For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for November 17, 2012

Also, he tried to stop Brad, but Brad’s punchesgot in the way.

He tried to just go home, but Brad’s stupidity got in the way

This is such a timely issue to deal with as another young girl gave in to the pressure of bullying not too long ago. There are far too many children dealing with this sad problem. Mike is trying so hard to share the blame for the beating he got but he really knows inside its not his fault. He’s just too kind-hearted….and loveable.

I still hope his parents go visit Brad’s parents to discuss this assault on Mike. However, my bet is that Brad’s parents are the cause of the problem…either directly via child abuse or indirectly, by encouraging him to be tough and aggressive with others….no matter how small the kid may be. I would talk to the proper authorities, as well.

It wasn’t Michael’s fault. Brad is just a big bully!!!

Sure – but the issue is still a real issue. To Michael’s credit, he apologized to Brad in an attempt to stop it. He did what he could and was attacked by a much bigger kid. I reject adults who say this is just part of growing up, and kids need to learn how to defend themselves. Since when did getting a bigger weapon do anything but escalate the violence. Bullying is childish behavior that we have to teach kids is wrong – otherwise they grow up to become corporate or political bullies… and they do REAL harm.

I had bullies that made my life a living hell for 11 years, and my Mother sent a senator to the school after a bully put a knife in my back(I stll have the scar!) One bully tried Karate on me(she was in for a surpirise) at that point I snapped! The next day I sneaked in with a pistol from home(if you can call it that!) I was ready to kill these people ,but thankfully they were absent. That was over twenty years ago. One of them has children now and straightened his act, the other one is still a jerk and tried to threated me and I called the police on her. It was much more satisfying. The if the school doesn’t do anything, call the police, they will, and take back power that way. And to the bullies, watch out because one way or another this Will come back on you!

There is a movie director MIke Nichols who was bullied. As an adult he met the bully an the bully asked ifbhevremembered him. Mike said yes very well, what do you do? The guy said he was a used car salesman , mike said inam very happy to hear that.

Haven’t most of us been bullied? Even Opie and Andy had to deal with it. Its been going on since life began.

@chefcass That doesn’t make it right.

@chefcass True. Maybe someday.

First, if they lay a finger on you, call the police(that is assualt) because ignoring them, IS NOT going to make them or the problem go away. Second when the police do come PRESS CHARGES! that is assault. Third there is a website called nobully.com. They have the resources to help you. And finally you are not alone, take the power back.

If I may further explain, because I’m feeling misunderstood: I DO know what it’s like to be bullied, ganged up on and attacked (I still get shaky even remembering what happened in the locker room). My mom got involved with the school, who basically said, “kids will be kids and your daughter should learn how to stand up for herself”. The deputy who got involved and said, “sorry, no witnesses, nothing we can do.” I feel despair and sad about it, and for me, there wasn’t a solution. I moved from a big city to a small town and did not fit in.

I agree that this comic was years ago, but unfortunately, the issue is a big problem now and it dones hit a raw nerve with a lot of people and I’m glad that more and more people are speaking out about it. Thank God!

I definitely don’t want those bullies who tortured me in school to EVER find me!!!>>I’m with you there. I grew up in a small town in the south. When I was old enough I left town. Had to move back once, and it was a disaster. I moved three hundred miles away and now life is what it is but problems can be dealt with much better if you make them on your own and deal with them the same. I had to go back and bury my mom ten years ago. I naturally had to run into some of the middle aged buttheads that were still the same. Pity, money doesn’t always equal growth or class.

@loves raising duncan>>I’m totally with you. When I was six I was pantsed(forced to strip) in public park about a half mile from home and had to go home that way. Because of my particular family(another story) the bullying continued until I joined the USMC at 17. After that the idiots even thought twice about tackling a 6’4", 200lb violence machine. Truly, I have mellowed and even forgive them now. But I carried a lot of anger for many years. God Bless and I hope you can mellow as well.

I’ve tried to not tell “my story” but … I need ta say it.I too used to be bullied. Very badly. By 3-4 ‘boys’. In Grade 9, about mid-October, it came to a head. One of the punks decided I had said ‘something wrong’ in gym class. A few hours later (gym was at 10:30, school ended at 3:30), I was walking down the street, with two friends. He comes running and yelling, and the friends tell me to ignore him. I do. He doesn’t like it, takes a running jump, and kicks me in the back of the head. My glasses – a few weeks old – go flying off, and one of my friends picks them up, I drop my pack, turn around, and start wailing on him (you do NOT want to get me mad in regards to my glasses! L).10 minutes later, I had broken his nose, blacked his eyes, and split his lip. He had given me a single black eye, and ripped my shirt.From that day on, NO ONE bullied me in school.

