The Internet's new anti-bullying hero

[meegbear]

Casey Heynes had had enough. In a viral video that has been circulating this week, the overweight 16-year-old Australian student is confronted by a much smaller boy, three years younger than him, who taunts him as the bully's buddies gleefully record the action. The audio is muffled, but the smaller boy appears to ask, "Have you been talking shit? Huh? Have you been talking shit?" to which Casey, alone and backed up against a wall, replies, "I haven't been talking shit." But the bully hasn't come for meaningful conversation. He grabs Casey by the collar and punches him in the face. He continues to goad him, dancing around with amateurish boxer moves and striking him, while his friends say, "We're laughing at you… This is getting sad, bro…. Keep recording!" Casey defensively tries to fend off the blows, until he finally picks up the kid and slams him into the ground. The bully staggers back to his mates. And though another boys angrily steps in to confront Casey, he just glares and walks off down a corridor, while a girl who's witnessed the whole thing tells the other kid, "I think you need to back off." Time elapsed from initial confrontation to the skinny kid limping away in defeat – 41 seconds. That's how long it took for Casey Heynes to go from picked-on kid to viral hero.

The video surfaced Monday, with the explanation that "This 16 year old kid has been tormented every single day of his short high school life - and today he snapped! He was suspended and may be looking at criminal charges, all because this little runt thought he could make an example of Casey in front of his TUFF buddies!!" and exploded across the Net faster than YouTube could keep taking it down.

Both Heynes and his antagonist are currently on an enforced break from Chifley College Dunheved's Campus, a school that describes itself as a "a safe, supportive and productive learning environment to promote individual achievement and self-responsibility." A spokesperson for the school told the Telegraph it "does not tolerate any violence and deals with all cases according to its community-agreed discipline code. Both students in a fight at the school shown on the Internet have been suspended ... the only injury sustained was a grazed knee.'' That, and what I imagine must be the world's biggest case of wounded pride.

Heynes, meanwhile, has become an overnight folk hero of the modern era of bullying -- an age in which every schoolyard act of cruelty is exacerbated by the tormentor's ability to document and disseminate it. Whether it's gang raping a little girl or a pack of schoolyard thugs who want to make sure they can relive their sadistic behavior again and again, viciousness is no longer a private act. So when Casey turned the tables, it seemed like an ass-kicking long in the making. The moment that video appeared, the scrawny jerk became more than the focus of Heynes's pent-up, exasperated rage. He took a slam into the concrete for every survivor who's been on the business end of a bully's fists or teasing, for the far too many kids who couldn't survive it.

<snip>

http://www.salon.com/news/viral_video/index.html?story=/ent/tv/feature/2011/03/15/casey_heynes_bully_fail

You can see the video at the link above at the end of the article. And as someone who grew up fat and was bullied in school ... WHOO-HOO!!!

[Zoeisright]

1. Question.

Since the bully grabbed him by the collar and punched him in the face first, why isn't HE being charged? Simply grabbing Casey by the collar is assault. And punching is assault and battery. If I were Casey's parents I would be raising HOLY HELL and suing that school and the bully's parents.

And good for Casey. It seems the only thing bullies understand is violence.

[superduperfarleft]

4. I have no idea about Australia, but my high school basically had the policy that

if you lose the fight, you get three days suspension, if you win the fight, you get five. Kind of a gross policy if you think about it.

My brother got jumped by some little prick in the locker room once, and already had several bruises and a mild concussion before he even had a chance to fight back. He got three days suspension. For being jumped. Yeah.

I guess it doesn't surprise me that the school didn't do shit about the bullying, until it came time to mess with the kid who was just defending himself.

[Ian David]

8. I've taught my daughter that the only time she's allowed to hit...

... is if she's being held, preventing her from running away.

If someone grabbed her by the collar, and she couldn't get loose, she'd be allowed to hit the guy until he let go.

[here_is_to_hope]

11. My little girl (she was 6 at the time) had a

scenario where two little boys grabbed her by the legs in the sand box. She grabbed a large plastic shovel and beat them with it until the teachers pulled her off.
Two hours later, she hit one of the boys in his head with a book and threw a trash can at the other one while in class.
She was suspended for a week.
I asked her to tell me the whole story, she did. I did not see a reason to punish her and let it go.

She is still known to defend not only herself but others as well from bullies or the cliques that form at school.
The teachers and principal have a love/hate thing going with her.

