"See what happens when kids who are bullied have had enough"

[Goafer]

Goafer; in his social circle this meme will live on a hell of a lot longer. The people that interact with him daily will cause a certain change in his life, regardless of how soon the rest of the world forgets. That's the damage the tornado of internet fame does to regular lives.

 

Well that would have happened with or without the internet meme surely? The only difference would be that it would have spread by word of mouth without the internet. Sure, they wouldn't have been able to watch it on YouTube, but word of mouth can be just as efficient when it comes to embarrassing someone.

 

To me, the only long lasting effect this thing has had is the same as what would have happened if the internet hadn't found out. He's just been made a complete fool of in front of his friends/locals. It just so happens that the whole world thinks so in the short term too. A bit harsh, but what do you think he would have done with the video if the fight had gone his way? Post it on YouTube to embarrass Casey probably. He's just become the victim he wanted Casey to be.

 

He'll get no sympathy from me. Ever.

[jayseven]

I do agree with your sentiment, but I disagree that he should get no sympathy at all. I think it's overly harsh to consider one's life completely shaped by actions made at such a young age - what of the the youngster who shot his pregnant mother in law a few weeks back? This forum partly surmised that he must've had some sort of psychological issue, yet when it comes to a playground scrap we're not so eager to think some form of social conditioning is in play here?

 

People can feel pressured to fit in. People can make mistakes in choosing who to hang out with and how to become part of the group. He has certainly learned about morality the hard way, and while I agree that bullying can ruin lives and he was a complete fool to partake in such an activity, I cannot cast a blanket net on all bullies and say yeah, they're fucking dicks for life. Many grow up and feel ashamed for how they acted when they were younger, and to say you'll never forgive someone for something they may spend the rest of their life regretting is to be spiteful, to go against what true freedom we have as advanced creatures on this planet - the ability to choose between hate and forgiveness, love and greed.

 

In essence I am saying that I do despise the child for his actions, but believe he has the capacity to grow the fuck up and regret what he has done. I think holding an action against someone for the rest of their lives is in a way a form of bullying. You say that his friends will forget it eventually, yet you say that you will never forgive him. If you class yourself as one of the people that will forget about this yet you feel so strongly, why do you assume that people closer to him will be so quick to dismiss the matter entirely?

 

As I said, one cannot cut and paste this mentality or this approach to all bullies, but one should at least have the capacity to give people a chance to evolve into better human beings after mistakes.

[Goafer]

I meant "ever" as in there's nothing that can be said or done to make me feel sympathy for him at the moment. Didn't really mean when he was older. I should have been clearer. My bad!

 

I still think that in a decade or so, no one will remember him. Me included. If someone brought it up, I might think "oh I vaguely remember some video where some bully got owned", but there's been a couple of those so I doubt I could pin it on him if I met him. Even then, we only know the kid as Richard. I'm fairly certain there are a few Australian Richards.

 

I also think that when he meets new people when he's older, they'll already know him quite well before they find out (if at all) that it was him in the video. By that point, they'll already have a good idea what he's like and a video of him being a twat as a kid will be kind of irrelevant.

[Beast]

 

Interview with Casey, I'm going to watch it now.

[ReZourceman]

WANKERS! I was totally the first to do the Street Fighter parody!

 

 

 

Good advice from him at the end. "Look at the good days, keep your head up, school doesn't last forever" Amazing. Not "Fight back" or whatever.

 

Kid is a total gee, seems like a really down to Earth and mature guy too.

Edited March 20, 2011 by ReZourceman

[Ramar]

Casey comes across as decent kid, got his head screwed on. It's sad when you see a kid has no friends in school. I can't imagine that, must be tough.

[Beast]

I wonder whether the friends who ditched him would have a nerve to come back to him...

 

Still, he seems like a nice guy and if the video at least inspires one person who is being bullied and tormented to stand up then it's a good thing. However, I hope that the video doesn't mean that tougher people may try to bully him, which is why I think that the video shouldn't last too long.

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

I have to vehemently disagree with you. I was bullied constantly during primary school. Even after when I saw the same gang of kids in my town I had to turn and walk the other way. There were places it wasn't safe for me to go alone.

