Posted by Sedruce at 5:21pm May 4 '09I don't know if I agree or disagree with the larger issue yet, but I want to point out that bullying is a hell of a lot more than just name-calling
I never said it was, I'm sorry if that was the implication I gave off.
I've been a favorite victim of bullies (female mostly, for some reason male bullies tended to leave me alone or sometimes even befriend me), trust me, I know bullying is much more than namecalling.
The thing is, trying to legislate against bullying...just...doesn't seem to work. I mean, I was never bullied on a HORRENDOUS scale, but I've been bullied a lot, and while what these people (mostly pre-teen and teen girls, and a little bit into adulthood, same age as I was at the time) did was horrible, and cruel, and unfair...it doesn't seem right to legislate against them. They got in trouble with school administration and suchlike for the way they treated me. I don't think it would be right to invoke the law, even though it was pretty severe and still does stick with me to an extent. They didn't deserve jailtime, even though at the time I woulda loved to see them locked up for it.
Thing is, with severe bullying, you usually can find a law they're violating. Be it stalking or assault, I can't think of a time when severe bullying would be legally okay without adding in some bullying law.
I'm not saying that every aspect of bullying is or should be first amendment protected, but I do think that outlawing it leaves too much potential for legal abuse and violation of first amendment rights.
I never said it was, I'm sorry if that was the implication I gave off.
I've been a favorite victim of bullies (female mostly, for some reason male bullies tended to leave me alone or sometimes even befriend me), trust me, I know bullying is much more than namecalling.
The thing is, trying to legislate against bullying...just...doesn't seem to work. I mean, I was never bullied on a HORRENDOUS scale, but I've been bullied a lot, and while what these people (mostly pre-teen and teen girls, and a little bit into adulthood, same age as I was at the time) did was horrible, and cruel, and unfair...it doesn't seem right to legislate against them. They got in trouble with school administration and suchlike for the way they treated me. I don't think it would be right to invoke the law, even though it was pretty severe and still does stick with me to an extent. They didn't deserve jailtime, even though at the time I woulda loved to see them locked up for it.
Thing is, with severe bullying, you usually can find a law they're violating. Be it stalking or assault, I can't think of a time when severe bullying would be legally okay without adding in some bullying law.
I'm not saying that every aspect of bullying is or should be first amendment protected, but I do think that outlawing it leaves too much potential for legal abuse and violation of first amendment rights.
Re: Not even close. - Sedruce