[cognoscere]

20. If I remember a law course taken many moons ago, assault is a threat.

No touching or contact is necessary, merely the perception by someone of a threat. Battery is any harmful or offensive contact which, from a case from that class, can even include grabbing someone's hat.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

23. Depends On How Your State Defines It

When I was younger, I was taught that swinging at someone and missing is an assault, whereas swinging and hitting is a battery. However, once I started practicing law, I soon realized that here in Ohio, the term "assault" is used exclusively for ANY type of violence. The threat of violence is known as "menacing." Oh, and by the way, "assault" or "battery" or whatever you want to call it is simply an unwanted touching of another person, which could mean either violent touching or offensive touching. That's why in most States, spitting on another person constitutes an assault.

Of course, all States are different, so it really depends on how your State defines it.

[Angry Dragon]

2. Self defense is not a crime

[Matariki]

6. It's how schools help perpetuate bullying, imo

punishing the victim if they fight back

[blueamy66]

37. +1

nt

[Little Star]

76. Bingo!!!!!!

[Jmaxfie1]

99. +1000000 n/t

[ChoppinBroccoli]

10. Exactly

Of course, it depends on your particular State's law. Here in Ohio, if you are being assaulted, you have every right to use violence in order to defend yourself. In that instance, self defense is a perfectly valid, and complete, defense to the charge of assault. The only time self defense can STILL be considered assault is if you use "excessive force" (meaning, you use more force than is reasonably necessary in order to end the assault). There's also a concept under Ohio law known as "mutual combat," which reduces criminal liability for the participants, but this doesn't sound much like a "mutual combat" situation (it sounds more like a kid being viciously assaulted and then defending himself).

Australia's laws may be different, but if this case were here in the United States, I think there's a good chance that BOTH boys would be charged with crimes, but the boy who defended himself would be able to escape being convicted by using the defense of self defense.

[Jkid]

3. It doesn't change the fact that the person who is being the victim is the one truely punished

Not the perp which will come back to school. The victim in this case, is already have his educational career cut short if he has to serve time with real offenders.

[HughBeaumont]

5. Precisely why I never fought back.

My bullies were teacher's kids.

Who was the school going to side with? Think hard now. If I attacked the way I wanted to, I'd be looking at expulsion and a stint in Juvie and the bullshit would never stop.

That's how the real world works and that's how it's working with this kid. Defend yourself, and YOU'RE the one who gets in trouble. Bullshit. Sheer, unmitigated, unfair BULLSHIT. Nobody sides with or helps the victims. History is written and won by the powerful (modern history most often).

[progressoid]

21. The "real world" was exactly the opposite for me.

My parents were teachers and I was one of the bullied kids in Jr high.

[Very_Boring_Name]

33. At my high school, the teachers usually LOVED the bullies

I was never really bullied, but there was a group of them who were absolutely loved by the teachers. You'd watch them taunt/shove other kids in the halls and then go chat it up with the teachers who were standing 5 feet away, it was pretty disheartening to see.

[HughBeaumont]

55. Oh, it was commonplace at my priso . . . er. . . school.

The victimizers were the most popular and often the richest.

[xchrom]

7. seems de rigeur for the bullied to be charged when they snap. nt

[bobbolink]

88. Exactly, and across the board--whether it be in a "helping system", or on the internet tubes.

Protection of bullies is the norm.

[AsahinaKimi]

9. And bullies like this

Grow up to be Republican governors, Congressmen and Senators.

[Darth_Kitten]

50. No, they grow up to be the same people we live around or work with.

Not many people will take on bullies, especially when they become adults, is because not too many people will stand up for the victim. :(

[ChoppinBroccoli]

12. I Just Watched The Video--That Was Total Self Defense

And it made my heart feel good to see that little punk get crushed. I understand what it's like to be the biggest kid in school (I always was, and it was never an advantage until I got to high school/college and people admired me for being a good football player). The little punks always target you. Why? Because they have nothing to lose. If they beat you, they get to look like a big man to all their friends, and if they lose, so what? You're bigger; they were supposed to lose anyway. That's why you see a lot of bigger kids acting so passive. They've grown up being told by everyone (their parents, family, passersby, etc.) not to pick on the smaller kids, and when they do defend themselves, the casual observers say, "Oh look how terrible, that big kid picking on that poor, defenseless, smaller child." It took me a long time before I could ever stand up for myself (for this very reason).

Here's the link to the video I saw. It probably won't be taken down very soon, but you do have to suffer through some silly commentary dubbed over the actual audio in order to "add to the comedy" (personally, I just think it's dumb and would rather hear the actual audio). But anyway, here it is: http://vimeo.com/21020148

[Jmaxfie1]

100. "made my heart feel good to see that little punk get crushed", Mine too n/t

[EOTE]

13. I was suspended twice in middle and high school for defending myself and others.

In 8th grade, I was in the locker room when a classmate started mercilessly picking (both physically and verbally) on one of my friends. First I gave him a verbal warning. When it became quite clear that wouldn't get him to stop, I grabbed him by the shoulders and 'placed' him against his locker. The asshole decided to escalate it at that point and bit my arm hard enough to create four puncture wounds (two of which are still around 17 years later). I defended myself, the guy got hurt. There were plenty of witnesses, but it didn't matter. I was suspended the rest of the week. My mom came in to pick me up and when she asked the principal what I was being suspended for, she was shocked at the reply. She ended up taking me out for dinner at Outback and I got to enjoy a mini-vacation.

