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Behind the Aegis

(53,823 posts)
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 04:16 PM Nov 2019

Gay teen fights back against school bully as teachers do nothing in viral video

Jordan Steffy finally reached his limit.

After being called a “f*ggot” by the same student nearly every day since the seventh grade, the out high school junior was forced to take matters into his own hands last week after teachers refused to help him.

Two different clips show Steffy fighting back against his bully and have racked up over 10 million views combined in just a matter of days.


The physical altercation happened inside a classroom at Laporte High School in La Porte, Indiana. Both videos show the bully calling Jordan a “f*ggot” and advancing on him despite being asked to step back.

“Back the f*ck up out of my face, now,” Jordan is heard saying. “Cause I’m not playing with you.”

more...


Of course, it was Jordan who was punished because when a gay person stands up for him(her)self, we are the aggressor/abuser. This shit happens more than people know, or care to admit. This is also why many GLBT people here (and a few of our allies), really do not like casual homophobia and transphobia, because they have real world consequences.

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Gay teen fights back against school bully as teachers do nothing in viral video (Original Post) Behind the Aegis Nov 2019 OP
I saw that video a couple of days ago ismnotwasm Nov 2019 #1
Almost slapped him out of his shoes to send him to the floor Hav Nov 2019 #2
Jordan initiated the verbal exchange stopdiggin Nov 2019 #3
No he doesn't deserve to be charged with assault. phleshdef Nov 2019 #5
I agree in principle stopdiggin Nov 2019 #9
There is way more to it than that. phleshdef Nov 2019 #12
It's a good case for a "stand your ground" type of law. patphil Nov 2019 #69
Republican homo-phobe? Soxderrube Nov 2019 #71
that was your take away? (nt) stopdiggin Nov 2019 #73
I just watched it. The kid came at him. He told him back off and he didn't. Buckeyeblue Nov 2019 #10
then we have a diff of opinion. gay teen was aggressor in vid. stopdiggin Nov 2019 #13
But I don't believe you have to be assaulted before you can defend yourself Buckeyeblue Nov 2019 #15
Not quite. Saviolo Nov 2019 #22
in almost any jurisdiction stopdiggin Nov 2019 #27
If I were looking at that video Saviolo Nov 2019 #38
Yes, that is the rational analysis. TomVilmer Nov 2019 #40
Jordan had been putting up with that punk for years, it never stopped. He DIDN'T initiate it. George II Nov 2019 #17
on this occasion he did stopdiggin Nov 2019 #19
And you interpret this as NOT being the aggressor? LiberalLovinLug Nov 2019 #26
in his own words, Steffy confronted the other kid about the post stopdiggin Nov 2019 #35
You are speaking in purely legal terminology. LiberalLovinLug Nov 2019 #39
you make good points stopdiggin Nov 2019 #55
You also make a good point there LiberalLovinLug Nov 2019 #56
Who cares if he's the aggressor? Good for him The Liberal Lion Nov 2019 #28
Then why don't you tell me where the fuck the teachers were all year. backscatter712 Nov 2019 #43
no you don't offend stopdiggin Nov 2019 #44
It's clear that this school system was ignoring this situation for FIVE fucking years. backscatter712 Nov 2019 #45
do you have evidence stopdiggin Nov 2019 #47
It's in the article. backscatter712 Nov 2019 #51
this is the teen's account stopdiggin Nov 2019 #53
What exactly leads you to allege it's not plausible? LanternWaste Nov 2019 #65
Ugh David__77 Nov 2019 #50
This message was self-deleted by its author SlogginThroughIt Nov 2019 #58
LOL tenderfoot Nov 2019 #61
Good for Jordan! sheshe2 Nov 2019 #4
It's always the bullies who get the slap on the wrist sakabatou Nov 2019 #6
Society is threatened by those who don't stay in their place The Liberal Lion Nov 2019 #31
When you fight back against them they yell for mommy RhodeIslandOne Nov 2019 #70
k&r Demovictory9 Nov 2019 #7
video from twitter Demovictory9 Nov 2019 #8
+100000 Celerity Nov 2019 #14
Since this was in Mike Pence Country, why didn't the bully just CaptYossarian Nov 2019 #11
Did some apostles abandon their families? keithbvadu2 Nov 2019 #21
I was trolling the evangelicals. Make them think they have a gay Savior. CaptYossarian Nov 2019 #60
Um. cwydro Nov 2019 #30
I was trolling the RWNJs. Hit them where it hurts. CaptYossarian Nov 2019 #57
I couldn't find the location. U.S. south? Red, xtian state? Public school or private? lindysalsagal Nov 2019 #52
It was rural Indiana. CaptYossarian Nov 2019 #59
No surprise, there. lindysalsagal Nov 2019 #64
Totalitarian Peace. The perverted notion that peace is the lack of opposing abuse. MarcA Nov 2019 #16
+1 The Liberal Lion Nov 2019 #32
the anti harassment policies , rules, laws and so on are a bunch of nonsense AllaN01Bear Nov 2019 #18
The fact that the teacher let it get that far is appalling. Susan Calvin Nov 2019 #20
I can hear adult voices toward the end. cwydro Nov 2019 #34
Sounded like a male teacher came in through the door. AtheistCrusader Nov 2019 #72
Depends on the district. Igel Nov 2019 #41
Exactly. Susan Calvin Nov 2019 #42
Ah, zero-tolerance, the tried and true way for right-wingers in power to brain-damage any system. backscatter712 Nov 2019 #46
True, but hopefully the bully now knows not to ever ecstatic Nov 2019 #62
You may be right about that, Susan Calvin Nov 2019 #74
I wish I had known how lame bullies are when I was in school. Inside they are scared little children Nitram Nov 2019 #23
Will the bully get several buddies to help attack Jordan to defend his manliness? keithbvadu2 Nov 2019 #24
Probably The Liberal Lion Nov 2019 #33
Not likely. His buddies are probably ragging the shit out of him for getting his ass kicked! Floyd R. Turbo Nov 2019 #37
Anything is possible with this new generation, but ecstatic Nov 2019 #63
Stand tall Jordan. The teachers that watched need to be fired. No excuse. The bullies need to Evolve Dammit Nov 2019 #25
Rec. cwydro Nov 2019 #29
Braaavo! LuvNewcastle Nov 2019 #36
Great job. dalton99a Nov 2019 #48
Warms my heart. David__77 Nov 2019 #49
Good for that kid. 912gdm Nov 2019 #54
Bravo Jordan randr Nov 2019 #66
I empathize with Jordan for fighting back against a verbal abuser IronLionZion Nov 2019 #67
The odd thing about the encounter is that the other kid never Apollo Zeus Nov 2019 #68

