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Today's Poll: Have you ever been a bully?

By Howard B. Owens
Doug Yeomans

I can't say as I've ever been a bully but I've picked on people. It's not habitual and I generally don't tolerate bullies. I wouldn't want to be bullied so I wouldn't become one.

Nov 30, 2011, 8:29am Permalink
RICHARD L. HALE

I can remember way back in third or fourth grade, I used to pick on this black kid. Why? Because he was black and different I guess. I didn't understand. Everybody kind of picked on him. Back then, there were maybe only four or five black families in Batavia.

We got into it one day, it was a Friday afternoon, I knocked him down and he hit his head on the sidewalk. He cried, we all laughed and walked away. On Monday morning we learned that the same boy we picked on on Friday, had been struck and killed by a car later that afternoon. From that day forward, I never again bullyed or picked on another person.

That was nearly 50 years ago, but whenever I really think about it, I can still hear him crying.

Dec 1, 2011, 1:16am Permalink
Doug Yeomans

Richard, we've all tasted humble pie. Experiences in our life help make us who we are. Mistakes are made, it's inevitable. The real test is how we respond to mistakes over the long haul of life. Not a single person is all good or all bad. We should strive to be "more" good than bad and to be there for other people when we can. I often wonder how many people remember me for my misdeeds as opposed to my good deeds. One lesson best learned early in life is to have good deeds outweigh misdeeds..our conscience will rest easily each night if we live by that rule. If you've given more people a hand-up than you've pushed down, your kidstuff shenanigans should be forgiven.

Dec 1, 2011, 4:02am Permalink
John Woodworth JR

Well put Doug, well put.

Richard, at least you were strong enough to acknowledge what you did and learned an important lesson. Sometimes it takes us to witness a tragedy to fully comprehend our mistakes. Hope you are not stil beating yourself up though.

Dec 5, 2011, 10:26am Permalink

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