In my sophomore year of HS, I was in a new school and had plenty of people that had it out for me. One guy hated me so much, he got physical with me nearly every time I saw him. It started off with pushes in the hallway and escalated from there. One day I was leaving choir and the asshole was waiting for me. He grabbed me by my collar, started shoving me around and told me to hit him. He repeated his request probably dozens of times as I tried to walk away from him, but he wouldn't leave. Finally, I got the guy next to the lockers and I punched him square in the nose. He got a broken nose and a concussion, we both got two days of ISS.

There is truly something pathological about those school bullies. They're sick, sick individuals. I'm sure a lot of it is just who they are as people, but I have to imagine that a lot of it is due to the environment they grew up in. Regardless, far more needs to be done about school bullies. Often times they can make it near impossible for a kid to get a decent education.

[jacquelope]

66. Same happened to me. n/t

.

[Nordmadr]

14. After I saw this video earlier this morning, charges

against the bullied kid were exactly what I feared. While he never threw a punch, he literally picked the smaller boy up over his head and body slammed him to the ground. The smaller kid looked stunned as he struggled to get back up and stagger out of the way. I did find myself concerned for the smaller kid, even though he was clearly the aggressor. I applaud the boy for fighting back and I am saddened that it could come to criminal charges, especially since it was clear that once he was no longer being threatened, he left. I was once the fat kid that finally fought back. My experiences taught me that just taking it will simply lead to more of the same. In the few times I retaliated, I was NEVER picked on by the same kid again.

[NashVegas]

46. Adults Who Tell You To Ignore Bullies

Are people who don't want to get involved. That's all.

[Diclotican]

74. Nordmadr

Nordmadr

i don't feel a millimeter of need to be sorry for the smaller kid, he was posible picking, and doing his best to attac this boy for a long time... He got what he deserverd, and I was more or less pleased to se the little devil got what he deserved...

Yes I am one of the many who have been bullied from 1 grade up to high-school.. They even tried their best to bully me higher up too, but that school had a decent anti-bully policy, so it was was over before it stared... The head master there, was a decent man who sat down and just talked to the one who bullied me.. And he never did that again..

it is sad HE would be punished for standing up for himself.. Its so wrong when everyone in this "film" hoped, and belived the larger boy to just stand there and get it.. This was staged from the get go, and I guess the friends of the smaller kid, was trying to make this to a little "you-tube hit".. It backfired when the smaller kid get what he deserved.. A real smack-down I guess even the guys in RAW could not do better....;) (Yes, we do have RAW on tv in Norway too)...


Diclotican

[Nordmadr]

86. I don't disagree with the wrongness of the bully's action at all, but

would he have 'deserved' to be brain damaged or worse from the response (which I'll add, I do not think was excessive). I had empathy for the instigator as he looked injured, not just hurt. Plenty of kids that are bullies can grow up into fine adults; conversely, many do not. While I do not remove the bully's personal responsibility, he is still a child. This also speaks to me of a cultural, systemic, and parental failure. As I watched the video I figured at some point the larger boy would fight back, and was happy when he did. It is what I would probably encourage my own child to do, especially once struck.

My reaction while watching simply went from, "Yeah teach him not to pull that crap on you anymore!"

To "Wow, I hope he is ok".

I am also a parent, but don't expect everyone will have the same take on this as I do; and I've been there. I find I can't take back not wanting EITHER of them to be seriously hurt.

Sincerely,
Nordmadr
(I'm an Upstate New Yorker with a Scandinavian medieval history habit). :)

[Diclotican]

87. Nordmadr

Nordmadr

True, he could have been damaged for life, rather than just an damaged ego and some bruises.. It dosen't look like a good smack-down there.. Rather it looked painfully and not good at all...

And, compared to what the larger kid could have been doing, after the smaller kid was down, he was restrained I would say, many others would have beated the hell out of him, even after he was grounded that way. Im not sure what I would have been doing, if I ever was in his position, but I have the feeling, it was not the first time this lad had been bullied the bigger one.. No one in his right mind is trowing another person that way, withouth been provoced many times over...

But, I was also worried as you was.. To "he got what he deserved" to "Wow, hope he is okay, it dosen't look to goo"..

