Mitt Romney, high school bully?

[opebo]

I'd believe this occurred...but to say it is a hate crime is an incredible leap
Also- and I'm sure I'll get flack for this- bullying is normal behavior...it's wrong and should be punished, but doesn't make one "sick" or  a "psycopatch" if they bully others at a young age

In fact bullying does make you a mentally ill person, Clarence.  Just because our society encourages and thrives upon abuse, violence, and human degradation doesn't mean we have to accept it.  Sure, Mitt Romney will always be a rich aristocrat, and will never be called to account for all the people he has harmed (and may even be president), but there's nobody here stopping us from calling him what he is - the perpetrator of a hate crime.  (Well I suppose there is, but we'll see if they consider this a 'personal attack' on Romney).

[opebo]

The way gays are perceived nowadays is a far cry from that time...we all believed gays were simply rebelling- part of the 60s counterculture like hippies and potheads. As far as we were concerned- they were deviants who recruited others into their lifestyle

It was wrong- and is one of the reasons I am proud to support gay rights today. But it is important to understand this...what Romney did- if he did it- wasn' tunusual

Correct, hate crime was commonplace then. Is this a reason to absolve it? No.

[opebo]

Hate crime? Really? That's insulting. What happened to Matthew Shepard was a hate crime. Getting tortured and murdered is a hate crime. Equating some high school bullying (which happens every day amongst teenagers who haven't developed the best judgement) with the vicious murder of a gay boy is nauseating. It totally devalues the severity of crimes that have been committed against people like Mr. Shepard.

No, the term 'hate crime' refers to the motivation, not the severity of the crime.  In both this crime of Romney's and the Matthew Shephard case, the motivation was the same - hatred.

My music teacher has pinned me down on the floor and cut my hair because it was "a mop." Who cares? This sort of hypersensitivity is probably my biggest pet peeve in the world.

You should sue that sadistic pedophile.

[opebo]

The silliness on all sides of this astounding. Really.

Agreed.  The hate crime moniker is way overused.

Underused actually.

[opebo]

OK, I think it's pretty much settled that this actually did happen, but he was in high school. It's not like it's going to affect his handling of the economy.

Well, we certainly know he's going to bully holy heck out of the working class if he gets a chance.

[opebo]

One, it's a woman. Two, it wasn't at a school, it was private lessons. Three, she also put a bow in my hair. Four, we are still good friends to this day.

All I'm saying is, sometimes people need to grow a pair.

Um... how did this little wrestling match end?  Were you at last a Man?

[opebo]

She cut a lock out of my hair, we finished the lesson, and she told me not to come back until I got a hair cut.

I'll tell you. I'm glad I got that hair cut.

Really?  Why?

[opebo]

One, it's a woman. Two, it wasn't at a school, it was private lessons. Three, she also put a bow in my hair. Four, we are still good friends to this day.

Your story is bizarre and your teacher is a pedophile if true.

Ephebophile at most, wormy, as hagrid is not a little child - more like a teen lummox.