Enough of Thoughts and Prayers, Gun Control and Arming Teachers. Let’s Focus on Mental Health!

Columbine Shooting-

Two mass shootings happened last week, one in Georgia, the other in for the 2nd time since I’ve been writing Peaceful Rampage, Colorado. Once again, the same old quotes and rhetoric gets churned out in the aftermath.

Our thoughts and prayers go with the victims.

We need more gun control.

The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.

Let teachers carry guns in school.

Marilyn Manson’s music drove them to it.

What an armed teacher might look like

It seems that once again, little attention is paid to the actual shooter. Yes, it is said they were disturbed, and had mental problems but this is used to try to justify it away. In both cases, both shooters had metal health issues. The one in Georgia stated the reason he shot up three massage parlours in Atlanta was because he wanted to rid himself of temptation. It turns out that he frequented such places. Now I wonder and I’m simply speculating here. Was the shooter from a religious background? It could be that his religious teaching conflicted with his carnal desires and that could have been what made him snap. Having been brought up in a religious home, I have had experiences with conflicts like this in my past but not so much that I wanted to gun down any places for adult entertainment. It is quite clear to me that this man had some serious mental health issues.

The shooter in Colorado had mental issues to the point that his brother was deeply concerned for him. The brother stated that the shooter had a history of paranoia and anti-social behaviour and was bullied in high school. Before I continue, I should point out that he was from a family who immigrated from Syria in 2002 but so far, there has been no evidence that he had become radicalized or was even anti-Trump. However, he did state on his now deleted Facebook page and to his teammates on the wrestling team that he felt he was targeted because of racism and Islamophobia. This cocktail is a dangerous mix in terms of mental health.

Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way justifying the actions of these two young men. Taking lives indiscriminately is not the answer to any problem, even bullying. For me, these tragic events prove that there is not enough being done to tackle mental health concerns. Maybe if there were procedures in place in both of these cases, there was someone who could have genuinely listened to their concerns and put in place strategies, then maybe they wouldn’t have snapped and carried out such atrocities. Shameless link to my book: In “He Was Weird,” it is clear to teachers and psychologists that there was something not right with Mark’s mental state. Unfortunately, it is only because of his bad grades that the concerns arise and little attention paid to Mark’s mental health in general and the horrendous bullying he suffers. My conclusion: there needs to be much more done in the field of mental health.

To buy He Was Weird, go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Was-Weird-Publisher-Generation-Publishing/dp/B00SLVHRFG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36I8I1G32U0R4&dchild=1&keywords=he+was+weird&qid=1617131457&s=books&sprefix=he+was+%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-1

Song Lyrics Quote: Black Emerald- Hell Can’t Handle All of Us

Ninety-nine eyes tell them what to do

Nothing but shit for the sheep to chew

Keep them distracted, keep them scared

They’ll never know there’s a world out there.

Song Lyrics Quote: Hank Williams Jr.- A Country Boy Can Survive

I can plough a field all day long

I can catch catfish from dusk till dawn

We make our own whiskey and our own smoke too

There’s not many things these boys can’t do.

We grow good old tomatoes and home made wine

And a country boy can survive.

My Idea for Catching Out the Bullies

Originally, I wasn’t going to post on today’s topic for a couple more weeks but reading a recent post from Cherie, I’ve decided to post about it now. Very recently, she wrote a post about how to get solid proof of bullying. If you would like to read it, click on the link below this paragraph. She writes about how to gain proof of bullying through recording them but at the same time, she warns about the legal consequences of recording in a state where there is a two-party consent law. Since, I have been thinking about this subject in recent weeks, I have thought up a solution, should any lawmakers be reading this, which could iron over the legal ramifications of anyone who records bullying.

How to Get Solid Proof of Bullying

Ever since the early years of writing Peaceful Rampage, I have highlighted occasions where loopholes in the law have punished the victims of bullying and let the bullies off Scott free. Two of those occasions fit with what I am writing about now, so it might be a good idea to briefly talk about those.

Case #1: A boy recorded his bullies on the school’s I-pad but when he showed it to school officials, he was arrested for violating his state’s wire-tapping laws. The police even contacted the state district attorney to ascertain what to charge him with.

You can read the entire post here|: https://peacefulrampage.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/a-victory-for-the-bullies/

Case #2: A mother, so fed up with her daughter being bullied, sent her to school with a tape recorder in her pack. Again, when the recording was presented to school officials, the mother was arrested.

You can read the post for case two, here: https://peacefulrampage.wordpress.com/2017/11/23/here-we-go-again-another-victory-for-the-bullies/

Fortunately, the charges were dropped in both cases. But this leads me to wonder, why is the law so hell bent in protecting bullies? In the second case, when I reported that the charges against the mother were dropped, someone commented on the post that while the police and school went over the top in charging the mother, that using recording devices to record bullying shouldn’t be allowed. It was further argued that a parent could use the bullying as an excuse to record other conversations and this would set a dangerous precedent. I can see the point being made but I also know that in several states back in the 1980s, if someone even inadvertently recorded two or more persons making a marijuana sale, the prosecutors and courts would have bulldozed any legal obstacles to make sure that recording was admissible in court. The legal profession sees the world through rose coloured glasses sometimes.

