is the same as Austin 3:16
"I just whupped your ass!"

kid got what he deserved, and the the kid who finally defended himself should have been praised because the bully was probably bullying other kids. At the same time I have no doubts that the bully we try to get even by ganging up on the kid who kicked his arse. BTW, loved the fact that the kid was just "shocked" that the other one would body slam him. Hurrah for him!!!!

and I had no idea that girls did this too? Never saw it growing up. Thought it was a boy "marking his territory" thing. Oh, and been there, done that as far as being on the receiving end of bullying.

ronc, girls are worse than boys. Boys may be more physical, but girls torture each other in astonishingly cruel ways. If they can't get access to you, girls will go at you through friends, parents, the internet and even total strangers.

Girls are just as bad as boys. I got bullied on a daily basis, both emotionally and physically. One day, 2 of the worst jumped me in the lunchroom because they said I had "cut" in front of them in the lunch line. Doesn't matter whether I did, or not. Two against one, they were beating the shit out of me. I was a geek, glasses, never been in a fight, against two of the toughest girls in school. And the teachers just stood there. Til I tried to defend myself. I kicked one of them in the stomach and ran. My jaw was bloody, my glasses were broken, I had bruises on my bruises. And I got suspended. Yep, I dared to "fight" back, so I got punished too.

The bully is probably a good kid as well. He was testing boundaries as all kids do.
Wrong. He's a puffed up little punk that has learned from his parents that he can push people around. He thinks he's special because mommy tells him so, and he's never been given boundaries, or told "No". If you were to ask his folks why he attacked Casey, you'd get a "Not *my* little angel! He'd NEVER do that!" Never mind the video.

I do hope the little bullies and his family life too becomes hell! I do want them to get death threats and people to making their life difficult. This will teach the little shits out there that ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES! Plus it will teach parents - DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOUR KID ARE DOING AND NO YOU CAN NOT IGNORE IT! You are responsible for them, yes I understand that little Johnny would never do that, BUT HE JUST DID DO IT and now he has to suffer.

Amy has been trying to teach the world and society for years that actions have consequences - trying to point out to people that shit behavior will not be tolerated. NO repeat NO SOMETIMES A FUCKING APOLOGY WILL NOT DO, blood, money, sweat, or learning something is what is needed.

Another point - I think people should not teach their kids not to fight. Yes words and talking things out is good and should be the first step! My advice for any future Paulsons - never start a fight but always finish it. Casey, he did not start the fight but he sure as hell finished it.

This is also not a kid being impulsive - two the kid corners fat kid, punches a few times, plus is having a friend record the incident this is is organized. Because if the kid was a good kid at one point he would say he this might not be a good idea. Impulsive is seeing the fat kid standing by the side of a pool and pushing him in a second later.

"Wrong. He's a puffed up little punk that has learned from his parents that he can push people around ..."

That's entirely possible Kat, but we don't know. Boys try an awful lot of identities on for size as they come of age. This kid may be just taking the "tough guy" identity for a spin. He certainly found out it doesn't fit very well. Or, as you suggest, he just might be a bonafide little shit. We simply can't know.

I certainly went through phases growing up that, as I think back on them now, the very thought of myself being like that is humiliating to even think about. Thank goodness there wasn't video evidence of my various douche bag behaviors as I struggled to figure out who I was. I'll bet if many of you think about it, you can relate to this. We weren't always the rational, grounded adults we are now. (By the way, "bully" didn't happen to be a particular phase I ever went through.)

John, "I do want them to get death threats and people to making their life difficult."

What the fuck? You can't possibly be serious.

I had it pretty good...I was the second tallest kid in junior high. Ever punk wanted to beat up the tallest kid to prove they were tough or whatever. Second, not such a big deal.

The problem for the bigger kid is you cannot win. If you don't fight back, you get beat up. If you do then are seen as picking on the little guy which means you are the one that gets in trouble and sometimes others will join in on the little kids side to make it fair.

Yep, I am serious. I am sick and tired of kids getting away with assault. Later being protected by parents or given an excuse because of age, sex, skin color, religion, or even just being stupid does not excuse.