 

This little shit deserves to live with what he has done for the rest of his life. His victims will have to live with it - he didn't give them any choice.

 

Well, this is obviously yet another area we completely disagree on, so I don't think it's worth getting into a debate about it. I do fully understand your sentiment, but I just don't agree with it.

[Emasher]

what of the the youngster who shot his pregnant mother in law a few weeks back? This forum partly surmised that he must've had some sort of psychological issue, yet when it comes to a playground scrap we're not so eager to think some form of social conditioning is in play here?

 

In one case a kid is being sent to jail for the rest of his life. In this case, the kid just got embarrassed.

 

The bully probably learned his lesson here and will move on. The other case is a much more serious case and sending the kid to jail for the rest of his life isn't going to solve the problem, its going to shove it under the rug.

[Jon]

What an absolute hero that kid is.

[Grazza]

I completely agree with this. I've had fights before because I was pushed over the edge when I got bullied about my weight and then the next day, we'd stay out of each other's way. Also, those two rules are exactly what I do and believe in. If someone hits you, you're not going to stand there and take it, you hit back twice as hard so they get the message that you're not going to be their victim. When they're on the floor, walk away. If they hit you again, you hit them back hard. Simple as that. Let them know you're not taking any bullshit and they'll leave you alone, that's the only way to get it through to bully's heads because they are thick and they are dumb.

 

Thanks chap.

 

The thing about school is that the nasty kids see how far they can push others. If you accept it, you fit in. If you don't accept it, you stand out. There was one lad who took a dislike to me when we were about 14 or 15. Once when we were going downstairs and he was behind me, he started kicking my bag. I turned round and asked him if he was kicking my bag. He said yes, I asked him not to, and he punched me. We had a little fight and the teachers broke it up. They said I'd somewhat provoked him by asking if he was kicking my bag, as if you've just got to accept things like that.

 

Then one day he was waiting for me after school. I told him I didn't want a fight and started to walk away. He punched me in the back of the head. This is the trouble - you might want to avoid fighting as much as anything, but it's not always your choice. I didn't really know how to throw a punch at the time, so I played it safe and just swung him onto the floor. Thankfully the teachers arrived.

 

But I was sick of it, so I learned how to throw a punch, and did lots of weight training to make sure I was strong enough. None of this was because I wanted fights, but schools are so violent, and I wanted to defend myself.

 

Needless to say, this lad wanted Round 3, and so he waited for me again after school. This time I didn't even discuss it with him. As soon as he approached me, I put my fists up and clobbered him again and again as hard as I could. He later admitted to a mutual friend it was the scariest thing that had happened to him. This is what I don't understand about bullies and violent kids - they could avoid all this if they wanted, because I sure as heck was never going to attack anyone.

 

Sad to say the main thing I learned at school was to throw a punch.

 

But despite what I say, I don't think fighting back particularly stops bullies. Many of these kids come from violent homes, getting bruises from their fathers and brothers, so they're not scared of their classmates. If you hit back, you have to be prepared for a fight. Sometimes they back off instantly, but often they don't, so you have to make sure you're strong enough. Even if you're tougher than them, it's nothing compared to what they receive at home.

 

So if I can say one constructive thing, it's this: involve the police. Bullies have to learn that in life you're not allowed to attack people. It seems a simple rule, but it's not one they'll learn from their families, or even their teachers, sadly (who just think "fighting is fighting", and don't really have the means to punish them anyway). No one wants a police record. Trust me, once they get a visit from the police, they do begin to realise that you can't attack people.

[Diageo]

Well my school was much less violent. We hardly ever had fights. Not real ones anyway, sometimes there would be the odd mess fight, pretend wrestling.

 

But if there ever was a fight everyone else would break it up anyway.

[Beast]

Thanks chap.

 

The thing about school is that the nasty kids see how far they can push others. If you accept it, you fit in. If you don't accept it, you stand out. There was one lad who took a dislike to me when we were about 14 or 15. Once when we were going downstairs and he was behind me, he started kicking my bag. I turned round and asked him if he was kicking my bag. He said yes, I asked him not to, and he punched me. We had a little fight and the teachers broke it up. They said I'd somewhat provoked him by asking if he was kicking my bag, as if you've just got to accept things like that.

