Always fight back

In most cases, whatever harm you take from punches and kicks will heal. But the shame of being bullied and not fighting back is something from which some boys and men can never recover:

'Police are investigating all the circumstances of the sad death of 15-year-old Adam Tharia, from Cheltenham, who was found hanging on May 21.

'It would be inappropriate to discuss the specifics of the investigation while it is ongoing. We can however confirm that police are in possession of a piece of footage that appears to show Adam being punched by another boy around a week before.' 

The footage shows Adam - described by his family as 'a wonderful son and brother' - standing in a field, surrounded by other boys.

He appears to be bracing himself for the physical attack but, as another boy throws his fist towards him, Adam does not raise his hands in self-defence. The young boy then falls to the floor, as the group laughs around him. He is then seen lying motionless on the floor.

I don't know if the poor kid was simply in despair over the bullying or what, but one thing I've learned is that there is truth in the saying that the coward dies a thousand deaths, the hero dies but once. I truly hate this sort of shit. Why wasn't there one boy in the baying mass who was willing to stand up for the poor kid?

Even when you get your ass kicked by a physical superior, at least you know that you stood up for yourself. Don't ever be afraid of fighting and losing. Be afraid of failing to fight. I know middle-aged men who are still ashamed of not fighting back in middle school.

I may have gotten my ribs cracked in junior high, but at least I have the satisfaction of knowing that the boys who ganged up on me that day didn't manage to stuff grass in my mouth as they were trying to do. And better yet, the recollection of the ringleader backing down in public a few years later rather than risk having me bash his face in.

Tweet