Life is hard. Doing stupid actions from jumping off rocks into a lake for thrills (oops a broken neck - wahhh they should have the lake fenced off) or to lets see how mixing this chemical and this will give me a buzz (Sorry he is functionally impaired now - lets ban ALL DRUGS including aspirin), to thousand of other examples. Consequences have actions and sooner people learn that the better. Society at times has to stop protecting or can not protect people from their actions. If people want to be safe they have to do it themselves by thinking or being aware or if young HAVE THEIR PARENTS HELP! The sooner little Ritchard Gale learns that the easier life will become. Hmm I might not want drink and drive, hmm I have a test tomorrow I better turn off the TV and study. To even the above situation - this kid is bigger then me, he can sit on me a cause me damage do I want to pick a fight?

Death threats and hassles will go away! But it will provide that lesson to the bully and his parents and hopefully to other parents too... that you can not ignore your kids and what they do and if things do go tits up that it will NOT be forgiven or go away with a shrug of the shoulders or with some tears or a slap on the wrist. MAKING LIFE HARD NOW will make them better parents and hopefully get their asses in gear to raising better citizens. Or they can hope it goes away quickly till the next time their son or other kids fuck up so big that it can not be fixed.

Know if the bullies father or even mother had said - yep my son was an asshole and his behavior was horrible. When I found out I turned that boys ass black and blue and them made him work out in the sun for 20 hours hauling rocks and weeding the garden. When that boy can stand and speak he will be apologizing to Casey and me as a his father/mother am also sorry for my kids actions from now on I will be watching that kid like white on rice.

If I heard that from the parents or something similar I would nod my head say this looks solved, next problem.

John,

My parents were excellent examples of involved, caring, responsible parents. Still, I can think of a few isolated examples of myself being absolutely horrible (again, not physically bullying) to people around me as I grew up and I'll bet you can as well. In fact, I'll bet you don't have to search your memory back so far.

I'm not taking issue with the portion of your argument that says that actions have consequences.

For example, an action to - oh, I don't know - go on the Internet to encourage unknown numbers of perfect strangers to begin a campaign of harassment and death threats against a family one really doesn't know anything about. That action, were it to find purchase, could have very dire consequences for the family and could possibly cause massive legal problems for the architect of such a campaign.

Such an action would also qualify as the action of a bully.

Hey, guys! I've been seeing this video everywhere. But I recently was checking out another video concerning bullying. Check it out here. I think you'll all enjoy it. The combatants appear pretty evenly matched...however, what makes this video especially appealing to my sense of justice is the way the non-aggressor spends the first minute and a half (from the beginning of the video) trying to talk the aggressor, Brandon, out of it.

But when push literally came to shove...well, let's just say that Brandon learned that a desire to avoid a fight does not necessarily translate into an inability to defend oneself.

I don't understand why the bigger child would be facing charges. He was plainly attacked first.

I remember when Danny Bonaduce literally dropped Johnny Fairplay on his head, the charges were not pursued because Fairplay clearly initiated the unwanted contact.

(By the way, in that video, when the camera focuses on two audience members, the gentleman was Christopher Knight --Peter Brady of "The Brady Bunch-- and his girlfriend.)

Spartee as you've observed, these are kids, let's not make too much of the failings of society over the fact that kids fight. They always have.

Is/ought thinking...just because something is that way, it doesn't follow that it ought to be that way. If that were appropriate, then women and blacks would still be second class citizens, or not citizens at all, and certainly wouldn't be allowed to vote. And let's not even talk about how the Taliban "ought" to be treating women, on the grounds that that "is" the women are treated.

Kids resolve conflicts physically. That doesn't make it right. I have no sympathy whatsoever for the skinny thug, but he was slammed on cement. Could you imagine what kind of problems Casey would be having today if he had dropped that kid on his head and killed him?

We're all cheering for Casey now, but are you willing to bet that everyone else who is pushed too far will have a confrontation that will end so benignly?

Well I am not a bully - I have righteousness on my side! Also I did not say start I said I want them to get difficulties like that asshole from about a year ago on Wife Swap - by making his life hell for a couple of months and him loosing out some business, I bet his attitude changed.

