Does it really matter that romney was a high school bully?

[MarianJack]

I saw a headline much like this one on Google news. It was from the Christian Science Monitor. I didn't read the article so I'm not going to attack or defend. I'm not a republican. Like our President, I like to know what I'm talking about before I speak. My motivation in writing this is merely to answer the question. Anyone from their late 40s and older will recognize my "Laugh In" inspired response.

You bet your sweet bippy it does!

This is the "man" who gathered a posse and forcibly cut the hair of a young man he thought to be gay. He shows his contempt for anyone he pleases in his school. He issues a weak assed apology "IF" he offended anyone for being the perpetrator of a "Lord of the Flies" environment in his school. He does this only after the story comes out and is verified by several of his "friends" of the time, including a former republican official. He then tries to imply that this is a dirty trick by the Obama campaign. SICK!

bain romney is one of the most detestable human beings I've ever seen run, not only for high office, but for ANY office.

This is the man who put a dog on the roof of his car and thought it was an endearing moment.
This is the man who identifies with the working class by saying his wife drives a couple of Cadillacs.
This is the man who shows that he's a regular guy because he knows some Nascar owners.
This is the man who claims to identify with the unemployed by saying that HE was unemployed, too. Shit, while I was out of work for 10 months I was sure as hell glad that I had my quarter of a billion dollars to fall back on.
This is the man who decries the state of the economy while offering another candidate a $10,000 bet. If he'd done this to a candidate who wasn't a moron, that candidate would've run this for miles. Couldn't the dumb bastard have at least said "Payable to the charity of your choice"?

Of course, that was a stupid question. We are after all, talking about republicans here.

When I was in grade school, I was bullied from first grade to fifth grade. It was due to my being in a Catholic School as the child of divorced parents. In the early and mid 60s, Irish Catholics didn't get divorced. It stopped when I pounded one of the bullies faces into the back of his stupid assed head. Unfortunately and tragically, too many young children choose to harm themselves or take their own lives.

People like bain romney don't care. He is a bully. That makes him a coward, a liar and a totally unreliable and untrustworthy person. That isn't someone I want as the leader of my country.

Maya Angelou said it best:

"The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them"

You've shown me what you are, Mr. romney.

I believe you.

No thank you.

PEACE!

[bigwillq]

1. No

It matters what he is now.

I don't, however, feel like Mr. Romney has changed all that much from high school.

[MarianJack]

2. I see what you say.

The point I am making is that he hasn't changed.

PEACE!

[bigwillq]

4. I was just answering the question you asked in the subject.

But, yes, I got the point you were trying to make.

[MarianJack]

7. Thanks for your feedback

PEACE!

[XemaSab]

41. It matters that he hasn't apologized now, certainly

I'm sure we've all said and done things and later realized that we were in the wrong.

Mature, responsible, caring people are contrite about it later.

Romney isn't contrite about it, which says to me that he's not a mature, responsible, caring person.

[patrice]

3. Raised in a golden bubble. What could possibly have happened to him since then that would

have brought about that depth of fundamental change.

He has learned to be more politic about his temperament, but temperament is biologically grounded, so the drives are still there, only with acceptable window dressing on them now.

[MarianJack]

5. Windowdressing mixed with...

...great callousness.

PEACE!

[Politicalboi]

6. And that's the truth

Here come the judge. This is important because he was actually the leader. Because this story is the ONLY one where he shows any leadership whatsoever. His dad was Governor or President of American Motors. He wouldn't get in trouble. Money got Mittens out of trouble if need be. And besides his dad was a "somebody". Who's going to believe the "other" guy anyway.
And from me and the rest of the Farkel Family a mighty HIIIIIIIIIII!

[MarianJack]

9. Some points to repond to you.

1. isn't it a shame that the only leadership he ever showed was THAT?

2. I'm slightly embarassed to say that I didn't se the joke of the farkle family until YEARS after "Laugh in" was over. In my defense however, I was very young and it was a more innocent time.