Not a parent yet, but I my sister have 4 Im uncle to.. So I have some of the feelings.. Even tho a parent might have a greater feeling about this things than a uncle;).. But instead of suspensions, and legal actions, the two parties should have coming togheter, on the head masters office, to try to solve this withouth a court.. It looks like everyone was out for a fight - and the grown ups is maybe the worst... And we grown ups should try to make the right desision to what to do, even tho it might be not popular with any of the kids at hand.. Maybe clases where bullies and bullied have to learn how to behave in a social setting should be appropiate?

When/If I ever got a child/children, I would learn them to se the other way - but also to defend themself when nessesary.. Maybe let them take classes in self defence.. But also to learn it is better to leave a potential fight, than to fight...

AH, you have some interst in scandinavian medival history;).. Good to know.. We do have our share of middle age history.. Even Norway, who at one point hold land as west as Greenland.. The Islands in the Northen Atlantic and some parts of Scotland was all parts of what is calles "norges-veldet" that be, the empire of Norway.. Some parts of it was under the norwgigian King, other was under the control off local leaders, who was controlling it, on the behaf of the norwigian king..

My uncle, who are somewhat of a local "Historian"; have written a few books about local history and so one, have discovered that our familiy have been here in the same area since at least 1350.. Thats 660 year in the same area;).. So I have deeeeeeeep roots here in the county.. Not many in current "Asker" can claim to have 600 year behind them in the same area I figure;)

Diclotican

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Wednesdays]

16. The gist of the article seems to be rah! rah! Fight back!

"And among the cheers for Casey, Reddit has also become a truly moving repository of similar stories of standing up to bullies and exercising self-defense."

:eyes:

With a little disclaimer at the end that "life, especially adolescence, doesn't give satisfying, "Karate Kid"-style happy endings." Sigh. Does mankind ever learn anything new?

[GodlessBiker]

35. Are you a pacifist? I would respect that.

If not, what should the victim have done here?

[jacquelope]

64. There's a word for those who don't fight back.

Prey.

Tell me how many of those come to happy endings.

[LanternWaste]

77. I imagine many people believe that physical resistance

I imagine many people believe that physical resistance is the only valid form of defense, and may have a difficult time thinking of any possible alternative.

[jacquelope]

82. There are many POSSIBLE alternatives to fighting back.

The debate is over what is effective. You don't win against bullies with nonviolent resistance; that only makes them mark you as a target.

We're talking about people who behave like animals. They can never be reasoned with. I for one am not a negotiator, I'm a survivalist.

[WilliamPitt]

17. Where is the link?

Not seeing it.

[meegbear]

18. Here ...

http://www.salon.com/news/viral_video/index.html?story=/ent/tv/feature/2011/03/15/casey_heynes_bully_fail

Video at the bottom of the page.

[WilliamPitt]

22. Thanks.

That was awesome.

[blogslut]

19. kid should have picked him up and

carried him to the principal's office.

[spin]

24. I fought back against bullies in high school and have no regrets ...

but this was back in the mid sixties. I was smaller than most kids my age and I got good grades, therefore some felt that I was an easy target. My father had taught me how to box and I had fast fists, but to be honest I was terrified of getting in a fight with some much larger tough guy. Finally, I decided that I had suffered enough. One of the thugs who tormented me loved to slap his victims. I egged him on just enough to get him to slap me. I nailed him as hard as I could with two short lefts. I believe that I broke his nose which ended the fight. I never had any further problems in school after that.

Later I ended up as a friend with one of the gang that used to pick on me and I asked him why they picked on me. He replied, "You were the little asshole who would never get out of our way. We used to walk down the hallway and everybody used to step aside including the teachers, but you would walk right through us."

I guess I might have brought some of the problem on myself. But looking back, I believe I learned a valuable lesson on handling fear that enabled me to handle successfully handle confrontation without having to resort to physical violence.

I didn't want my daughter to suffer bullying so I got her into judo at an early age. I told her that she might have to prove herself one time in school but to never misuse her skills to bully. Unfortunately she kept changing schools and had to prove herself at each school. Often she would defend her friends if they got bullied. She went through high school in the eighties and never really got into any problems with the school administration for her fighting.

I'm not bragging here. I have never had any desire to fight. I will defend myself only if truly necessary which means that I feel that I face an opponent who intends to serious injure or kill me. I avoid foolish arguments or places where people drink to excess. I have learned that confidence, humor and politeness will defuse most situations and I will walk away from a situation rather than engage in an unnecessary physical confrontation with some angry fool. I don’t feel like a coward when I do as I know myself well enough to realize that self restraint is strength.

I feel that my experience in high school with bullying helped me gain confidence in myself and my abilities and has helped to shape my personality in a positive manner. Had I allowed myself to be bullied, I feel I might well have suffered from psychological aftereffects that would have effected my outlook on life in a very negative manner.