God some people never learn how to solve problems or deal with media or people! The parents. (I think no father?) can solve this right now and end all troubles, JUST admit fault and accept responsibility. Heck put up your own video on youtube. Even if they think they are not in the wrong, accept defeat and own it. Stand up say our son was wrong, he did something very very stupid, if he is not punished by the school or the police hard enough, I will punish him, this is what I will do. My son and I apologize to everyone and later Casey who we admit was just defending himself. I hope the two boys can come to an understanding, etc etc. JUST LIKE THAT! Most anger and troubles will go true some people will want more but most will go. Society and the public here want something and the more these people fight it the more they will get hassled.

Some good news for you, John. The bully's mother agrees that her son got what he deserved.

Patrick wrote: Could you imagine what kind of problems Casey would be having today if he had dropped that kid on his head and killed him?

And could you imagine the kind of problems that Casey would be having today if that kid had landed a punch in just the right spot? Or if his actions had escalated?

Patrick wrote: We're all cheering for Casey now, but are you willing to bet that everyone else who is pushed too far will have a confrontation that will end so benignly?

Of course not. But it doesn't always end so benignly when someone is being attacked and the victim doesn't fight back either. In fact, it usually ends a lot worse... for the victim. I am not going to sit there and tell someone that they shouldn't fight back to avoid going too far. If the person has to make the choice on whether or not to fight back in the first place it's already gone too far.

I would like to ask the "violence is never the answer" naysayers, (not most of you guys here because it seems we all agree that justice was served) what they think would have been a better option. What do they suggest that Casey should have done instead? I am sure that a lot of people wouldn't even be having this discussion if it were not for the clear age and size discrepency so I'd like to know what they would have done and if they think it would have actually worked. Casey tried to walk away. He even told his attacker to stop at one point from what I could tell. He pushed him away only to be met with another blow. He tried every reasonable attempt to get out of there to no avail. What else should he have done then? Should he have allowed himself to be physically assaulted continually and THEN, when his attacker decided he was finished, go find an adult? An adult that will likely say "well I didn't see it" or give the bully a "warning"? Now,on the flip side I don't know that I think that the body slam was necassarily the best idea but I am gonna speculate on what was going on in Casey's head. In my sitatuation, there was certainly some overkill on my part as well so who am I to judge this kid.

FWIW, I believe that sometimes, violence is necassary. Self defense is violence and is sometimes the only option. If it weren't for violent war, we wouldn't be the free country we are today. The Consitution, which we all hold near and dear, was ulimatly achieved though violence. Black men were freed through violence. Women being treated humanly in Iraq... that's being addressed with violence among other issues over there. Sometimes, violence is the answer. It's the only thing that some people understand.

John Paulson wrote: Well I am not a bully - I have righteousness on my side!

Yet you are advocating the bullying of this kid and his family? Okay, sure... that makes a lot of sense.

You are making a lot of assumptions about this kid and his family based on this one incident. Yes, the kid was a bully and he deserved to have his ass handed to him. And based on the moms demand for an apology, you're probably not far off about his parents being part of the problem...but he's already been punished. And who's to say that he's not generally a good kid who just did something stupid. ALL kids are stupid, just in varying degrees. I would hope that his parents would step up and also punish him the way that I would if my son behaved like that but no one can deny that justice has already been served. Considering his age, the public humilation he's gotten from that ass whoopin, and the liklihood of further teasing by his peers is certainly punishment enough. What purpose does further harrasment and threats serve? The kid has already learned his lesson (at least I hope he did). Harrasment of the family and threats are not productive and only serve to worsen an already bad situation. That certainly WILl be taking it too far. I am sorry but there is no reasonable justification for that.

It was a joke about the righteousness - I can see my hypocrisy.

Well I hate to break it to you people. It does not matter what is fair that option went out the door when this video went viral and million adults and teenagers who were picked on as kids and wished deep down they could have done what Casey did are calling for blood, a scapegoat if you will, or harsher justice. It may be a mob but that mob can not be ignored it has to be dealt with. Once again I gave a great option for the parents to appeasing the mob.