Hav

(5,969 posts)
2. Almost slapped him out of his shoes to send him to the floor
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 04:30 PM
Nov 2019

But it's sad when you get literally backed into a corner like that because no one is willing to help you. I fear the bully will look for revenge, not alone, of course.

stopdiggin

(11,089 posts)
3. Jordan initiated the verbal exchange
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 04:37 PM
Nov 2019

AND the only punch shown in video. This is a really POOR example if you're trying to highlight LGBT bullying. No question this is a real issue, and a real problem .. but you've just posted a video of a gay teen that probably deserves to be charged with assault. This doesn't help.

 

phleshdef

(11,936 posts)
5. No he doesn't deserve to be charged with assault.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 04:46 PM
Nov 2019

If we did that shit, we'd be putting kids in jail everyday.

I applaud him for beating the shit out of that bully. Junior High/High School years, kids that get picked on a lot often end up having to do that at least once. People tend to leave them alone after that.

stopdiggin

(11,089 posts)
9. I agree in principle
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 05:12 PM
Nov 2019

most schoolyard scuffles don't need to be (and preferably aren't) dealt with by the criminal justice system. (kind of a sad commentary on our times that often that's not the case these days). However .. what is pictured in the video clearly meets the definition of physical assault .. and almost as clearly, the gay teen was the aggressor in both the verbal and physical exchange. This may well have been a case of "just deserts" and a place where things are best left to work themselves out .. but we have only written commentary to make that case. What the video depicts .. is one teen doing a bunch of mouthing off .. and then smacking another teen. As such, the video shows nothing that is advancing LGBT rights, safety, respect or inclusion .. unless you are advocating that what we all really ought to be doing is going around arguing with people .. and then punching them in the face.