 

Then one day he was waiting for me after school. I told him I didn't want a fight and started to walk away. He punched me in the back of the head. This is the trouble - you might want to avoid fighting as much as anything, but it's not always your choice. I didn't really know how to throw a punch at the time, so I played it safe and just swung him onto the floor. Thankfully the teachers arrived.

 

But I was sick of it, so I learned how to throw a punch, and did lots of weight training to make sure I was strong enough. None of this was because I wanted fights, but schools are so violent, and I wanted to defend myself.

 

Needless to say, this lad wanted Round 3, and so he waited for me again after school. This time I didn't even discuss it with him. As soon as he approached me, I put my fists up and clobbered him again and again as hard as I could. He later admitted to a mutual friend it was the scariest thing that had happened to him. This is what I don't understand about bullies and violent kids - they could avoid all this if they wanted, because I sure as heck was never going to attack anyone.

 

Sad to say the main thing I learned at school was to throw a punch.

 

But despite what I say, I don't think fighting back particularly stops bullies. Many of these kids come from violent homes, getting bruises from their fathers and brothers, so they're not scared of their classmates. If you hit back, you have to be prepared for a fight. Sometimes they back off instantly, but often they don't, so you have to make sure you're strong enough. Even if you're tougher than them, it's nothing compared to what they receive at home.

 

So if I can say one constructive thing, it's this: involve the police. Bullies have to learn that in life you're not allowed to attack people. It seems a simple rule, but it's not one they'll learn from their families, or even their teachers, sadly (who just think "fighting is fighting", and don't really have the means to punish them anyway). No one wants a police record. Trust me, once they get a visit from the police, they do begin to realise that you can't attack people.

 

Same here. School learned me to be tough and to not be a pushover but I was still nice. I knew how to throw a punch and I used to do loads of weightlifting but unfortunately, at the time, I was too nice. But one day, I was pushed over the edge and I flipped out and that was the day when I learned I didn't have to take shit from nobody and for a year or two of my school life, the bullying was at a minimal since I had that one fight.

 

Unfortunately, around places where I live, a police record gives them more of an excuse to push you around because they'd say "I once hurt a kid so bad, he called the police on me". Unfortunately, these are the dumbest kids. There was this one kid who lived by my best friend and he is rough as heck. He got arrested before for a couple of things and people try to avoid him because he goes round, flaunting he's been arrested by the police and that he's someone to fear. He was someone who tormented me in school but I didn't do anything about him which I do regret sometimes but eh, what can you do? He was always with friends, never alone so it would never be a fair fight and if there's one thing I hate, it's unfair fights where a gang attack one person.

[Paj!]

Well my school was much less violent. We hardly ever had fights. Not real ones anyway, sometimes there would be the odd mess fight, pretend wrestling.

 

But if there ever was a fight everyone else would break it up anyway.

 

Yeah. From everyone I've ever spoken to about school, I realise that my (and Chair's) year group was incredibly rare. There were groups of friends/people you liked or disliked more than others, but no real animosity. No PROPER bullying/fighting or anything. Everyone kinda got on with everyone else, if need be. People just let it all be.

 

I loved.

[Rummy]

Why do youtube like to take down all these videos. Thanks for the re-link of the interview.

 

Seems like a smart kid with a good outlook on life, great support from his sister and dad. For those saying not to retaliate, also seemingly saying to retaliate in the same breath, I think Casey is an example of what happens if you're totally non-reactionary, you're passive and the bullies and everyone sees you as weak and scared. I'm not saying to go batshit insane, but I think you need to retaliate the right amount to make a point.

[ViPeR]

It's easy for people who've never been bullied or in the same situation as Casey to say "Yeh, he shouldn't have used violence", "Yeh he overeacted". I've been in a similar situation. When you're pushed and pushed for years, afraid to go to teachers for fear of making it worse, it gets to a point where you just want it to stop through any means. It can create intense hate and you do flip. You react with a very primal instinct and you don't think. It's very hard to communicate that feeling to someone who had a cushty, no problem life through school. I didn't and it doesn't end until you stand up to yourself. I appreciate everyone has their own opinions but please don't judge him when you have no idea what it's like. I can empathise completely with this kid and, good on him!