Times have changed and fighting in schools is frowned on far more than it was when I was a student. If anything, it seems that the modern approach has enabled bullying rather than controlling it. Is it any wonder that our schools are failing to educate students? High schools have been allowed to become undisciplined prisons run by the inmates and ruled by wardens without authority.

[hootinholler]

25. Kick for tonight. n/t

[JoeyT]

26. Good for him.

Shame the school has the usual policy of "Punish the bullied to teach the little fuckers not to fight back.".

Many schools don't care about who is or isn't bullied, as long as they don't have to deal with it. The only time it's a problem for them is when the bullied kids fight back.

[Modern_Matthew]

27. Fighting back works. The kid should've received immunity. nt

[donheld]

28. k & R

[JVS]

29. The rules apply to both parties in a fight.

"He started it" doesn't give you carte blanche. Although in my experience it seems that the punishment for fighting back was generally considered worth it for those who fought back successfully.

[GodlessBiker]

34. It doesn't give you carte blanche, but it does give you the right ...

to use force commensurate with the force being used against you.

The victim did not have the right to pull out a gun and shoot the little chicken shit, but he did have the right to do what he did.

Damn empowering and nicely done.

[JVS]

36. Not according to a reasonable disciplinary code.

If you leave it to a bunch of kids to assess the level of force used by another and respond in kind without punishment, the school will be a melee of escalating fights as each child overestimates each offense against themselves and underestimates their own retaliation. You have to forbid fighting and fighting back.
Of course the child always has the decision of whether they are willing to take the punishment as a consequence for fighting back.

[howard112211]

40. This video however shows a case of appropriate self-defense.

The kid who fought back did not retaliate excessively

[JVS]

41. Tell it to someone who gives a fuck.

The job of a principal or teacher is not to evaluate how appropriate various levels of force are. Use of force is forbidden. Both kids deserve punishment according to the rules, even if one has justification.

[howard112211]

42. So if a girl was being raped in the school bathroom, she should be punished for scratching the guy?

[JVS]

44. Hmm. Let me think.

Right now I'm inclined to believe that a rape victim's least concern would be the school rules.

While I'm thinking, answer me this. If a girl was being raped in the school bathroom and responded by shoving a plunger up her assailant's ass and raping him with it, would you say "ok, fair deal" and leave it at that?

[howard112211]

47. Actually, I think clawing his eyeballs would be more effective.

[JVS]

49. I'm not asking your advice for her, I'm asking your response to such a course of action.

[howard112211]

52. In the case you describe, I would not say "leave it at that", I would still think the attacker

should receive punishment.

[Aerows]

72. If a guy was trying to rape a girl in the bathroom

and she shoved a plunger up his ass, I'd say he got what he deserved.

[EOTE]

94. I'd say he got off extremely easy.

And should probably spend a good amount of time in jail where he could think about his sore rectum and why he got it.

[JVS]

45. You're conflating resistance with retaliation.

I'm still thinking.

Look forward to your answer on the plunger thing.

[howard112211]

48. The kid in the video was resisting.

Had he not responded, he would have likely received more punches to the face.

[blueamy66]

53. Okay, so let's say that schools forbid fighting....

What happens when a kid fights anyway?

The bully got what he deserved.

Geez.

[JVS]

96. You say that as though it's a hypothetical.

The schools do forbid fighting and usually will punish both parties in a fight.

[Aerows]

71. If I was that kid's parent

I would let him accept the punishment of detention, but I would make sure that he had a good time when he was off from school. If you keep getting harassed - and that kid got punched in the face and hit repeatedly - it is YOUR responsibility to stand up for yourself. I see absolutely NO problem with how the big kid responded.

I'm small, and had quite a few attempts to pick on me in school, but I didn't back down, and I didn't get bullied.

[JVS]

97. Fair enough.

I'm not saying that it's morally wrong for the kid to fight back, I'm saying that for the common good of the school a rule system where kids know that if they engage in fighting they will be disciplined is better than a rule where children are taught that it is ok to fight if they have justification. Children often feel justified in doing things even when they are blatantly wrong. Even adults are bad at determining who is justified in their own conflicts. And going around keeping scores and determining who deserves to be beaten up by whom is not the job of educators or administrators. They need to focus on learning. And if that means that a "good" kid and a "bad" kid both have to get sent home for three days for fighting, so be it.

[Jmaxfie1]

101. sorry, I have to disagree.

The one that throws the first punch should be punished not the one that fights back. Bullies count on the fact that many students are afraid to get suspended so they put up with the abuse. I'd rather a few bullies get their ass handed to them than allow people to be victimized

[TorchTheWitch]

58. no he absolutely didn't have the right

Yes, he absolutely had the right to defend himself. He absolutely did not have the right to defend himself with the very obvious and extreme excessive use of force.

