Who is the Bully?

Do you like bullying? Maybe if you are one. I personally don't know anyone who likes people who act like bullies, or who are bullies.

I guess I should be a little more clear. What I don't like is the actual bullying. The person may have some good qualities, but it's the bullying that I don't like.

Should we encourage others to submit to the demands of a bully?

No. I don't believe we should encourage anyone to submit to the demands of a bully. If the bullying happens in a school, the student is encouraged to report it.

How do we deal with bullies outside of school?

How do we deal with adult bullies?

So, let's get some common ground. A bully is a person who seeks to harm or intimidate others, particularly those the bully sees as vulnerable and susceptible to the bully.

The act of bullying is to seek to harm, intimidate or coerce someone who is perceived as vulnerable.

The website stopbullying.gov (https://www.stopbullying.gov/bullying/what-is-bullying) states the following:

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance.

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

• An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
• Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

 Let's look at "aggressive" which is defined as (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aggressive)

1a: tending toward or exhibiting aggression

        aggressive behavior

b: marked by combative readiness

        an aggressive fighter

2a: marked by obtrusive energy and self-assertiveness

        a rude, aggressive personality

b: marked by driving forceful energy or initiative : ENTERPRISING

        an aggressive salesman

3: strong or emphatic in effect or intent

        aggressive colors

        aggressive flavors

4: growing, developing, or spreading rapidly

        aggressive bone tumors

5: more severe, intensive, or comprehensive than usual especially in dosage or extent

Often people associate the act of bullying with violence, but a bully doesn't have to be physically violent to be a bully. That should be clear from the definitions and descriptions.

Some may not like this, but most protesters act like bullies.

And it's clear that a lot of organizers--whether individuals, groups, organizations, etc.--behind "movements", rallies, demonstrations, protests, etc. are supportive of and encourage bully-like behavior. 

That is, protesters too often act aggressively. They intimidate, make threats, attack physically or verbally, and try to coerce others. Many protesters act aggressively not at a single event or confrontation with someone else, but repeatedly. Their actions towards others are unwanted and they frequently ignore, infringe, and completely violate the rights and freedoms of others. 

There may be a few legitimate protesters, those who actually try to comply with the law and peaceably assemble to voice their grievances.

But most protesters demonstrate little respect for the rights of others or for the law. Most act like because they are "protesting" they have immunity and can act however they want, frequently disrespecting and intimidating others.

It is not my job to identify whether a protester is peaceably assembled according to Constitutional rights or not. If anyone in the protest is doing something that is not peaceful, and other protesters aren't stopping them or denouncing their unConstitutional and non-peaceful (bully) actions, then, by association, everyone in the protest is condoning and accepting of the unlawful actions by the few.

Protesters too frequently brush off the unlawful actions of the few and even justify or rationalize those actions, which means they are accepting of the unlawful actions. They believe wrong and unlawful actions are the way to "right" the wrongs they are protesting.

When protesters don't denounce the unlawful actions of fellow protesters, and too frequently come to their defense, it hurts the credibility of the movement and acceptance by non-protesters.

I believe that to the silent majority of the population, most protesters either act like bullies or the protesters accept and justify the bullying. Because protesters are seen as bullies or supporting bullies, they are losing their support.

I think most people are fully supportive of equality and fairness, with the Rule of Law being applicable to all equally, where there aren't special laws that treat different groups of the population differently, giving special treatment, preference, or prosecution. I believe most people want to be treated the same as anyone and everyone else and to be respected by others.

But I also believe that most people don't like bullies.

How can you support a group whose cause you may agree with (or mostly agree with) but you disagree with the bully tactics they employ, encourage, and justify? If you actively and openly support the movement you will begin to be associated with the bullying. If you sit by silently, you will be accused of not supporting the cause, which is often through acts of intimidation and/or aggression, in other words you will be bullied for not openly supporting the movement.

So, do you become affiliated with the bullies or sit by and be bullied?

Too bad most protesters don't understand this and aren't willing to work more on the peaceful side. Yes, results may come slower, but the results will be better and longer lasting than those which are forced as a result of bullying, which also come with the cost of increased resentment against the bullies and those who support the bullies.   

The Savior's way is not the way of the bully. He is not a weakling to be pushed around all the time, but whenever possible the peaceful solution is sought for.

The adversary frequently uses bully tactics to intimidate, coerce, and force action, change, and compliance. Bullying is used to manipulate. It's used to justify and rationalize the breaking of laws and disrespecting others.

Whose side do you support?