Plus once again the FUCKING "stupid" excuse - I teach kids and a couple times a week I see stupid things done! From benign of forgetting to not eat dinner while they had the chance and are now hungry and begging me for money to standing on a chair and writing on the wall in front of me in pen to deciding to try and stick their fingers up my ass and seeing teacher turn from nice to crazy in 1 seconds flat. Now I can take stupid from really young kids of 2 to 8 years old but by at least by the teen years I take the stupid excuse a whole lot less. True they may not be emotionally or developmentally complete but at least by fucking age 10 most kids now do stick the fork into the electrical socket, no you probably could not make the 20 foot drop, or hitting the big kid is proablly not a good idea and hope to Zeus that just maybe the kids have learned to stop and think for a second and proceed.

What would you think of me - good old John decided to at the prompting of my friends and a couple of beers while walking by the local biker bar decided to knock over some bikers bike. Now later when I am in the hospital having a pool cue taken out from rectum and sucking back green Jello from a straw because I have no more teeth would you feel sorry for me? What if I said it was the booze or my friends may me do it or "Whoops I did something stupid". Hell no you would be more likely wondering how the hell I am still alive. I would get no sympathy!

The little shit hit a bigger kid and got his ass handed to him and he wants to cry about what happened to him and his parents want an apology and the other kid to be punished - HA. They should be bloody thankful that their kid walked away with a scraped knee and not dead or with a broken arm. Plus just maybe the little shit learned something and is a little bit wiser.

We may not be living on the Savannah hunting wildebeast now a days, But what that little shit did was wiggle his ass in front of a sabretooth tiger and he got it chomped. This kid learned about the realities of life the hard way. We may be civilized and hell of a lot kinder but it is still a jungle out there. If you want to survive or your kids to survive teach them to - THINK, LEARN, ADAPT because if you do not some one else will be stepping over your bones because they where just a little bit better then you.

John Paulson wrote: "What would you think of me - good old John decided to at the prompting of my friends and a couple of beers while walking by the local biker bar decided to knock over some bikers bike. Now later when I am in the hospital having a pool cue taken out from rectum and sucking back green Jello from a straw because I have no more teeth would you feel sorry for me? What if I said it was the booze or my friends may me do it or "Whoops I did something stupid". Hell no you would be more likely wondering how the hell I am still alive. I would get no sympathy!"

You're absolutely right. We would call you stupid and you'd get no sympathy. And that's exactly what we are saying about this bully. No one here is taking the bullies side. No one is excusing his behavior just because he's a stupid kid. But we'd be remiss not to aknowledge that kids, and adults, do stupid things all the time and when they do, they need to pay the price for thier stupidity. This kid did something stupid and he paid the consequances for it instantly and very publicly. We all agreed that it was exactly what should have happened. We are all also very firmly in favor of his parents ripping him a new asshole too, which also seems to be occuring according to Patricks update. What else needs to occur for you to be satisfied? While we all agree that justice should be served, none of us are advocating additional harrassment and death threats as you did. That was my objection. Otherwise, I think we are all pretty much in agreement that the little shit got exactly what he had comin' to him so I don't really understand your whole tyrade.

Patrick,

I followed the youtube link you suggested. That's another good example and the kid with his pants around his dick really got what was coming to him. It's a good illustration of how stupid and mob-like kids can be. I was especially sickened by the all too familiar gaggle of kids hanging around and egging him on just so that they'll have something to talk about.

I couldn't imagine the shame I'd feel if any of my children turned up in this video in any role, aside from the righteous victor.

I followed other links as well that were spawned from that video and found one that purports to advise children how to behave when confronted by a bully. It's the most ridiculous load of bullshit I've ever seen. Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6Qm-lRkPgM

It's unbelievable to me that anyone who is an involved parent that both remembers what it was like to be a kid and listens to what his child has to say could possibly believe that this is useful advice.

Someone must have thought it was useful, they got a camera prepared and everything.

Sabrina,

Every one of your comments on this thread are well written, succinct, and perfect.

John,

Glad to hear you are teaching children. Thanks for your service to our country. Seriously.

However, I feel wickedly compelled to say that I hope you're not teaching them grammar. :)

Take care,
WD

Thanks whistleDick. By the way, that video was hilarious! I especially likle tip #3. "The prefect time to stand up to a bully is when there are people around who can take your side."