Under the law you are only allowed to defend yourself physically when there is no other likely alternative to extricate yourself from the situation. In this situation I see nothing whatsoever to indicate that Casey could not have just walked away.

I feel very badly for Casey as I understand how he finally snapped and retaliated in the way he did, however, it doesn't make what he did either legal or appropriate. As intelligent beings living amongst each other humans are expected to be able to control their anger and not allow our emotions to get the better of us by retaliating against another in an uncontrolled violent manner. What happened here wasn't Casey protecting himself it was the culmination of frustration and anger that was unleashed in an uncontrolled very excessive violent manner and that is something that should never be tolerated much less cheered.

What this kid needed was help to understand how to legally and emotionally deal with what had become an ongoing situation that added to the buildup of frustration and anger that culminated in this uncontrolled excessive violence. Appropriate help from the beginning would have difused the situation, but bullied kids need to feel they can ask for that appropriate help, witnesses need to step up to the plate and ask for help on the bullied person's behalf, and every situation needs to be considered seriously and appropriately by all those in a position to respond to the required help. For whatever reason none of this occurred for Casey, and he allowed the frustration and anger to build to a point where he couldn't do what was appropriate and legally required in such a situation.

[aikoaiko]

60. I disagree. Casey used a judicious amount of violence to stop the aggressive violent behavior..

Prudently using violence to defend yourself is a human right.

[Aerows]

73. Absolutely it is n/t

[GodlessBiker]

68. I think you have a duty to retreat rather than use deadly force. This was not deadly force.

What, a punch in the punk's face would have been better? It probably would caused more damage than the scraped knee he ended up getting.

And I disagree that he retaliated in an uncontrolled manner. He was very controlled and restrained. He didn't try to kick the kid when he was down or do anything else once he was able to stop the kid from punching him in the face.

He empowered himself and other victims as well.

[Aerows]

75. I'm sorry, I disagree

The kid was hit in the face. The other kid wasn't seriously injured, except for his pride. If the other kid would have been injured, this would be a different story, but he wasn't. The other kid picked a fight, and he lost - he also learned a valuable lesson. Don't pick a fight you aren't prepared to lose.

Should both of them be punished? Sure, that's fine. Suspend both of them for a couple of days. But to act like this wasn't provoked is wrong.

[Diclotican]

78. TorchTheWitch

TorchTheWitch

Tell that to Caseny, who possible have been bullied all the way up the ages.. Tell him to restrain himself, when a smaller kid slap his face, telling him how fat he is, and how stupid and so waiter..... Try to tell that till everyone who up in grown up age have scars that never Will heal, that they just have to take it...

Believe me, I know from personal experiences how it is, to be bullied for almost everything.. From my birth name to how I was clotched and how I spoke... I was bullied to the brink off despair.. In fact in 7th grade I got sick, really sick because of the bullying and was down with a nasty "flue" for almost 2 weeks.. And I even get to a position where I told home, that I was not going to school the next day.. The next day instead of going to school, I walked a long walk in the forrest... And was not going home before I should go back.. And I told home where I have been.. They was worried because I was not at school and was almost contacting police..

I can also tell a few stories of what I did when I was in grade school, and bullies almost get me on fire (literally) and the pure luck of my head master was the only man who saved my day from being really nasty.. A few days after, the same boys (a couple of grades higher up than me) get me so angry that I literally stoned one of them... And got suspended.. But my old man saved me from a lot more suspension's, as got to the bottom of it all, and I was back in a few days.. Even tho I was out for a week.. It was not easy being a child who was little "slow" in many ways I guess... And grade and high school are still something of a raw painfully memory for me. Have not been to any re-unions yet, mostly because it is to painfully to even talk to the same who bullied me in younger years..

But I managed to learn how to get my anger under control. Today I have to much control over my anger, and I know if I ever let my anger get the best of me, I could more than possible kill a man with my bear hands... Or inflict a lot of damage to the poor soul who was testing me one time to much.. I almost did that, when I was 17, it was just pure luck that the fellow who got the best of me, was not more damaged than a splintering head ace and a bruised ego... I almost teared the man appart... Now I'm 34, and I'm are a little stronger than I was when 17..

And the interesting part of this video is. Why was someone making a movie about this in first instance.. To show to the smaller kids friends who tuff he was, who was fighting the bigger boy?.. It is not seldom this days, that bully's is making small movies of their merits.. The new camera phones is a gold mine for everyone who want to make a movie, that be about a cat who are doing something funny, or to show how brave people is who is picking on bigger persons... Who are not fighting back... Well, they got a video, but not the way intended, that's for sure...

Diclotican

[howard112211]

81. Such arguments always reek of victim blaming. "He should have just walked away."

Suddenly this is all about how wrong it was for the guy who got punched in the face to not simply accept that. And oh, his anger and frustration yadda yadda.

