Pretermissions?

Are We Becoming A Nation Of Bullies?

Of the many pretermissions about Trump is the fact that he has taught our children that to be successful all you need to do is be a name-calling bully and liar. In my opinion, that’s why Crook tried to kill him. Trump represented the worst of those things that Crook learned to hate while being in school, the bullies and liars who were cruel to him just for laughs. Trump supporters are likely to have been the sycophants of bullies past – weak, ignorant assholes who stood by and laughed while the self-aggrandizing bullies demonstrated their cowardice and insecurity. All in the name of fun? Bullshit. “Fun” at the expense of others is cruelty. These behaviors are on the path to Sadism. 

All of my life I have despised bullies and the parents that made them. Children do not become bullies all by themselves, an ignorant, insecure parent or parents show them the way. As children, we learn by mimicking – imitating how significant others around us behave. We can spot the bully behaviors in daycare settings. It is a learned behavior. It is not an inheritable trait.

Is this scenario familiar? A father gets a speeding ticket on his way home from work. Angry as he walks into the house, in front of the children he belittles and degrades his wife. Hurt and emotional mom then yells at the oldest who takes her anger out on her hapless little brother, who crying, kicks the sleeping, innocent dog that yelps in pain and bewilderment. Bullying always harms the innocent.

I’m no hero, but when the situation presented itself, I have put my body between the bully and their prey more often than not. I intervened on behalf of someone who was being bullied while others, the sycophants, looked on with morbid curiosity. What’s wrong with these people?