The Mitt Romney bullying episode has been devastating for me. I have tried to write about ten diaries but just couldn't get through the first few lines. Somebody very close to me was bullied in much the same way that Romney bullied the victim. It took him years to get over it. Our family has still not fully recovered. People don't realize that bullying has enormous damage beyond the immediate victim. It was much the same scenario, an elite rich school where my family thought he was safe, and entitled rich boys who believed they could not be touched (and they were right). To think that these cruel bullies of somebody I loved would not only completely get away with it, but actually have a wonderful life without giving the pain they caused a passing glance is overwhelming. To think they they could actually run for president in a country I love is beyond my comprehension. To think that people along the political spectrum would dismiss it as "boys will be boys" and "it was so long ago" even when they knew what happened and knew the bully didn't care - well let's just say I have broken down in tears over the last couple of days and I am not one to cry easily.
This morning I was watching Morning Joe. I don't know why I do that, just the habit of having some news show on in the morning and I despise CNN. Hey at least Rachel Maddow is on MSNBC. And they got to the Mitt bullying episode and they dismissed it out of hand. Even the supposed "progressive" Mika seemed annoyed saying, "How long ago was that." And Joe Scar seemed to take the attitude "Hey bullies are people too!!!" I turned the show off and will never turn it on again. Good bye to you Morning Joe. And I was literally hurt by their attitude, by their lack of caring, feeling as if I was dehumanized. But here is the really important point. Ten years ago that would have been all I had about this story, all I could get about how other people were viewing the story. I would have been convinced that there was something wrong with me, that I was overreacting, that "hey, these things happen. Get over it, we have an election to cover." And I know I would have felt so damn alone. But you come here to DailyKos and you read the heartfelt diaries of real people, who are angered, sickened, furious with what Romney did and who he is. And I realize I am not alone, it is Morning Joe who is alone, only they are too self-unaware to realize it. Thank you members of the DailyKos community.