 

phleshdef

(11,936 posts)
12. There is way more to it than that.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 05:24 PM
Nov 2019

For one, he kept telling the bullying kid to back up and he kept advancing towards him. He slapped him. There is a second video that shows the rest of the fight where after smacking him, he again tells the other kid to keep back and the kid advances on him again so he proceeds to beat the hell out of him and a teacher breaks it up.

When I was a kid, I got into some fights and I learned quick to throw the first damn punch. I wasn't about to let someone hurt me. If I felt threatened, I protected myself.

Secondly, the gay teen didn't start it. Did you even bother to read the article at the link? This other kid had been bullying him online and was constantly calling him "faggot" all the time. He had been putting up with this shit for FIVE years and the teachers nor the principle would do anything about it. They just let it go on. After enough of that, he had every right to confront the kid himself over it and he had every right to beat that kids ass when he kept coming up to get in his face after being warned to stay back. He chose to get hit.

And yea, at a certain point, I am advocating that we confront bullies and if need be, punch them in the fucking face. Its better than committing suicide, which is how too many LGBT teens have responded to this type of behavior.

I'm not saying I want people to just go be violent all the time but sometimes you gotta take up for yourself and sometimes a good ol' fashion schoolyard brawl is okay. Sometimes, its the only language a bully will ever understand.

patphil

(6,028 posts)
69. It's a good case for a "stand your ground" type of law.
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 01:10 PM
Nov 2019

Violence is not always measured by a physical attack.
The bully made moves toward him, and continued to do so after being warned.
He also referred to the gay teen as a "faggot"; a hate-filled verbal and psychological attack, which the kid had endured countless times.
In my book, this is a case of self defense.
Whether or not the gay teen is charged in this case, I think the school can be sued for allowing this to continue for five years.

No matter what the outcome, it's better this came out in the open so it can, hopefully, be resolved.

Patrick Phillips

Buckeyeblue

(5,491 posts)
10. I just watched it. The kid came at him. He told him back off and he didn't.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 05:14 PM
Nov 2019

I think Jordan defended himself appropriately. My question is where are the adults in the room?

If someone is approaching me and I tell them to stop and the continue toward me, I'm defending myself.

stopdiggin

(11,089 posts)
13. then we have a diff of opinion. gay teen was aggressor in vid.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 05:28 PM
Nov 2019

there's some posturing going on (two teenagers). But the other kid has his hands down at his sides the whole time.

If someone is approaching me and I tell them to stop and the continue toward me, I'm defending myself.

and if you initiate physical contact .. you are guilty of assault. If you feel you have to in order to defend yourself, I understand. But you could very well end up being charged. Choice you have to make. Walking towards someone is not assault. Hitting somebody is.

(I suspect a teacher wasn't immediately present. If they were .. THEY need to answer some questions.)

Buckeyeblue

(5,491 posts)
15. But I don't believe you have to be assaulted before you can defend yourself
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 05:34 PM
Nov 2019

I get the posturing. But in Jordan's voice there is an element of fear. He keeps repeating stay away from me. The other kid doesn't. You are right, though. When you take physical action to defend yourself you are risking being charged with a crime.

Saviolo

(3,268 posts)
22. Not quite.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 06:24 PM
Nov 2019

If you initiate physical contact you are guilty of battery. That's why there is such a thing as being charged with "assault and battery" though this differs from jurisdiction to jurisdiction:

Traditionally, common law legal systems had separate definitions for assault and battery. When this distinction is observed, battery refers to the actual bodily contact, whereas assault refers to a credible threat or attempt to cause battery. Some jurisdictions combined the two offences into assault and battery, which then became widely referred to as "assault". The result is that in many of these jurisdictions, assault has taken on a definition that is more in line with the traditional definition of battery. The legal systems of civil law and Scots law have never distinguished assault from battery.


