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Wow, this thread kinda went bonkers.
I was bullied a bit when I was a kid, around when I was 6-9. I was a big kid, I was "the nerd," and I was the one with cooties. Eventually, I just learned to adapt. Part of it involved getting my fight on a bit, part of it involved growing thicker skin and just taking it.
There was one kid in particular who bullied me a lot, to the point where the school intervened. But guess what? No matter what they did, he didn't stop. Beaurocracy can only do so much regarding this particular issue. Just as it is with so many things in this life, it wasn't a problem that could be solved with red tape. It was only when I learned to deal with it that things got better.
For what it's worth, I do think Guitarman is correct in his view that some differences, like sexuality, will provoke a stronger response in some people than simply being fat or skinny or nerdy, because it's a more polarizing issue from a social standpoint. Also, while traditional bullies of fat/skinny/nerdy kids do it so they can feel the satisfaction of exerting power over someone else, people who bully homosexuals do it because they're taught to hate.
The unfortunate truth, however, is that the battle for these people is just going to be tougher, and until society changes itself through natural, unforced progression, that's simply how it's going to be. You can educate people all you want about the issue, but you can't make them care unless you give them a reason to care.
Ultimately, it means that, no matter how hard we try, some people are going to get lost along the way. It sucks, but it's the bitter truth.
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As far as the discussion at hand though, people really need to step back and recognize a few things:
1) I doubt anyone is debating the fact that bullying sucks. That's a given.
2) The real question at hand is whether or not Lady Gaga is really qualified to serve as an ambassador for this particular cause.
3) The other side of the issue is whether or not the issue is a) worthy of the President's attention, given some of the other insane shit he's already got on his plate, and b) what could really be accomplished.
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