“um, Ya’ll DO realize this comic is re-runs from many years ago?”___________________________________

.Don’t be such a grumpy spoil sport. Maybe YOU remember it from the past, but for some of us, this is the first time WE’VE seen it.

Aww, poor Michael. It always stinks to be bullied, and everyone’s stories today make me sad. What makes me more sad are the ones who end up killing themselves because they can’t deal with it anymore. I wish they felt like there was another option for them. :-(

Just to add the other side – I was never bullied. I have always gotten along with most and ignored those I didn’t. I went to school with mostly the same people all my school life and everyone got along most of the time.

A side comment: I thought the Lynn Johnston stated a few years ago that the reason she returned the characters in the strip to yesteryear was that she wanted to re-do the strip “right”. Therefore, she is drawing the strip today about a topical situation. These are not “re-runs” of old strips. Am I correct>

This reminds me of when I was young and two sisters bullied me. They would hit me and say, Boys can’t hit girls. Finally my parents had enough and told me the next time they hit me, hit them back and I did. Their father, who had a bad temper, flew down to our house and started yelling. My dad just flatly told him when he said that boys don’t hit girls, that girls don’t hit boys either. That was the end of that.

My son was bullied in one of the schools he went to and would come home with torn clothes and bruises [not from playing]. My husband went to the principal and told him that if it happened again on school grounds, he was going to hold the school responsable. No more bullying. He also taught my son the basics of fighting. My son is not aggressive but he did get into a fight with one of the kids at another school when the other kid pushed him too far.That being said, while there is no excuse for allowing such actions, remember Mike was the one who started the whole mess. Brad went way too far but in this case Mike is hardly an innocent victim.

I’ve outlived all my bullies.

Night-Gaunt in answer to your comment yesterday. I have NEVER said that I support or agree with bullies. And I agree that popping someone with an eraser is not reason to beat anyone up. However the fact remains that Brad was not bothering Mike when the incident occurred. Brad really over-reacted, but Mike did have a hand in causing the problem.

I still say that kids have to learn that no one wins in a fight. The only way is to ignore the one on one fight when they are 6-8 yo.Most boys will tell you their first fight was with an older girl and they got beat.There were racial tensions in my town and bussing and the like. A neighbor who was another race, told me that I had to fight once and take it like a man. Well, I got in a fight on the bus and he actually helped me. The 4 that we beat up got suspended for good, I got 3 days and my friend walked.I was never bothered again, word was that the skinny kid(me) beat them good.I do not like it, but that is the way it is. When adults get in the middle, they just make it worse. Let the boys fight before they get old enough to hurt each other and they usually quit. Bullies get beat up sooner or later. Not allowing them to settle it by themselves, causes frustration and the bullied one will them pick up a knife or gun – that is never good.

So where mine in the 60’s as well,, but like you, I’m a survivor. And the website I mention are for survivors like us. And I agree and I not only hope that not only do they burn in Hell, that even worse when they have children(I don’t wish this on the chidren mind you,) that their children get bullied and the former bullies see what their children go through, but to be forced to see what THEY DID and get a taste of their own medicine! Hang in their dear, you’re not alone.

Poor Michael!!! The “punishment” in this instance definitely didn’t fit the “crime”. And shame on all his so-called “friends” who just stood by and watched him take a beating instead of jumping in and helping him out in his time of need. If they had, then maybe the bully would have learned to leave them ALL alone, knowing that if he started something with one boy, then he’d end up having to fight not only that boy but all his friends too. This is why bullies rule . . . no one wants to get involved and do whatever’s necessary to make the bullying STOP.:-(

Bullying is cowardly, but unfortunately, the victims rarely know or care about that. They just want to be left alone. My bullies were female. They can be worse than the boys. Thankfully, it stopped in high school when it was discovered that I also had friends from their school.

One of the people that bullied me became a cop — as somebody noted often happens. In my day, you were pretty much on your own, but I know one thing — if my kid came home looking like Michael, he wouldn’t walk to school by himself again. It’s true kids often bully because they are angry about stuff at home, but parents need to be aware and ready to protect their kids when it happens. Mine were not.

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