The bully had been assaulting Jordan for 5 years with taunts and mocking, social media posts directly targeting him, and then the bully in his face advancing and calling him a faggot. I'll tell you what, I've never been in a situation where someone advancing towards me and yelling "faggot" into my face was looking to do something good. These things always escalate.

stopdiggin

(11,089 posts)
27. in almost any jurisdiction
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 06:46 PM
Nov 2019

the evidence presented in the video is going to get Stiffy charged with assault. Do you disagree? The kid may have had his reasons (I never said he didn't). He may well have been justified in public opinion (perhaps even in mine) given the circumstance. But a judge looks at this video and ....

And the totality of the video (and the OP) does very little to advance the LGBT cause .. on ANY level.

Saviolo

(3,268 posts)
38. If I were looking at that video
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 07:14 PM
Nov 2019

One would be charged with assault and one with assault and battery.

Also, naked violence started the LGBTQ+ cause. Remember: The first Pride was a riot.

TomVilmer

(1,832 posts)
40. Yes, that is the rational analysis.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 08:08 PM
Nov 2019

I was myself bullied and beaten at school, both by other students and by the teachers. And by my otherwise loving family, since this is more than 50 years ago. And I was fighting back psychically through and after high school. That is why it is now 50 years sine my last fight, and why I today is a very active pacifist.

So I agree. Beating the bully does not transform anybody into a hero. Just into a new kind of bully. Fight back, but by all other means!

stopdiggin

(11,089 posts)
19. on this occasion he did
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 06:07 PM
Nov 2019

per Steffy's own words:

“He made an anti-gay post with a picture of me on it saying how he hated gays and a bunch of throwing up emojis all over it. I walked up to him and said ‘Why did you post this?’ He said ‘It was just a post.’ And I said ‘Well, it’s not just a post. It’s a post about me, saying how you dislike who I am, and I don’t appreciate that.’ He went on to say ‘Okay, but what are you going to do about it?’ I said ‘I’m not going to deal with this, this is the last time I’m called anything.’ And then he said ‘What are you going to do about it, faggot?’ And that’s when I was like ‘No, I’m not doing this.'”

LiberalLovinLug

(14,153 posts)
26. And you interpret this as NOT being the aggressor?
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 06:41 PM
Nov 2019

And posting that kind of hateful abusive comments against him online. Which only incites other latent bigots to pile on. And how long has this been going on?

I was bullied in high school. Not for being gay, but it was still a crippling emotionally draining experience. Going to school knowing you may be confronted by a certain group of bullies. But even more disparaging, that the rank and file of the students, some who used to be your friends in elementary school, are silent and hang back because they don't want to be on the outs with the popular mean crowd.

I was confronted by two guys in a school hallway one day in high school. Before they could touch me, my adrenaline kicked in and I literally threw them against the lockers. One against two. I was surprised by my own strength, I'm not a fighter, and I was a skinny kid back then. They never bothered me ever again.

You cannot simplify it to having to wait until someone actually physically touches you in order to have permission to defend yourself. Also, the bully was moving forward the whole time, and using inflammatory language. He was stupid IMO. I think he realized too late he miscalculated the response from the taller gay classmate, but he couldn't back down (or be called a f***** by his own peer group).

I imagine, like it was for me in my little moment, that it was the years of bullshit that finally broke the damn. I'd put it to you that if you added up all the years of verbal abuse and physical assaults and ostracization it is more than the equivalent of a physical push from one person.


stopdiggin

(11,089 posts)
35. in his own words, Steffy confronted the other kid about the post
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 07:09 PM
Nov 2019

so, yes .. he in fact initiated the verbal encounter. I understand that there is prior history here. But a finding of who initiated and who is the aggressor in an assault depends on who did what NOW .. not last night, not last weekend, not last year.

Is Steffy a sympathetic figure? Yes. Is there some provocation and justification? Yes. Would I have done the same thing he did? Perhaps, yes (and have on occasion). Do his actions in this situation constitute assault? Without a doubt.

LiberalLovinLug

(14,153 posts)
39. You are speaking in purely legal terminology.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 07:43 PM
Nov 2019

I appreciate that.
I'm talking more of a broader definition of assault.

Even then one could argue he was provoked. And confronting someone who has done those kinds of personal attacks against you is not wrong. It is admirable. Obviously you are confining your critique to him actually physically engaging him.