I believe there is a principle of criminal law which states that righteousness does not have to yield to injustice. He could have walked away, sure. Should he have? Maybe. But it was his decision to make, and he had the right to choose otherwise.

[blueamy66]

85. oh please

Have you ever tried to reason with a pre-teen bully? Ever worked with juvie, violent offenders? I have.....got a black eye for it and a scar on my leg.

The kid got what he deserved.

The psycho-babble bs doesn't work with pre-teens.

Bet the bully doesn't go after Casey again.

[aikoaiko]

59. I disagree. The rules should not apply to both parties where there is an aggressor....

...and the other is acting in defense.

Violence in the pursuit of self-defense is human right.

[Nolimit]

30. Little bugger should be grateful

That is highly irregular (where I come from at least) that an adolescent would bully someone who is three years older than him. The bully should count his lucky stars that it was just hi knee that got busted and not his neck. He could have easily ended up paralyzed after a slam like that and he would only have himself to blame. I actually feel bad for the bully, the denizens of 4chan are probably going to uncover everything about him like email, phone number, and address and will make his life a living hell. Even without that, the world's going to know him as the little chickenshit that got his bullying-ass handed to him.

[TK421]

31. I was bullied in grade school...badly, and then my parents signed me up for Tae Kwon Do

took lessons at a local place...it's really amazing what happens to bullies once they learn you are taking karate lessons...parents, you really need to warn your kids to back the fuck off if you suspect them of being bullies

Once the kids at my school found out I was there ( two of my classmates went there..word spread ) I was pretty much left alone...if it boosts their self-confidence and makes bullies think twice before fucking with your kid ( and, if you can afford it ) give them lessons!

[deutsey]

57. I'm a black belt in Shotokan karate

and have heard many stories like yours.

One was about a very slight girl who was being bullied at school by bigger girls. After a while in the dojo, her dad told me that when his daughter was being bullied she threw a lunge punch that intentionally stopped just short of the bully's face (we emphasize controlling our strikes and kicks so that we can either make no or light contact or full contact if we need to). The bully and her friends never bothered the girl again.

Another small teenage girl was an incredible karateka with a devastating kick who was assaulted once (from what I understand it could've gone on to rape) by two or three boys and ended up kicking their asses.

The martial arts are great for a lot of kids (although I'm seeing more and more kids coming in with ADHD, which makes it hard to teach them the discipline). Anyway, as a shy, overweight boy when I was younger, I wish I had been able to take karate when I was a kid.

[negativenihil]

63. i had the opposite experience

For whatever reason, once i started to study martial arts, it seemed to egg the bullies on, en mass.

Broken bones were the only thing that seemed to stop the bullies in the end...

[Diclotican]

83. negativenihil

negativenihil

True, broken bones is really a way to stop bullies once and for all.. I happend to do that to one in 3 grade.. He had tested me since day one in 1 grade and i 3th grade I got enough... and for some reason or another I managed to jump on his arm, and broke it in 3 places.. He was out for the rest of the school year... And I was put to a "special ed class" on another school, to try to get some control over my explosive anger.. He who had bullied me for many years NEVER bullied me when I got back to my own school.. In fact he tried his best to not be in the area of the school jard I was in!.. So at least one of the bullies respected/feared me for some...

Another, who also had bullied me for a long time, discovered by accident, One night we was to wisit my fostermothers sister, and her new boyfriend, and there we all was.. that we in fact was in "family" After that I was left alone and he somehow defended me when others was trying to bully me (it was in 5 grade). We was never seen as "friends" but at least we managed to get along on a regular basis... And to this day I am still gratefull for the defence he got for me, even tho it was not defending me from verbal attacks at least the fysical ones stoped for a while..

And I manged to defend MY little brother, who was a grade under me at the same school. One time one of his own class-mates was trying his best to provoke him I had to step up to the plate and told him, in clear words if you wil bully my brother, you have to get me first... And no one other than ME have the right to bully my brother.... He stoped clear in his track, and the "gang" he was leading was leaving the area for the rest of the resess.... My old man home got wind of it in the end, and he was little impressed by my courgage to stand up for my little brother.... Of course I replayed I wil defend my little brother, he is my brother, and I have to defend him when I know it happend... My brother was never bullied, at least when I was in the area the rest of the year...



Diclotican

[devilgrrl]

32. I was in the exact same situation in Jr. & Sr. High

:puke::mad::grr::mad::puke:

[howard112211]

38. He didn't "snap". He used rightful self-defense. Actually, he tolerated more than he should have.

He should have pounded the little guys head into the ground after the first punch was thrown.

The teachers who decided that the kid exercising self-defense should be suspended need to lose their jobs.