Riiiiiight... because kids ALWAYS take the side of the kid being bullied. Because I don't ever see the kids egging it on. Nope...
And bullies never pick on you when your alone. Yeeeeeahhhh... I call bullshit on that tip.

I remember having to watch an "anti bullying" film in class. It was one of those awesomely bad 80's stock films. My bully was in the same class. He laughed his ass off the whole time.
Effectiveness FAIL!

Yep! I thought that tip was the best one as well. :) It reminds me of the ridiculously ineffective anti-drug films of the 80's.

I assumed that, by now, I'd understand how "adults" could be so out of touch with the lives their children are living.

I'm forty years old and have three children. The youngest will be leaving the nest shortly. I still can't figure out how the "adults" are so woefully out of touch and seem just plain stupid.

By the way, my children have been turning out great! I mean really, really, great. I'm so proud of all of them I could shout it from my rooftop. Maybe that's because they arrived when I was so young and our ages are not so far apart in the great scheme of things, but I still can't see myself being so damned out of touch and stupid when my grandchildren arrive (which, hopefully, won't be for a while). I guess we'll see.

Dem Rep from CA wants to make bullying a Federal offense....

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/03/17/dem-rep-wants-to-make-bullying-a-federal-offense/

Zero tolerance! Jail those damn kids!

Sigh. I really hate most government these days.

whistleDick: I couldn't imagine the shame I'd feel if any of my children turned up in this video in any role, aside from the righteous victor.

There was one other person in that video, who I might have complimented...although I'm not sure what her motives were. But I am assuming the best of intentions.

I'm referring the heavyset blonde girl who walked up to Brandon and said, "C'mon, Brandon! I'll fight you!"

She struck me as someone who was resorting to absurdity to try and defuse the situation. Had she carried her act a bit further, she might have succeeded.

Sabrina: And could you imagine the kind of problems that Casey would be having today if that kid had landed a punch in just the right spot? Or if his actions had escalated?

Darlin', your capacity to pass over the obvious absolutely blows my mind.

Let's walk you through this. We know that Casey adopted a passive approach to this altercation...which did avail him.

Now, as more information about this incident emerges, we discover something...Casey has been enduring this for a long time.

See where we're going???

Whether Casey's passive approach to bullying then eventually snapping had gone too far, or the skinny kid's attacks had gone too far (or some other kid's attacks had gone too far) is immaterial. Your "counter" to my argument about the possibility of Casey accidentally killing that child wasn't a counter. You actually assisted me in making my point.

BEFORE THIS VIDEO WAS EVEN MADE, IT HAD ALREADY GOTTEN TOO FAR!

Get it yet?

The primary blame in this video isn't on the skinny kid or on Casey...although the skinny kid is definitely the worse of the two. It's on the adults in their lives that let it progress to this point...and please don't suggest they didn't know about it. The hell they didn't.

By the way, no one noticed this yet, but I give props to the skinny kid's mom for recognizing that her son was definitely at fault.

It rather reminds me of something that happened to me when I was seven. I used to dread walking home from school because there was this kid who used to bully me. One day, he was chasing me with a wiffleball bat. As he was hitting me with it, it got caught between my right arm and my ribs, and I was able to take it away from him.

"Hey! Give me my bat back," the kid said stupidly.

Oh, I let him have it all right. I swung it sideways and caught him on the neck with it. Then I threw it away. He ran away bawling his head off, and his mother came out onto the porch when she heard her little darling screaming.

She looked pissed as hell, and I thought I was totally in for it now. He sobbed to his mother that I had tried to crack his head open with a wiffleball bat.

His mom amazed me. "Why were you hitting him with it in the first place?"

"I was not!"

This kid was none too bright. First he demands I return a bat that had more or less accidentally manage to take from him while he was using it to hit me, then he lies to his mother when she obviously saw the whole thing.

"Yes, you were hitting him with the bat. I saw you. You could seriously hurt someone that way."

She ordered him to apologize and then explained that for attacking me and lying about it, he was going to be coming straight home from school for the next two weeks, no more playing with friends after school. And his weekends would be spent indoors with no friends over to visit.

As far as I can tell, she enforced her laws. I never had a problem with him again.