But I also don't think one can limit their conclusions without looking at the circumstances of previous assaults against him. What would your position be for a wife who had been abused and demeaned for years by her husband. And one day, she confronts him after some particular instance when he lies and demeans her for all her facebook friends to see, and his reaction is to once again get up in her face, once again calling her demeaning names, waling forwards into her, and she, unxpectantly for him, punched him, physically fought him. (hypothetically lets say she is his own size). You could legally charge her for assault I guess. But I'm not talking about strict legal justice, I'm talking about human justice.

So yes you may be correct on the legalize of that one moment in time. I just think one has to look at the bigger picture. If it went to court and the now defendant had access to, and was able to show, a video of every bullying encounter with this guy, every physical, emotional, and social media abuse against him, I wonder if they'd not side with Steffy that he was defending himself.

stopdiggin

(11,089 posts)
55. you make good points
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 01:12 AM
Nov 2019

my real issue here lies not with the teen and his actions .. but the presentation of the video as some kind of moral victory for LGBT rights or the community. It's not. I actually have some sympathy for the kid (and might argue that he had some justification). But the video .. is about two kids trash talking one another, and then someone hits someone else in the face. And, unless your a fan of "punch out" videos on YouTube .. NOBODY gained anything here. What did the community gain by posting this?

LiberalLovinLug

(14,153 posts)
56. You also make a good point there
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 03:13 AM
Nov 2019

I guess I think along these lines...If every time one of these situations occur, it his handled with violence, I think that would not only be disturbing but counter productive. I think though that because such a situation where the victim actually fights back, even if a delayed reaction, is so rare, and that it was recorded, it can go onto the shelf of "public payback" for every victim that can't. It was a unique moment, that usually does not happen like that. The exception to the rule, But its human emotion. And that bully could have just backed off and said sorry, or even just ...I don't want to deal with this right now, but he got into his face and kept moving forward. The face of someone obvioulsly very emotionally upset and pissed off at this asshole, who seemed unrepentant and was going to keep the social media abuse going. While violence is wrong, there are times where, looking at all the circumstances, the person could be excused, for that one time.

The Liberal Lion

(1,414 posts)
28. Who cares if he's the aggressor? Good for him
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 06:51 PM
Nov 2019

He changed the paradigm. He refused to see himself as a victim any longer and saw himself now as a capable of controlling his destiny. I applaud both the courage it took for him to smack the shit out of his tormentor and the actual smacking of the shit out of him. You are welcome to have your perspective, but since you posted in a public forum I'm going to respond to it.

backscatter712

(26,355 posts)
43. Then why don't you tell me where the fuck the teachers were all year.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 09:17 PM
Nov 2019

If you can't give a good answer to that question then just shut the fuck up.

Bullying is abuse. Repeated, systematic abuse. In this case, right under the nose of a school system that systematically refuses to give a shit.

And a victim of this sort of abuse has the right to make that abuse end by any means necessary. Including violence. Sorry if that offends..

stopdiggin

(11,089 posts)
44. no you don't offend
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 10:37 PM
Nov 2019

I just don't think you're right. There are no victories for the LGBT community either in this vid, or in the OP.

And .. I don't know where the teacher was in this scenario .. but I would hope that MOST school systems would have made at least some effort to diffuse this situation if/when reported .. pretty standard practice in schools these days.

backscatter712

(26,355 posts)
45. It's clear that this school system was ignoring this situation for FIVE fucking years.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 11:38 PM
Nov 2019

What was this kid supposed to do?

You say go tell the teachers/principal/dean? He did, and they got him in trouble instead of the bully.

So consequences or not, I would have broken the bullying shit's eye socket.

stopdiggin

(11,089 posts)
47. do you have evidence
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 11:56 PM
Nov 2019

that he "got in trouble" by going to the school? That would be a very unusual reaction from a school system.

stopdiggin

(11,089 posts)
53. this is the teen's account
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 01:00 AM
Nov 2019
Steffy says he’s reported the bullying to school officials many times in the past, but more often than not, he’s the one who ends up getting in trouble.