3. If I were Dave Madden I'd be throwing some confetti just about now.

PEACE!

[Politicalboi]

11. It is a shame

I thought that when I heard the story. It seems he has no trouble leading a pack of bullies. And 50 years later, things haven't changed. They keep bringing up "I didn't inhale" or draft dodger, so this IS fair game.
And yes the Farkel family were a family of red haired people Frank Farkle, Fred Farkel, Fanny Farkel, and the youngest (Ruth Buzzie) looked like Pipi Longstocking, and she always said HIIIIII, and does a backward somersault showing her bloomers.

Edit: The children all had red hair. Here's a short video. At the 3 minute mark it's the Farkel family. I don't like the News intro in the bear rugs though. YUCK!

[MarianJack]

12. It took me years to notice that...

...all the children looked like the neighbor!

BTW, you're right. romney's conduct IS fair game.

PEACE!

[marlakay]

13. Doesn't that remind you of G Bush?

Having daddy take care of all his messes? Just with George unlike Romney it was easier to see how stupid he was. He could hide it better.

[MarianJack]

22. I hate to say this, marlakay,...

...but I think that romney is even smarmier than george w moron. Yikes!

PEACE!

[dickthegrouch]

8. Yes, as long as we can use it to create reasonable doubt among undecideds

Everything we can do to give Obama and Dems a clear majority in November is fair game (as long as we don't lie or stretch the truth).

[MarianJack]

10. Right!

We have to bust our arses in this election.

PEACE!

[center rising]

14. Of course it matters, but the lamestream media won't think so!!

[MarianJack]

18. As I, and many others here, have said many times before,...

...WE have to be the media. It's important.

PEACE!

[Gaije]

15. Of course

Of course it matters! It might not if he demonstrated any capacity for remorse or compassion, but he still thinks it's a funny, funny, story. Not ok.

[link:http://weldbham.com/popandpolitics/2012/05/11/romneys-laughter-matters-and-the-bullying-does-too/|

[MarianJack]

19. Very true.

It's just like the way his son thought that the Seamus story was ENDEARING when it came out during the last campaign.

The callousness of the whole damn family is amazing!

PEACE!

[LeftishBrit]

16. Yes, because it is still part of his character and attitude

What a child or teenager does cannot necessarily be held against them, becase many people change with time and maturity. Some children are bullies because of emotional disturbances or moral immaturity that they may later outgrow. But Mitt Romney did not outgrow it; he continued to have the attitude that it is perfectly all right for the strong to trample on the weak: the very essence of modern Republicanism, and also of bullying. Whether he holds this attitude out of fervent ideology like Santorum, or just because it serves his current interests, doing so is still the mark of a bully. And he has shown it in other ways, from casually mistreating his dog, to 'liking to be able to fire people' in business.

In the same sort of way, it is relevant that David Cameron as a university student was a member of the riotous upper-class 'Bullingdon Club' and committed acts of vandalism, since it is all part and parcel of his general attitude that the rich and well-connected should have the right to do as they please, and of his general contempt for most people.

Moreover, I understand that some religious groups oppose anti-bullying laws and policies, or want exceptions made for 'religious conviction', just because they want teenagers to have the right to bully their gay schoolmates!

[MarianJack]

20. Thank you for your insight, LeftishBrit!

It is the further illustration that this is a life long pattern of this sort of behavior. Someone in another post not long ago said that romney reminds you of the guy who just fired your dad.

To this true statement, I added that not only is he like that, but he seems to feel entitled to your respect and high regard after firing your dad.

Hw also has an air about him of someone who stole your wallet and he knows that you know it was him and is daring you to do something about it. The man has a palpable ai of smarm about him.

I've detestd little ricky Santorun since 1993, but at least his idiocy and hatred is grounded in his misguided BELIEF. romney, who really has no definable beliefs at all except in his attaining his own glory, just believes that it is his devine right to ask the way he does.