The idea that "both parties are responsible" whenever violence occurs enables bullies.

[trumad]

39. The greatest thing about this story is----

aint nobody in that school gonna fuck with that kid again.

He took a punch to the face as if he wasn't even hit.... he then fended off another punch to the face rather skillfully.

after repeated blows to his stomach he decided it was time to squash the little bug.

That was one of the greatest take downs ever.....

[dionysus]

69. +1

[era veteran]

43. I knocked out a bully in Junior High in South Carolina

Murphy Junior High, 1966, we had our home foreclosed and moved across the river to a new school. My little 5' ass got beat every day and teachers did not care. I had enough when a guy knocked a stack of books out of my hands as I was courting some girl. He sat in front of me in class. When I got in the room I picked that stack up over my head and knocked that bullying son of a bitch out. Got 3 days on the street.
Most empowering moment of my life. None of those little crackers messed with me again. Feels good now!

[66 dmhlt]

51. Clearly Self-Defense

[ehrnst]

54. The kid wasn't getting help from the school, so he defended himself.

I think he showed great restraint.

I think that the little kid got what he didn't know he was begging for.

[Jmaxfie1]

102. I remember when I was in 1st grade.

This other kid was picking on me in 1st grade. I told my father about it and he went to my teacher. She said it was actually a kid in the other class, she said she would talk to the other teacher, but it was not her responsibility. My father took me home and taught me to throw a punch. He told me next day at recess to let the other kid do something first and then to punch him in the nose. I did and the other kid started crying. The moral of this story is that my Dad tried to do the right thing but the school didn't seem to care so he taught me how to deal with it on my own. (Me and the kid I punched later became good friends by the way.)

[vicarofrevelwood]

56. I was Casey Heynes in school, fat slow and the last kid in the world,

to be picked for any sport . but many used me as a punching bag till i Pawned the star basketball player. lucky for me he was a known trouble maker, a known bully and was so close to expulsion with 2 maybe 3 suspensions all he needed was a little push. we were given the same punishment. this caused him to be suspended for the 4th time and only a letter to be sent home to my parents who felt it was good for their boy to stick up for himself. I abhor violence but that little jerk needed that body slam, it's good for his life education.

[Imagevision]

61. Nice outcome, so glad not to hear of anymore... suicides! 9nice slam! :-)

[Shagbark Hickory]

62. "This video has been removed because its content violated YouTube's Terms of Service."

[dionysus]

65. it's embedded at the end of the salon article, fyi

[Shagbark Hickory]

79. Oh OK I see it. You have to click "read more" first. +1 for the kid in the red shirt! priceless!

[dionysus]

89. the kid trying to stagger away at the end..

[Shagbark Hickory]

92. What about'im?

I'm surprised his leg wasn't broken how it landed on that ledge. I guess kids really are made out of rubber.

[dionysus]

93. seeing his bully-ass falling over made me laugh heartily... is all

[malaise]

67. I saw it yesterday

and actually cheered on the fat kid

[Aerows]

70. If that was my kid

and he got suspended for defending himself, I'd make SURE that he had a nice, enjoyable vacation from school. The skinny kid punched him in the face.

I got into trouble at school for fighting with my cousin. She hit me first, so I cleaned her clock (I'm also female). Then she tried to pretend that it was me that was the aggressor. My mother knew better, of course, and told the principal that if I was going to be in trouble, then my cousin needed to be in trouble, too.

That ended that situation.

[Shagbark Hickory]

80. And the stomach. He struck red shirt multiple times.

[howard112211]

84. Some thoughts about the specific way in which the kid defended himself:

This looks to me as if the big kid is not the type that commonly gets into schoolyard fights.

Why? Because he could have, for instance, punched back, but didn't. The type of response that came from him is one of a person who A) is reluctant to hurt someone else (yes I mean it. A punch could have caused much more serious injury) and B) is not used to "throwing fists" and simply instinctively used what weapon was available to him: His sheer strength.

I am at loss how anyone could think that there should be any form of punishment for this. The little prick, simply put, got off much easier than he should have.

[Taverner]

90. I. Support. Casey.

[truebrit71]

91. Me too. Stupid little bully got his ass handed to him.

..and the school is beyond stupid for suspending the VICTIM of the attack...

[Jmaxfie1]

98. Me three! n/t

[Xicano]

95. Here's a working video link.

Clearly self defense and the little bully kid actually got off light. By the looks of it the kid being picked on could have hurt him much worse. The fact that he didn't after it was clear he got the upper hand shows the kid being picked on clearly is a respectful kid.

http://www.break.com/fights/chubby-kid-snaps-and-slams-bully-2023531

[Xenotime]

103. this kid is no hero

[Jmaxfie1]

104. Why not? n/t