“It seemed like I was getting in more trouble for reporting it than I was if I didn’t say anything at all,” he says. “It was doing me more harm than it was good.”


I still find it somewhat (un)creditable that a report of bullying (let alone multiple reports) lands the victim in trouble. That just doesn't sound real plausible. Does it? There's either more to the story .. or this is a VERY unusual school system

Response to stopdiggin (Reply #3)

The Liberal Lion

(1,414 posts)
31. Society is threatened by those who don't stay in their place
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 06:58 PM
Nov 2019

had Jordan been at some point beaten to a pulp by this long time tormentor there would have been a giant pity party for Jordan, only making the situation worse for him mentally. He would have seen himself as weak and not capable of controlling his own destiny. That's how our society wants people like Jordan. But Jordan decided to break the paradigm. He decided to go big and now society will feel threatened by him. I say that's a good thing. Regardless, when we step outside of the role that society wants to place us in society will respond disagreeably. So it is. But so what?

 

RhodeIslandOne

(5,042 posts)
70. When you fight back against them they yell for mommy
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 01:16 PM
Nov 2019

Or the system that has normalized their bullshit.

CaptYossarian

(6,448 posts)
11. Since this was in Mike Pence Country, why didn't the bully just
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 05:16 PM
Nov 2019

"pray the gay away"?

This is very effective because Jesus never married and only hung out with 12 guys (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).

CaptYossarian

(6,448 posts)
60. I was trolling the evangelicals. Make them think they have a gay Savior.
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 10:33 AM
Nov 2019

I hope they're sucking their thumbs while in the fetal position.

CaptYossarian

(6,448 posts)
57. I was trolling the RWNJs. Hit them where it hurts.
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 10:28 AM
Nov 2019

That's why you didn't get it.

I once told an evangelical he shouldn't be so pissed at gays because they're the only ones not getting abortions. He got up and left without saying a word.

MarcA

(2,195 posts)
16. Totalitarian Peace. The perverted notion that peace is the lack of opposing abuse.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 05:45 PM
Nov 2019

Typical in amoral institutions that place order and control above all else.
"Law and order" thinking. What the school and administration need is a
dose of "no justice, no peace".

AllaN01Bear

(17,355 posts)
18. the anti harassment policies , rules, laws and so on are a bunch of nonsense
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 06:05 PM
Nov 2019

i hope the young man plans to sue the following: teacher in charge of classroom. : school principle : school district and school superintendant and the bully and his parents of course .

Susan Calvin

(1,644 posts)
20. The fact that the teacher let it get that far is appalling.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 06:07 PM
Nov 2019

There was plenty of noise over quite enough time to alert the teacher. But I don't see a teacher in sight even trying to do something about it before the punch was thrown.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
72. Sounded like a male teacher came in through the door.
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 03:02 PM
Nov 2019

Someone probably went to get help.

Too bad that right hook missed high. That might have been the end of the whole thing.

Igel

(35,191 posts)
41. Depends on the district.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 08:50 PM
Nov 2019

If a kid's in danger and I don't interfere, it's a bad thing.

If there's just a fight, at *best* I could try to pull a kid off another. Odds are, if that happens the kid's in trouble and quite probably so am I. My first orders are to contact an AP and security (my school has a hot line, contact one person and both are notified at once). They're covered for it, they're trained for it, and they're authorized to do it--unless it's fairly clear that somebody's going to get hurt. But it really depends on situation.

It's zero tolerance. It doesn't matter who starts it, there's always some claim that the other person *really* started it. And that the only "true" way of dealing with it is through violence. Instead of trying to sort out the history of who did what--"but I was bullied for 5 years" gets met with "by this particular boy?"--the attitude is simply to take it elsewhere.

The claims that sometimes violence is more peaceful than peace is double plus ungood. There are times to handle it, but take it elsewhere. Otherwise it's "violence is good when I agree with it."

Note that Steffy wasn't much of a threat. And we honestly don't know what the actual employer's orders were, just what our individual moral sense of what universal justice really should be is.

In this case I'd probably have simply interposed myself to the extent possible between the two and tried to talk Steffy down.