No thank you.

PEACE!

[Bolo Boffin]

17. Like I said in another thread, how is this relevant to his actions as an adult?

After all, it's not as if Romney made his fortune finding weak corporations, holding them down, and robbing them of all their assets...

I mean, people. Finding weak people and holding them down and robbing them.

Damn. I made that same mistake in the other thread, too.

[MarianJack]

21. His corporate raiding...

...is very much like an evolution (ooops, I mean an intelligent design) of his bullying conduct as a teen.

Thanks for your feedback, Bolo Boffin.

PEACE!

[mojitojoe]

23. We already know that Romney is an uncaring asshole as an adult...

....so the fact that he was an uncaring asshole as a teen is interesting, but not surprising and not really relevant.

[MarianJack]

30. I would say that it's relevant in that...

...it's like the boulders at the base of a mountain supporting the pinnacle. It is one pebble on the mountain of slime and smarm that is bain romney.

PEACE!

[RDANGELO]

24. If you add everything together

, his actions when he was young and now, it paints a picture of someone who lacks any empathy for other people. He has learned that it is not acceptable to be demonstrably mean to other people for no reason, but sometimes he does it unintentionally because of that lack of empathy.

[MarianJack]

31. Sounds like a very accurate depiction...

...of a sociopath.

We already had that for 8 years with a fake texas accent.

PEACE!

[JoePhilly]

25. NO ... now let's discuss an important issue .... Obama's birth certificate!!!!!

[MarianJack]

32. That, and...

...eating what was fed to him when he was 6! SCANDAL!

PEACE!

[JoePhilly]

37. And what about that thing Bill Ayers did when Obama was 6!!!!

Some one needs to look into it.

I heard there is some grainy footage of a 6 year old Obama using his big wheel as the get-away vehicle while helping Ayers blow up the Pentagon. But Obama has yet to deny this .... just what is he hiding!!!!???!!!

[MarianJack]

38. You sure can't trust those first graders, can you.

If there were a soundtrack to the President's big wheel get away he'd have probably been yelling "POO POO KA KA!"

PEACE!

[mikekohr]

26. It Matters, and the fact he is lying about it now matters more.

Character counts.

[MarianJack]

33. He sounds like someone who would...

...put the country through hell to cover up a "2 bit burglary".

Sorry, I don't want to go through a nightmare like that again.

PEACE!

[GoCubsGo]

27. No, it doesn't.

What matters is that nearly 50 years later, he still doesn't see what is wrong with how he behaved back then. Lots of people regret their bullying behavior in high school. This asshole does not. Not only does he not regret it, he's trying to round up people who will back him up and defend his misbehavior. That speaks volumes about him, and it amazes and sickens me that so many people still find this turd to be an acceptable leader of this country.

[MarianJack]

34. It certainly shows that he's not only an ass,...

...but a LIFELONG ass!

PEACE!

[Amimnoch]

28. As an IMHO, judging people on their past, especially their childhood is wrong.

There's more than enough to dislike and vote against him today, with just about every statement he makes.

I personally can't cast stones from a glass house. I know there are things I did as a teenager I'm not proud of. Big difference me and Romney though.. I've grown... I've learned.. I've progressed. As a result of him not doing so, his own attitude, position on issues, and the words that comes out of his own mouth RIGHT NOW is enough to fight with every bit of strength I have against his winning.

Luckily, I'm somewhat of an optimist, and since there's been no Primary challenger against President Obama, there's no 3rd party challenge to threaten us with a Perot type of situation... the Pubes have just gone through a nasty primary, and most of his own base doesn't even seem to like him much..

I'm, overall, feeling pretty good about this November.

[MarianJack]

35. When I was in my teens,...

...I was a chubby little sexist homophobe.

Like you, I learned a lot. Today I look at gays and women with respect and love and a desire for the best for all people. Not so bain romney.

