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From: Retz
Date: 21 Oct 2004
Time: 08:25:13 -0500
Remote Name: 206.40.121.129
Gina...Wanted to thank you for sharing your article. It takes great courage to not be silent if you are a PWS. As a boy growing up, I remember quite vividly the episodes of "bullying" that occured to me. The laughter in school when I could not speak, I could not read...Because I stuttered. In 5th grade, I got chased down by a group of classmates that tormented me with their taunts and beat the livin' **** out of me as I attempted to fight back. My mom and dad did all they could to help me not be bullied....unfortunately, all of my teachers did nothing. I needed to "go tell on the bullies"...This I could not do cauz I was by this time to afraid to talk--to afraid to stutter--to afraid. I remember a teacher standing me up in front of class and asking each and every member of the class to give a reason as to why I stuttered; Man, Did I ever get an emotional beating then....When I was in 8th grade, a guy in High School that knew my sister was waiting for me as I walked home from school. He stopped me, and asked me why I stuttered, and as I tried to tell him, he beat the living **** out of me. I could not fight...I was so scared. My parents always tried to intervene, but they could not be there all the time. They could not protect me all the time. In High School, There was a classmate that at a school function pee'd in a bottle and got me in a group of classmates that I could not get away from. Said he would make me drink it if I stuttered. I choose not to speak at all at that time ( ;) ), and was tormented unbelievably by their tuants and words for a time being, and finally they just went away cauz I would not open my mouth!!! When I got to college, I found alcohol, plus I grew to be 6'1" and 210 lbs, and fuled by alcohol, I chose to physically fight back, and did I ever! I came to believe that the phrase "ASSUME THE POSITION" was part of the stuttering syndrome! I ended up spending some time in jail cauz I inflicted beatings on people for making fun of me. Now don't get me wrong....IT IS WRONG TO USE PHYSICAL FORCE AGAINST BULLYING. And I share this with all of the kids and teens I work with....There are choices to be made, and education of others is of absolute necessity. Most professionals talk the talk, but will not walk the walk. Professionals must EDUCATE and not be afraid to step up to the job of educating and demonstrating how to respond. I hope people read your article for all of time. For a young person, you show great wisdom. I am a 50 year old man now, and have forgiven those who have done these things to me. But I have not forgotten. And I will not forget. Thanks so much for participating in the conference. CWS/TWS and their parents will profit greatly from your sharing. I know I did...