The first time I stood up to a bully I was in the fifth grade.
I don’t remember what I was doing, but I do remember someone I didn’t know approaching me.
“Are you Chris R’s sister?”
“Yeah, why?”
“He needs you. Someone is bullying him.”
That was all I needed to hear. I turned to head straight for The Little Kid Playground. I went over the invisible line between playgrounds risking…well…I have no idea what I was risking. It was just understood that you didn’t cross into the other playground.
The bully had my brother backed up against a chain link fence and was taunting him with fat jokes.
My brother was a hefty little guy.
With adorable freckles.
With perfectly straight hair.
With the best smile in the world.
And this jerk was making him scared and attempting to make him feel bad about himself.
With his words.
I didn’t even stop to think.
I grabbed the bully, flung him against the fence, and with me face in his hissed, “NO BODY CALLS MY BROTHER FAT BUT ME!”
I gave him a couple good shoves and told him to never come near my brother again.
I don’t like violence, but I do feel compelled to stick up for the little guy.
Bullying is abhorrent to me.
Roughly 20 years later I was again standing up to bullies for the little guy, but this time the little guy was my nephew. Chris’ son.
He was innocently playing in the McDonald’s play thing when a couple kids (who were way too big to be in the tunnels) blocked his way and started calling him a baby.
Again I stepped in and told those kids to grow up. Then I marched over to their oblivious mothers and clued them in to what they were too busy to see.
Bullying is NOT ok.
And now I find myself in this world called Mommy Bloggers where we are all supposed to be adults. We know the difference between right and wrong.
Or we should.
But there are still people out there…ADULTS…who feel the need to bully other adults. Or try to.
And why? To try to reinforce their own shaky beliefs? To make themselves feel right because they lack the self-esteem to just believe in themselves?
It doesn’t matter.
I don’t tolerate it. Not here. Not in my space.
Yes, I am a Mommy Blogger.
Yes, I make choices that are not popular with everyone.
Yes, I make choices that are totally mainstream.
Because it’s my right to do so.
And it’s your right to disagree with me. But not in a condensing, bullying manner.
Sluiter Nation is not a place for jerk-holes.
Bullying is NOT ok with me, and in real life, I will stand up to bullies against me or anyone else all day long.
Here? I will not give platform to someone who is nothing but a troll.
Differing opinion is welcome. Douche-baggery is not.
The blog world–specifically the MOMMY Blog world–is a community. And a community needs each other for support…not to tear each other down.
Sluiter Nation will never be part of tearing anyone down…only lifting people up.
And being a support and voice when needed. Just run over the line and come get me and I’ll be there for you.