General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAs I'm sure is occasionally pretty evident, I grew up in what I'll call an "unsophisticated"
neighborhood. At least among the boys, status was determined in pretty simple and straightforward ways.
You were either a "snitch" or a "stand up guy".
You either "told it like it was" or you "peddled bullshit".
And, when push came to shove, you would either stand and fight or you would run away.
If you were a runner, you got a lot of practice at it, because making you back down elevated the status of of anyone who did it. But, once it was known that you were a fighter, you found yourself in fewer dust ups.
Even the biggest baddest bullies would think twice before taking on someone they KNEW was going to stand and punch it out. It came down to "Is it worth a black eye and a bloody nose just to prove I can kick Billy's ass?" And, Billy, even if he got trounced, made it clear fo other bullies that there was a price to be paid for picking on him.
Sometimes, who will stand and fight is just as important as who will win a particular fight.
And, every now and then, it was Billy who "kicked ass".
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,636 posts)Atticus
(15,124 posts)PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,862 posts)But what's bad about that kind of neighborhood growing up is that there are no shades of gray. Nothing in between "snitch" or "stand up guy", and that latter I take means someone who would stay quiet no matter what happened or who was hurt. Or "told it like it was" meant you didn't care what was said or if it was even true.
Also the very testorone-poisoned milieu this represents is hardly a good role model.
Atticus
(15,124 posts)Blue_true
(31,261 posts)Other than "My personal westside story", what is the point of your post?
Atticus
(15,124 posts)the GOP bullies in the Senate. Or, we get used to running.
If that was unclear, I apologize.
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)I dislike the connotation the use of "Billy" brings to this context.
Atticus
(15,124 posts)Bobby, Larry---whatever.
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)Makes it sound like William Barr is the one being picked on here.