Patrick, I actually made all the same points that you just made in my previous posts although not all of them were in direct response to your one comment which I merely used as a jumping off place for my point, which again, agrees with yours. So I will take your almost insult in stride because we are essentially saying the same thing...darlin'.

And also, I wanna be the mom in your story when I grow up! THAT'S how it's done!

Take what some of I say with little bits of salt - I can go off on tangents. Would you believe that yes I do teach grammar not serious high level stuff. I teach ESL in Korea. Yea my grammar and spelling sucks at times - there/their has been driving me up the wall and my spelling at times (for shame). Living in a foreign country and teacher young kids basic english for a long time can start to make ya loose your language a little! I will also admit my sentences and paragraphs can run on. Still this place has been made a bit of a sanctuary from spelling and Grammar snobs.

Also watched the above video and laughed. As to adults and being out of touch with kids. You sort of have me there. They can be really really confusing at times. Good to hear your kids have turned out so well - Good Job Man!

Some points of tirades was
1) Stupid is not always a good excuse. I felt looking at some of these posts that the kid should be let off or give some little break or understanding. For example he is young aka ignorance stupid

2) Sometimes apologies are not enough. I have recently learned that what matters is actions not words. I have had kids do some serious rude things to me or to other kids and when I punish them or get parents involved all I get is an apology maybe some tears. I am supposed to forgive and move one. But BAM next class back to the bad behavior and the routine continues.

3) Do not give excuses. Yes I know Casey is being excused because he is being bullied. There is a a level of hypocrisy in that. Still excuses of he learned it from his parents, maybe he is being egged on to do it, maybe his home life is difficult. Yea okay I can take some of those. Still in the end shit behavior is still shit behavior and should not be tolerated.

SIDE NOTE: Thank Patrick for the Video about the mother! I just saw it. Thru I might have made some comments a little after the fact. I love Media reports like that especially the police representative saying yes people can defend themselves but it has to be in proportion. Some big hypocrisy (love that word today) from the police there. Yes what should have been Casey's proportional response?

Another note: It actually makes me shake my head to hear of some of the bully stories and how in the end adults/teachers just proved to be no help! I agree it sound very unfair.

Some ask why do teacher no do anything when a student comes up to them asking for help. Well in some of my dealings with students/kids is one you just do not know?

Some people learn it is just not worth it to untangle a whole mess of what happened and finding that three edged sword of the their side, your side and the truth. It gets time consuming and frustrating so they make short cuts of ignoring it, to enforcing the letter of the law rather then the spirit.

Teachers just want to continue on teaching and kids dramas can slow down the pace.

Adults and Teachers downplay and belittle children concerns and issues. A whole wack of the time two kids are arguing it is over something
silly. To us adults . To the kids it is important but we adults dismiss it and try to go on. Oh Johnny is getting called some names - Sticks and stones....

Dismissing and just lightly handling problems can become an automatic reflex -
Teacher Johnny called me a bad name! Ok whatever stop that Johnny!
Teacher! Sally pulled my hair. Sally stopping pulling his hair!
Teacher! - Stevey hit me! Ok whatever! Hitting is wrong Stevey. Teacher does not notice that the student is bleeding and bruised all over or if he is that it is not serious.

I try to be fair and not let bullying happen but I can still miss things and even dismiss things.

John, I totally love this!

I love Media reports like that especially the police representative saying yes people can defend themselves but it has to be in proportion. Some big hypocrisy (love that word today) from the police there. Yes what should have been Casey's proportional response?

Yes, what's the proportionate response for four punches, two of them in the face?

We should have like a currency system in place for acts of violence! Perfect!

10 punches to the gut, if the victim is fat, and thus not as affected by punches to the abdominal area. Or five punches to the face.

Can't you just see it now? Casey will be saying to that stupid skinny kid, "You know, you punch me in the face three more times, I get to body slam!"

Just think! When we're physically assaulted, we have the option to trade punch for punch, scratch for scratch, hair pull for hair pull...or we can save them up, and when somebody punches us enough times, SLAMMO!

As far as I'm concerned, Casey's response was in proportion. Unarmed flesh against unarmed flesh. Was Casey's act of retaliation more devastating? Obviously it was. But unless his assailant is blind AND a complete moron, he should have easily recognized the person he's punching is probably a lot stronger than he is.