[Beast]

It's easy for people who've never been bullied or in the same situation as Casey to say "Yeh, he shouldn't have used violence", "Yeh he overeacted". I've been in a similar situation. When you're pushed and pushed for years, afraid to go to teachers for fear of making it worse, it gets to a point where you just want it to stop through any means. It can create intense hate and you do flip. You react with a very primal instinct and you don't think. It's very hard to communicate that feeling to someone who had a cushty, no problem life through school. I didn't and it doesn't end until you stand up to yourself. I appreciate everyone has their own opinions but please don't judge him when you have no idea what it's like. I can empathise completely with this kid and, good on him!

 

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[Diageo]

Anyone see this video?

[Ramar]

Hold up Fivel's long lost brother was the bully?

 

Seems pretty obvious this kid is trying to save face. The way he mumbles through replies to "will you bully again?" and "are you sorry?", show him up.

 

But I can understand the old man wanting shit to stop. It's done, the school has dealt with it, people are aware of Casey's situation so he can find help (if he still needs it), everyone needs to let the kids move on now.

[Beast]

Anyone see this video?

 

That kid is blatantly lying. His body language and his hesitation says so. Also, my favourite part of the interview was:

 

Interviewer: Are you sorry?

Richard: No

*looks sideways*

Richard: Oh...yes...*facepalms*

 

It's bad enough you come on telly and try to say you're the real victim but when you're not even sorry, it's worse. I know he's lying purely for the fact that if he was the victim, why would he get his mates to record it? If you were someone who was bullied by a bigger kid, you wouldn't get your mate to record it...

 

However, what's done is done. Richard has been humiliated and Casey has had his five minutes of fame and hailed as a hero and hopefully the video will send a message for those victims to stand up for themselves. As Ramar has said, people need to let them move on and hopefully that little shit will think twice before bullying anybody again.

Edited March 21, 2011 by Animal

[ReZourceman]

Yeah the fat blonde nerd who wants to be a super hero or the eyebrow pierced, mullet wielding sticker-still-on-cap gypsy.....

 

 

 

Woops @ image stereotyping or whatever/etc.

[MoogleViper]

"Don't bully someone, you might end up getting hurt."

 

Clearly the little prick doesn't know, even when prompted, why bullying is wrong.

[Shorty]

He's just a kid. A shit one, but lets give him a break. He may be old enough to see right from wrong, but that doesn't mean he really comprehends the meaning behind his actions. In a few years, if none of this had happened, it would all have been forgotten anyway. And the victim would probably go on to higher education or something whilst the bully would end up serving fries at McDonalds.

 

The only real significance, once you're past the wow factor of that Zangief manoeuvre, is the fact that parents and teachers - thanks to every kid having a miniature video camera in their pocket - can no longer ignore or belittle this shit that has gone on beyond a veil of ignorance for generations.

 

At my school they actually had the balls to say with a straight face that "this school does not have bullies", when I was being bullied. Casey's father didn't know this stuff was going on despite it happening since the beginning of primary school. Even if you went through it when you were younger, it seems you close your eyes to it when you're a teacher or parent.

 

It's the circle of bullshit.

[Raining_again]

my headmaster wouldn't even acknowledge the fact that I was being bullied... got to the point where it was teachers as well as students. they'll always find a way to ignore it

[The fish]

A kid of a colleague of my mother was being bullied a few weeks into starting secondary school by a pair of kids two years above him. They would wait at the bus stop were he got off when going home and push him to the ground a kick him every day. My sister, her partner (who is 6'5" and a rugby player) and I went and waited a discreet distance from the bus stop. When he got off and the two little shits went up to him and started pushing him around, we went over and my sister said "Hi Jack, we're friends of your mum. Are these guys bothering you at all?"

 

I never knew 13 year olds could run that fast. They haven't been near him since.