At the beach over the summer, I watched two little brothers under the age of 10 rough-housing in the surf. Their father watched from a short distance away. The wife was there too, but not watching the kiddie wrestling scene. The younger boy took hold of the older one’s face with his finger nails. It seemed it was the only defense he could bring to the fight to offset the bigger brother who kept knocking him down again and again and again.
I believe the proper adult intervention would have been to go over, break up the melee and insert a little pearl of a life lesson, BUT the amped-up dad gunned down to the surf, grabbed the younger boy by the head, yoked him, shook him and threw him to the ground, exclaiming “There will be NO FIGHTING!” Then he did the same thing to the older kid – shaking him and knocking him down too. When the kids got up, he knocked them down again.
Then you, Dr. Laura, appeared in my mind and my voice. I sprang up and went into action. The guy got nervous that I called him out. I was yelling so loud that I lost it. My husband tried to defuse the situation, because the offender was making threats at me. It was terrible. They packed up and stormed off the beach, calling back insults at me. I made a police report. There were witnesses.
I have more courage today and more self-respect than I have ever had thanks to you. I am no longer afraid to stand up for what is right!
Michele
I Fearlessly Stood up for What Was Right