"Duh, gee, I'm punching someone twice my size..." How stupid does someone have to be before they realize that's not a good idea?

It kind of reminds me of John Steinbeck's "Of Mice And Men," where the Napoleonic-complexed Curley attacks the gentle giant Lennie Small.

Curley got the retaliation he deserved...not just for being a belligerent, violent asshole, but for being just plain stupid. Hitting someone of Lennie's obvious size and power is literally asking for trouble, and he got it.

"War is not 'the best way of settling differences; it is the only way of preventing their being settled for you." - Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Bullies escalate. It's what they do. How long until the bully or bullies in this kid's life went too far and seriously injured him?

This was planned. It was being filmed. The bully was going to put it up on YouTube or Facebook and display for the world how he humiliated the other kid. I guess that plan didn't work out so well for him.

Good on the Casie! I was bullied all of school, elem, middle and high. I now work with bullies, who lie, cheat and steal, as well as physical and emotional abuse, and what do I get? stomped on by admin, as they listen to the liar first. The schools here in Moore, OK are worthless, and wouldn't recognize a bully if they had one sit on them and say "HI, I'm a bully". I have had to bring in an attorney and threaten to sue the schools here to get them to recognize a problem, and my sons have suffered every day since that threat with admin picking on them at the schools. Unless you've been bullied, and snapped, you will not understand any of this video. The first punch is free, and the second better earn the puncher a good butt kicking. Good on you, boy, good on you!

I don't understand why the bigger child would be facing charges. He was plainly attacked first. -Patrick

jombo answered the question before you ever sked it Patrick

The basic reason that Casey will be punished is because he has undermined the authority of the school administration. It's not for safety or decorum. It's that he has defended himself rather than seek an administrative recourse - I'm guessing that he recognized that recourse to be ineffectual. He's embarrassed the school.

Posted by: jombo

I love this!
He damn well better not get into trouble.
There have been enough witnesses (If they have balls, male or female) to report the continued harassment. The little bully probably counted on his size as protection, since he looked so frail.
I'll go back and read for more background, but the big kid has me on his side.
and I was a tiny shit!

I love this!
He damn well better not get into trouble.
There have been enough witnesses (If they have balls, male or female) to report the continued harassment. The little bully probably counted on his size as protection, since he looked so frail.
I'll go back and read for more background, but the big kid has me on his side.
and I was a tiny shit!

John,

I haven't read the rest of the posts, because this caught my eye:

"I teach ESL in Korea."

No shit? What city? I'm in Daegu. Maybe we could grab a beer sometime. Small world.

WD

Aaawww look Amy... you are bringing people together all over the globe.

I am in Daejeon along the KTX line. Hmm how to get into contact with me. I am sending Amy an email asking for your email you provide here. Maybe she will give it to me. On a side note lived in Daegu for a few years.

Another hint ask at Dave's for skippy.

"Where are the parents? Where is the school? Sure, good role models and involved adults will not prevent or end all bullies from doing their antics"

Ha ha! Thanks for my laugh for the day. 'All bullies'? I was bullied and physically assaulted in school almost every day for years. Many times this took place in front of various teachers, who would just watch and ignore. Not once, ever, did any one of them ever do anything to stop it. Not once, ever, did any of those bullies get punished, even though they assaulted other kids as well ... one even broke another kid's wrist, another stabbed someone with a knife. Nobody, nobody, nobody in the system ever did or said a single thing about this. Please, please, spare me talk about about good role models and involved adults that ever do anything about bullying. I was raised with the 'just ignore them' doctrine. What a huge mistake. I will teach any sons I have how to deal with this. What victims need to know is that they're on their own, and that the cavalry ain't coming, and that attacks must be met with violence, it's the only thing that keeps a bully in check.

I'm on Casey's side, but I have to comment on how lucky he (and the little fuck) are that he didn't hurt Richard worse than he did. If he'd dropped Richard's head on that concrete bench or garden border or whatever, it could've been a different story. I remember being bullied as a kid, and I nearly put the neighbor kid in the hospital after I snapped.