What can we do about it? First of all, if a child is being bullied and records it or the parents record it, then there should be no repercussions against the victim or their family. However, there should be some guidelines. For instance, the bullying should have been reported to the proper authorities, before any recording is made. This way the school can’t say that they didn’t know it was going on. The mother in case two did report her daughter’s bullying several times and the school did nothing. Furthermore, if there is a non-bullying related recording of children, then the recorder should be held accountable. This should alleviate fears that children will be going around the school recording one another.

As Cherie pointed out, bullying is very difficult to prove. Usually, it’s a case of my word against yours and if the victim is a known unpopular person, the bully’s side will always hold more weight with the relevant authorities. However, if there is recorded proof that bullying is going on, then there should be no legal loopholes where bullies can get away with it. Now, a shameless link to my book, “He Was Weird.” Mark doesn’t record any bullying in the story but there is a Youtube clip of him getting bullied, though nothing is done about it.

To buy He Was Weird, go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Was-Weird-Publisher-Generation-Publishing/dp/B00SLVHRFG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36I8I1G32U0R4&dchild=1&keywords=he+was+weird&qid=1616356904&s=books&sprefix=he+was+%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-1

Song Lyrics Quote: Jay Ferguson- Thunder Island

I held her close until the storm passed

Then we fell down laughing in the wet grass

Both our bodies drying in the sunshine, sweet sunshine

So, sha la la la my lady

In the sun with your dress undone

Now a mile away and every day

Cuts a little bit deeper

I’ll remember the nights in the cool sand

Making love out there on Thunder Island

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_iU0sxxbiM

A Huge Victory For Victims! (I Hope)

Almost since the beginning of Peaceful Rampage, I have posted about accounts where bullying victims or in some cases, their parents ended up on the wrong side of the law when all they were doing was trying to stop the bullying. (If you want to read about them, just enter “Victory for Bullies” in the page’s search engine and all of those posts will come to light.) It infuriates me how the law seems to protect bullies and not the victims. Well, for the second time in the near eight years I’ve been writing this blog, there has been a victory for victims.

On February 17 of this year, in Flagler, Florida, three teens, two female and one male, were arrested for threatening, assaulting and robbing a nineteen year old woman who has Autism. However, it didn’t end there. For weeks after, another fifteen year old girl had been harassing the victim, mainly on social media to the point where the victim was considering dropping the charges against her assailants. Fortunately, the police moved in and arrested the 15 year old girl for harassing a victim, witness and informant. The case goes on. FFI on this story, click the link below:

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/03/11/flagler-15-year-old-accused-of-bullying-victim-to-drop-charges-against-friends/

So far so good I say but there is one worrying aspect to the case. The fifteen year old girl was released from juvenile custody to her parents, much to the dismay of the detective handling the case. He states that the juvenile justice system in Florida is broken. That is my fear. Like with so many bullies, the girl will see being released to her parents as a slap on the wrist and this will embolden her to harass the victim even more. Just as bad would be if the bullies are let off lightly. This too, will only encourage them to further harass the victim because they will now feel that they are untouchable. This needs to stop and stop now! Bullying victims need to be protected by the law.

Shameless link to my book: When Mark, the main character is bullied, the police don’t take the bullying seriously and they do next to nothing. It doesn’t help that one of the bullies is the police chief’s nephew and another bully’s father is a lawyer. Like in so many instances, the blame shifts back on the victim and I am sure hoping that this isn’t the case for this poor 19 year old woman with Autism in Florida.

To buy He Was Weird, go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Was-Weird-Publisher-Generation-Publishing/dp/B00SLVHRFG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36I8I1G32U0R4&dchild=1&keywords=he+was+weird&qid=1615830155&s=books&sprefix=he+was+%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-1

Song Lyrics Quote: Michael Stanley Band- My Town

Oh and this town is my town, all right.

Love or hate it, it don’t matter

Cause I’m gonna stand and fight

This town is my town

She’s got her ups and downs

Love or hate it, it don’t matter

Cause this is my town.

In memory of Michael Stanley who sadly passed away last week.

Bad Ronald

Sometimes, I amaze myself as to what has been stored in the ‘Saved’ file inside my weird mind. It lays dormant for decades only to suddenly come to the forefront of my brain. Often times, there isn’t any noticeable trigger, it just comes. A few months ago, I remembered the film, “Bad Ronald,” which is the inspiration behind today’s post. Back in the early 1970s, ABC had a feature called “Movie of the Week,” which aired on Tuesday evenings. Later, a Wednesday movie of the week was added. During the last season, 1974-5, the film “Bad Ronald” was shown and I watched it. While the then thirteen year old me liked the suspense of the film, I find that as I have aged, that I can identify with the film much more than I thought.