Back then he was a physical and psychological bully. Today he's a financial and class warfare bully. I believe that it shows a man who is incapable of learning anything other than learning how to be a more smooth and subtle bully.

PEACE!

[spiderpig]

29. Of course it matters!

I had petty issues as a teen - with my friends. Who got Beatles tickets, who had a better haircut, who got the cuter boyfriend. But I NEVER abused or ridiculed someone for their way of life or physical handicap. It would never have occurred to me to do so.

Having had many dear friends in the GLBT community, and currently going blind myself, I find Mittens' behavior utterly repugnant. Tormenting a gay classmate and laughing at a blind teacher. I don't care if he was 15 years old or 5 or 2 - this is just disgusting.

I'm getting myself all worked up...

Mittens is such an asshole.

[MarianJack]

36. First and foremost,...

...please accept my best wishes for you personally.

All of us have sone things as teens that we shouldn't have. bain romney wasn't just an asshole, but he reveled in being an asshole.

THAT is what is so repellant about him.

PEACE!

[spiderpig]

39. Thank you MarianJack!

I just got so worked up about this.

My sister and I were talking about bullying just last week. There was a kid in the neighborhood who chased us around with a bow and arrow, and when we said we'd tell our parents, he said he'd kill them too.

Then, years later, another boy threw a brick at my sister and fractured her skull. And we grew up in a "nice" area.

Some people are just wired the wrong way, and Mittens sure seems to be one of them.

Thanks so much for your kind words. I love DU!

Peace backatcha

[Herlong]

40. As a kid, I was bullied mercilessly.

And as an adult of 51, I am constantly aware of how I outside the norm I am, and being aware of how I should "fit in" as not to offend the senses. That being said, bullies don't outlast us, we, as outsiders, outlast them.

[MarianJack]

45. And it's nice when we do outlast them!

PEACE!

[MarianJack]

44. I hope that the person who hurt your sister sat his ass in jail for awhile, but...

...knowing how bullies tend to get away with crap, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't.

I hope she's doing ok today.

PEACE!

[spiderpig]

46. Believe it or not, it was treated as "boys will be boys"

My sister's fine, but when I look at through the reverse telescope of life experience, I think WTF???

The kid's name was Cuffy. I could probably Google him through the Ohio penal system.

What a psycho. And he was maybe 8 or 9 when he did this. Parents just didn't respond the same way in the 60s that they would now.

About that little bastard with the bow and arrow - I may just try to look him up and see where he's currently serving time. His name was Brian Donahue*.

*Apologies to any Brian Donahues who did not live on Lakewood Heights Blvd. between 1955 and 1960. This one was a punk.

[MarianJack]

49. At least everyone here now knows that brian & cuffy...

...are assholes!

PEACE!

[XemaSab]

42. For the record the CSM seems to think that it does matter

“Romney was 18 – old enough to vote, old enough to serve in the military, and old enough to know not to attack a vulnerable teenager unprovoked,” wrote Steve Benen on Thursday on Rachel Maddow’s MSNBC blog.

Even some liberals who believe the incident too old to be relevant say it’s fair game for the press. Romney shouldn’t be surprised that the media remain interested in what happened during his time at a school so upper crust it looks like Hogwarts – if Hogwarts were designed by world-famous architect Eliel Saarinen.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/Decoder-Wire/2012/0510/Does-it-matter-if-Mitt-Romney-was-a-bully-in-high-school-video

[MarianJack]

43. CSM is usually pretty good,...

...so I'm not surprised.

Since I didn't read the article I passed no judgement. Thank you for filling us in.

PEACE!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

54. Saarinen was the father of the designer of the St. Louis Arch, Eero Saarinen.

The st. louis arch is a catenary (hanging chain) rather than a parabola.

My mathematician hubby has been drawing catenaries in Excel and overlaid one on a picture of the arch.