Susan Calvin

(1,644 posts)
42. Exactly.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 09:07 PM
Nov 2019

And it looks like if any adult took notice it wasn't to try to defuse the situation. Any adult in the area should have at least tried. And if they tried presumably we would be able to hear or see it on the video. I speak as one who has at least attempted to defuse many situations and break up many fights.

backscatter712

(26,355 posts)
46. Ah, zero-tolerance, the tried and true way for right-wingers in power to brain-damage any system.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 11:44 PM
Nov 2019

Nope, no common sense allowed.

These are the schools where if a kid is bullied by another kid, and the bully swings and punches the victim, even if the victim doesn't fight back at all, he still gets slapped with suspensions, expulsions, criminal charges because of the ol' conservative trick of BoTh SiDeS!1!

Conservatives want bullying. They want to be the bullies when everyone's grown up to be politicians and cops and plebs.

So they allow bullying to happen. Then when things escalate to blows, they blame the bully victims. They let the bullies play crybully, say "He started it!" and slither out of consequences, while they bring the hammer down hard on anyone who dares to raise a voice against chronic repeated abuse.

ecstatic

(32,566 posts)
62. True, but hopefully the bully now knows not to ever
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 10:47 AM
Nov 2019

try anything again after that ass whipping (not to mention the whole incident is now immortalized on the internet). It's probably a wake up call for other bullies as well.

Maybe these types of situations have to be resolved by the kids themselves?

Susan Calvin

(1,644 posts)
74. You may be right about that,
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 08:19 PM
Nov 2019

but not in the classroom. At least not without the teacher at least trying to do something. I do not hear or see anything on that video that even sounded like trying, and the trying should've started long before it escalated to the level where the video started.

keithbvadu2

(36,362 posts)
24. Will the bully get several buddies to help attack Jordan to defend his manliness?
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 06:32 PM
Nov 2019

Will the bully get several buddies to help attack Jordan to defend his manliness?

The Liberal Lion

(1,414 posts)
33. Probably
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 07:00 PM
Nov 2019

He's got to somehow figure out how to get his penis back. Regardless, I'm pretty sure Jordan will be ready.

ecstatic

(32,566 posts)
63. Anything is possible with this new generation, but
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 11:05 AM
Nov 2019

I don't think so. The bully already got his butt kicked. Asking his buddies to jump Jordan would make him look even weaker because he'd be admitting that it takes multiple boys to beat up one boy. Jordan would look stronger, regardless of the outcome.

Evolve Dammit

(16,632 posts)
25. Stand tall Jordan. The teachers that watched need to be fired. No excuse. The bullies need to
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 06:32 PM
Nov 2019

be held accountable by the school. Evolve Dammit!

 

cwydro

(51,308 posts)
29. Rec.
Mon Nov 11, 2019, 06:53 PM
Nov 2019

Yes indeed, those who enjoy casual homophobic jokes here really have no idea.

Thanks for posting this.

912gdm

(959 posts)
54. Good for that kid.
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 01:05 AM
Nov 2019

I wish I had a moment of courage and indignant rage in the late 80's when I was being called a faggot. for years. After being beaten down day and day. for being a faggot.


That kid is a fucking hero.




IronLionZion

(45,256 posts)
67. I empathize with Jordan for fighting back against a verbal abuser
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 12:40 PM
Nov 2019

after what must have been provocation over time. But this incident wasn't self defense. And the teachers and adults were wrong to let it get far enough to turn physical.

The teachers in that school should have told the bully to stop long ago and taught him the verbal abuse was wrong no matter the reason.

Apollo Zeus

(251 posts)
68. The odd thing about the encounter is that the other kid never
Tue Nov 12, 2019, 01:08 PM
Nov 2019

puts his hands up. Never swings or blocks. Makes me wonder about his state of mind.

This boy has been obsessed with Jordan and Jordan's open sexuality since puberty...hmmmmm (?)

To be clear both boys' actions are inappropriate but no one should have to tolerate being stalked and harrassed. No school should tolerate that word just like they should not tolerate the N-word or other verbal assault. Also should not tolerate stalking behavior between any two students for any reason. This could have been MUCH worse, like the Oxnard murder in 2008.

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