Quick synopsis of the film: Ronald is a socially awkward seventeen year old. What we learn straight away is that he is a high academic achiever, a good artist and pretty handy with tools. He has also written a fantasy story. His awkwardness doesn’t prevent him from asking out the high school princess/cheerleader type. When he goes to her house to do so, he is not only shot down by the girl, her brother also hurls some cruel insults his way. On the way home, Ronald accidentally bumps into the 12 year old sister, who tells Ronald that her sister only dates football players and that Ronald and his mother are weird. Ronald tries to make the girl apologize but in the struggle, he pushes her down and the girl hits her head on a cinderblock. When he gets home, Ronald confesses his crime to his mother and that he buried her. Fearing her son’s life was over, mother devises a plan to hide him until the whole thing blows over and they can get away. Ronald uses his tools to make a secret room out of the bathroom. Ronald hides in the room and no one is the wiser, not even the police who know Ronald had killed the girl.

Ronald’s artwork

Here’s where the big twist comes in. Mother has to go into hospital for a gall bladder operation but she unexpectedly dies. Ronald is in the house on his own but not for long. Soon after, a couple with three teenage daughters buy the house and Ronald takes a shine to Babs, the youngest daughter, who he imagines is the princess in his story. Second big twist, the eldest daughter becomes involved with Dwayne, the older brother of the girl Ronald killed. He tells the family this one time at dinner. Becoming more entranced in his story, Dwayne becomes the ‘evil duke.’ Shortly after, when Babs is in the house on her own, Ronald tries to impress her with his artwork and identifies himself as the prince in the story. Babs gets away and flees to a neighbour’s house but the house is empty so when she hides in the basement, Ronald locks her in. Next, he captures Dwayne and ties him up in his secret room. The other two daughters suspect something is wrong but the police try to reassure them otherwise. Then, the middle sister sees the light from one of Ronald’s peep holes. She then sees Ronald’s eye. Ronald bursts through the wall and heads outside but the police are there to take him down and arrest him, the end.

Nearly half a century later, my nearly 60 year old self sees the film in a totally different light. Having been a socially awkward teen and young adult, I can sympathize with Ronald a heck of a lot more. While it was never overtly stated in the film, I am sure he was a bullying victim, especially by Dwayne. As for Dwayne, he comes across as a high school jock and rich kid, so, I believe mother’s fears that no one in the town would believe that the killing was an accident. Furthermore, the double trauma of knowing what he had done combined with the death of his mother would have sent Ronald over the edge and it is no wonder he retreated into his fantasy world. Ronald was every much the victim as the girl he killed.

It is too bad, the film ended there but it was a made for television movie. I would like to have seen what happens to Ronald after his arrest. My speculation was that being on his own, he would have had a court appointed attorney who would not have had the resources to give him an adequate defense. At the very most, Ronald might have been able to plea guilty to first degree voluntary manslaughter but since I know small town attitudes with bullying cultures, he would have still gone to prison for the maximum sentence. That’s an idea for a sequel where, Ronald uses his academic gifts to read law books and possibly get his sentence reduced or even quashed. Of course, the victim’s family and the family who moved into his home would object so there would be some confrontation there. Actually, it might make a pretty good film!

The film is available to watch online.

To buy He Was Weird, go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Was-Weird-Publisher-Generation-Publishing/dp/B00SLVHRFG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36I8I1G32U0R4&dchild=1&keywords=he+was+weird&qid=1615312417&s=books&sprefix=he+was+%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-1

Song Lyrics Quote: Weird Al Yankovick- Good Old Days

I can still remember good old Mr. Fender

Who ran the corner grocery store.

He’d stroll down the aisle with a big friendly smile

He’s say “Howdy” when you walked though the door.

Always treated me nice, gave me kindly advice

I don’t know why I set fire to his place.

Oh, I’ll never forget the day I bashed in his head,

You should’ve seen the look on his face.

Let me tell you, those were the good old days

Those were the good old days.

The years go by but the memory stays

And those were the good old days.

Song Lyrics Quote: Weird Al Yankovick- That Boy Could Dance

Tags

music, quotes, song lyrics, Weird Al Yankovick

We all used to call him Jimmy the Geek

He was a dumb looking scrawny little four eyed freak

He never used to hang around with the guys

He’d just sit in the corner, attracting the flies

He wasn’t much to look at

He never was very bright,

But there was one thing that he could do all right

That boy could dance, that boy could dance

He was kind of a jerk, he was kind of a bore

But the women would scream when he walked in the door

Because one thing I can tell you for sure,

That boy could dance.