Both the father and the son were no doubt geniuses.

[JHB]

47. Yes, to people "not worth speaking of" (but who wants to think of themselves like that?)

Last edited Sun May 13, 2012, 10:46 AM - Edit history (2)

There was a line in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy which perfectly described the sort of privileged mindset or Romney and the rest of the 0.01% and their spinmeisters. All the world's a movie, and the people merely players, but they see themselves as the stars, and the rest of us just the extras.

Far back in the mists of ancient time, in the great and glorious days of the former Galactic Empire, life was wild, rich, and on the whole, tax-free. In those days, spirits were brave; the stakes were high; men were real men, women were real women, and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri. And all dared to brave unknown terrors to do mighty deeds to boldly split infinitives that no man had split before. And thus was the Empire forged. Many men, of course, became extremely rich. But this was perfectly natural and nothing to be ashamed of, because no one was really poor - at least no one worth speaking of. And for these extremely rich merchants life eventually became rather dull and it seemed that none of the worlds they settled on was entirely satisfactory: either the climate wasn’t quite right in the later part of the afternoon, or the day was half an hour too long, or the sea was just the wrong shade of pink. And thus were created the conditions for a staggering new form of industry: custom-made luxury planet building. The home of this industry was the planet Magrathea, where vast hyperspatial engineering works were constructed to suck matter through white holes in space and form it into dream planets, lovingly made to meet the exacting standards of the galaxy’s richest men. And so successful was this venture that very soon Magrathea itself became the richest planet of all time, and the rest of the galaxy was reduced to abject poverty. And so the system broke down, the empire collapsed, and a long, sullen silence settled over the galaxy, disturbed only by the pen-scratchings of scholars as they laboured into the night over smug little treatises on the value of a planned political economy. In these enlightened days, of course, no one believes a word of it. Meanwhile, on Zaphod Beeblebrox’s ship, deep in the darkness of the Horsehead Nebula…

Veddy interesting...

[MarianJack]

48. Thank you for sharing that!

If you say "Veddy Interesting", I think that I have to say thank you for "Socking it to me"!

PEACE!

[JHB]

51. Only if you say it by popping out of a wall...

...and follow up with a 20ish Goldie Hawn go-go dancing.

[MarianJack]

53. Better that than...

...getting a bucket thrown on me @ sock it to me time!

BTW, an early teens version of me LOVED a 20ish Goldie Hawn go-go dancing!

PEACE!

[Kablooie]

50. But an arrogant, cowardly bully as the most powerful man in the world wouldn't be dull.

Sadam would probably fit in that category as would several other well known and historically reprehensible leaders whom I shall not mention.

[MarianJack]

52. True point, but...

...I'd prefer a much different type of excitement.

PEACE!

[davidpdx]

55. Well put

But you forgot he:

likes to fire people
things corporations are people
doesn't give a rats ass about the poor in this country.

[MarianJack]

56. Not so much forgot, but...

...I didn't want to post a thread that would take 2 hours to read.

It seems that all of the very few actual convictions that this nimrod actually has are all involved to some extent with bullying or taking the side of Goliath against David.

PEACE!

[musical_soul]

57. Romney is disturbing me.

Seriously, who does this to a dog? Psychiatrists say that's the sign of somebody who can hurt people.

His bullying in high school also disturbs me. While kids are often cruel so to speak, he actually tackled this guy down and cut his hair, and he just happens to be one rumored as gay? I'm not taking this well at all. I also think his apology was not sincere enough.

[MarianJack]

59. romney's apology is about as sincere as anything else he says,...

...in other words, not at all!

The man is as phoney as a 3 dollar bill with dick cheney's picture on one side and dick nixon's on the other.

PEACE!

[musicblind]

58. Yes, as a gay man who was bullied horribly in school, this matters to me. n/t

[MarianJack]

60. It matters a great deal to me also.

bain romney is smarmy!

PEACE!