Gay Teen: Stop Bullying or I’ll Sue

[metta]

Gay Teen: Stop Bullying or I’ll Sue

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/01/06/Gay_Teen_Stop_Bullying_or_Ill_Sue//

 

[swerve]

I like the kids spirit...

But isn't that kind of bullying in its own right???

just sayin...

 

[BFizzle]

I like the kids spirit...

But isn't that kind of bullying in its own right???

just sayin...

If ya can't beat 'em, join 'em.

 

[swerve]

???!?!?!?

THE FUCK!?

It's now "bullying" if someone properly uses the legal system to seek redress for malfeasance?

PUKE

I guess you think those gay teens that committed suicide should have just taken their abuse so that they didn't "bully" anyone else.

Absolutely preposterous.

WOW!!!

THAT is stretching my post into something that I ABSOLUTELY did NOT say!!!

He is NOT seeking REDRESS!!!

He is saying IN ADVANCE that if they DON'T COMPLY WITH HIS DEMANDS, he'll SUE!!!

Kind of sounded like bullying to me...

 

[swerve]

^Of COURSE I am...

I said I liked his spirit...

just thought his approach was a little heavy handed...

 

[Mathias]

By that logic reminding someone of the law is bullying?

If the government says "pay your taxes or we'll arrest you" is THAT bullying?

If we take that a step further the entire legal system (which is based upon psychological ramifications of punishment) is bullying. Isn't that how children are raised? How we truly learn. From a developmental standpoint prior to the age of 12/13 (ish) children don't truly understand morality and only understand punishment/negative and positive reinforcements of behavior.

So telling a child "Stop misbehaving or you'll have a time out" THAT'S bullying too, I suppose? Is he supposed to wait for them to comply to remind them of his further legal right to take them to court? Is that necessary?

He's standing up for his rights, his legal and judicial rights as outline by the constitution and he is saying that if they don't treat him like a fair, equal citizen then he'll sue. That's an issue I think you'll find in court on a quite frequent basis. Reminding someone of the law is not bullying. I think you'll find that standing up for yourself often looks like bullying but seldom ever really is.

 

[swerve]

^Ummm...

No -- he's telling the school's that if they don't create policies to PREVENT bullying that he'll SUE the SCHOOLS...

At least, that was MY TAKE on the article...

There is NO CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to NOT be bullied...

That I'm aware of anyways...

 

[mxpxl199]

I like the kids spirit...

But isn't that kind of bullying in its own right???

just sayin...

So glad you added the "just sayin..." adds so much to the meaning of your post and sounds really cool. Not overused at all.

 

[bankside]

There is NO CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to NOT be bullied...

The constitution doesn't mention the right of gravity to pull things down either. "OH NO! ACTIVIST LIBERAL JUDGES IMPOSING GRAVITY!!!!!!!1!!!!one!!!!"

 

[swerve]

^Here in the U.S. we have airplanes, rockets, etc -- so we're NOT BOUND to gravity...

And in Hot Topics, we have levity...

 

[bankside]

Did the United States get taken over by France and I didn't hear about it?

No? Then it still has Common Law.

Which mean this kid has every right to prove tort and claim damages from his tormentors. And since schools and school boards have a duty of care when he is surrendered from his parents' custody, they have a duty to act.

 

[PreTTy PeTe]

not that I support bullying, but it makes me scratch my head a little to see this come completely out of the blue.

did he try lobbying schools or the government to institute anti-bullying policies? are bullied students suing the schools? it's kinda like the Bush Doctrine approach to ending bullying.

do schools really need specifically anti-gay bullying measures? what about the kids who are getting bullied because they're poor or wear glasses or get good grades?

no it didn't come out of the blue. this kid has balls and he's going places. we need more like him.


Gay high school student says teachers ignored bullying, death threats against him
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKMiYUjsXKw[/ame]

 

[bankside]

Has anyone in this forum actually read the Actual United States Constitution?

It's been a while but yes.

That and the Declaration of Independents too.

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.(grin) (something to do with nader and perot).

PS, I've also read Canada's, the United Nations, various assorted French constitutions from 1ère to 5ième République, Germany's Basic Law, Japan's post-war constitution, British custom and statute, and Soviet and Russian constitutions. (in English translation apart from the French).

 

[boxerdudeuk]

what magic wand does he expect the schools to be able to wave to instantly stop bullying that has existed for the entire history of human existence?

this. 100%. not only can they not be expected to stop it, when their primary goal is to EDUCATE kids, but they can't possibly be expected to force kids to behave a certain way under threat of civil litigation.

this is absolutely ridiculous and frivolous. it sets a dangerous precedent which will cause a tidal wave of litigation for any act deemed "offensive" in ANY public place.

let's remember he isn't threatening to sue THE ACTUAL KIDS DOING THE BULLYING - he's threatening to sue the administrators of the facility in which is takes place.

stupid x 1,000,000.

 

[mydrew1]

There is NO CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to NOT be bullied...

There's no US constitutional right NOT to be a slave. Or that the US government may not commit genocide, or indiscriminate warfare in war, etc.

Common law operates on a variety of principles, one is that if there is no specific legislation or court decisions declaring something lawful, it is unlawful until further notice. Or extra legal, if you will.

Nor is the US Const. a perfect document worthy of invoking every time you see something you disagree with to use to discredit an argument.

 

[fetaby]

this. 100%. not only can they not be expected to stop it, when their primary goal is to EDUCATE kids, but they can't possibly be expected to force kids to behave a certain way under threat of civil litigation.

this is absolutely ridiculous and frivolous. it sets a dangerous precedent which will cause a tidal wave of litigation for any act deemed "offensive" in ANY public place.

let's remember he isn't threatening to sue THE ACTUAL KIDS DOING THE BULLYING - he's threatening to sue the administrators of the facility in which is takes place.

stupid x 1,000,000.

Was it stupid to enact laws and policies regarding sexual harassment?

And we never know what is possible until we try.

 

[boxerdudeuk]

Was it stupid to enact laws and policies regarding sexual harassment?

And we never know what is possible until we try.

i'm going to be blunt here. let's say i'm an african american male. i'm sitting in a theatre watching a movie. you walk by me and call me a n***er.

should i be able to sue the theatre for your behaviour?

 

[bankside]

i'm going to be blunt here. let's say i'm an african american male. i'm sitting in a theatre watching a movie. you walk by me and call me a n***er.

should i be able to sue the theatre for your behaviour?

If you mention it to an usher, and there's no question that the guy said it because there are witnesses who agree, and the theatre does nothing, then yes, you could sue, and you'd win, and you should win.

 

[bankside]

is there any evidence of that? every school I went to had comprehensive policies.

I can't imagine many teachers saying "oh, you got beat up because Joe thought you were gay? too bad, come back after you got beat up for being poor."

A school with comprehensive anti-bullying policies that protected gay youth along with everyone else would have a very very easy time defending itself from this kind of lawsuit. Do you seriously think all schools would have just as easy a time?

Of course not. Some schools willfully turn a blind eye to such bullying of gay youth, and some school officials enjoy it, if they aren't actually fomenting it. They should be sued. They will be sued. And they will lose.

 

[boxerdudeuk]

If you mention it to an usher, and there's no question that the guy said it because there are witnesses who agree, and the theatre does nothing, then yes, you could sue, and you'd win, and you should win.

i doubt very much that's true. best case scenario all the theatre would be expected to do in that situation would be to have security or a staff member ask him to leave.

even if they didn't - there's no civil liability on behalf of the owners of the theatre to be responsible for the mutterings of a patron.