Karma

Community is a funny thing. Even when it's weak there is still camaraderie. Even when they have proven themselves to turn a blind and ignore damaging behavior, you still miss them. A man who traumatized and bullied, is now wrestling with similar issues I have about him. Statements were made, and I was criticized for over reacting. Despite the fact that he has threatened people before. It was my fault for taking what he said seriously, not his fault for saying. Bullying me into silence, is criminal behavior. We are, and there is still time for, considering legal action. This behavior was downplayed, ignored, and met with apathy because people didn't want drama.

Now, this man is encountering behavior that he considers criminal. Going so far as to call another man a pedophile. Near as I can tell the man is too old to be talking to 16 year old girls and this offends my bully. He is, however, afraid of community reaction. He may be right in saying this man 'puts out a creepy vibe'. I don't know. I don't know the people involved. I do know that treating the 16 year old girl like she has no agency in the situation is offensive to me. As far as I can tell from his writings, no criminal activity has actually been committed. This is not a case of sexual assault or rape. This a case of a man talking to a teenage girl, in public, and my bully feeling like it's creepy. If there is more to the story he hasn't written it.

I don't expect there to be a huge outcry. The community did nothing when presented with my bullies criminal behavior, I don't expect them to do anything for this, even if there is criminal behavior. I do, however, enjoy watching him rail about how much he hates this man and how helpless he feels because the community won't back him up. Funny, I feel the same way about him. I feel as if I was bullied out of the community because of him and no one was willing to say or do anything about it. He's very active in the community and I feel as though I can not be. Am I still afraid of him...yes, to be honest. I'm a little worried that he still might do something out of anger, especially if I go to the police. More then that, I'm worried about he'll say behind my back.

Do I think he will realize he is exactly the sort of man that makes people afraid of him, not in anyway he'll admit. He likes being a bully and he likes having friends that will say he's 'blowing steam' or 'is just kidding' when he says something threatening, so he doesn't have to. He can maintain the illusion that he is always a man of his word and he does what he say's he'll do, because his friends will jump in save face and victim blame. I enjoy watching him wrestle with some of the same issues, I still wrestle with because him. I don't ever think he will understand, but I enjoy it just the same.