Subject: Re: The Harris Layoffs might continue
They really do think they live in a world where they can walk down the street and punch random people and nothing will ever happen to them.

Isn't that exactly what you do? Hurtle insults, call people names, denigrate them? I'm just using your own techniques on you. If it's OK for you, it's OK for me, too.

Some of them who were pretending to be nice just flat-out cracked

So you want me to be nice to make your job of bullying people easier? Not going to happen.

In person, I really am nice. But I learned back in high school that you can't be nice to bullies. After taking a bunch of bullying, one day I had enough, I cracked as you put it, and fought back. Can't say I fully beat up the bully, but I did make him retreat. Ended up with cops on the scene. Didn't get bullied after that. And I took a couple licks myself - almost lost a tooth. The dentist managed to save it later that day.

You may now accuse me of being violent. I was violent in that one case. I admit it. On the other hand, I had been threatened with physical violence long enough that I had to do something in that moment. I've never been violent with a person since that day. The punching bag in the garage became my outlet. Worked pretty well, too.

The big message here (that will be completely lost on half the posters reading) is that you can't continue to be nice to bullies. Absolutely be nice at first. Discuss in good faith. Make your arguments. But there comes a time when an internet bully - a troll - has to be called out for what he is and dealt with appropriately. At that point, nice is no longer appropriate. Take the gloves off and hit back, hard and often.

--Peter