<![CDATA[California mayor sparks outrage by telling bullying victims to 'grow a pair']]>California mayor sparks outrage by telling bullying victims to 'grow a pair'

Published May 17, 2014



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Jan. 24, 2013: A first grade class of 30 children waits to enter a classroom at the Willow Glenn Elementary School in San Jose, Calif.AP




PORTERVILLE, Calif. – A Central California mayor's remarks that bullying victims should toughen up and defend themselves has sparked anger among some city officials and gay rights advocates.


At a recent City Council meeting, Porterville Mayor Cameron Hamilton said he opposes bullying but thinks it is too often blamed for the world's problems. Hamilton said some people need to "grow a pair."










The mayor was responding to a student program proposing safe zones around town with signs directing children to places where they could seek refuge from bullies. Porterville is a community of 55,000 residents 70 miles southeast of Fresno.


Councilwoman Virginia Gurrola backs the safe zones and told the mayor, "It's hard to just 'grow a pair' when you're a 10-year-old girl."


Melissa McMurrey of Gay Porterville told KFSN-TV that she felt attacked by the mayor's comments. She said bullies often target young gay people.


Hamilton cast the lone vote against further discussing the safety zones. He told The Associated Press on Friday that he's not anti-gay, but he opposed the plan because it would be costly and expose the city to lawsuits if a safe zone turned dangerous.


"The message is, together we can all fight this thing," Hamilton said of bullying.


The proposal has been pulled from discussion at next weeks' council meeting.


Last year, the city was at the center of a flap when the council in a split vote replaced a proclamation declaring June as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride month with a resolution calling June a month of community charity and good will to all. Hamilton said he voted in favor of the change, wanting to include everybody.
























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]]>https://brownsboard.com/topic/29365/california-mayor-sparks-outrage-by-telling-bullying-victims-to-grow-a-pairRSS for NodeThu, 01 Oct 2026 01:09:27 GMTMon, 19 May 2014 09:29:29 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to California mayor sparks outrage by telling bullying victims to 'grow a pair' on Mon, 19 May 2014 19:20:50 GMT]]>

@the-cysko-kid said:

He's not necessarily wrong. We spend more time trying to get bullies to not be mean and nowhere near enough time trying to teach the victims to stand up for themselves

I agree. People will be mean no matter what. If you stand up to it, it usually goes away.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/409354https://brownsboard.com/post/409354Mon, 19 May 2014 19:20:50 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to California mayor sparks outrage by telling bullying victims to 'grow a pair' on Mon, 19 May 2014 18:52:39 GMT]]>Poor kids being made fun of, imagine the life time of psychiatry, medications and therapy because they were making fun of her freckles.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/409347https://brownsboard.com/post/409347Mon, 19 May 2014 18:52:39 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to California mayor sparks outrage by telling bullying victims to 'grow a pair' on Mon, 19 May 2014 17:33:58 GMT]]>

@westside-steve said:

I don't even think we're talking about kids assaulting other kids. I think the new generation of parents wants to make picking on their kids illegal.

Kids have picked on other kids since the beginning of time.

I don't know if things have changed all that much but is the narc the most respected kid in school now?

WSS

Yeah, the definition of 'bully' seems to have evolved over the years. When I was in second grade (circa 1968) a bully was the 6th grader who beat you up on the playground and took your lunch money. Recently a friend of my wife said that her 9-year old daughter was being bullied--the other kids

were making fun of her because she had freckles. I noted that that didn't really seem like bullying--more like being teased. Wrong thing to say--I was basically accused of being a cave man with outdated views. Hey, now that I think about it, the bitch was bullying me!

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/409313https://brownsboard.com/post/409313Mon, 19 May 2014 17:33:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to California mayor sparks outrage by telling bullying victims to 'grow a pair' on Mon, 19 May 2014 16:05:03 GMT]]>

@diehardbrownsfan said:

I agree. I taught my sons to fight back even if they got beat up. The kid will respect you more and will more then likely leave you alone.

But nowadays if you fight back you get suspended because of horseshit zero-tolerance policies.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/409284https://brownsboard.com/post/409284Mon, 19 May 2014 16:05:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to California mayor sparks outrage by telling bullying victims to 'grow a pair' on Mon, 19 May 2014 13:39:16 GMT]]>I don't even think we're talking about kids assaulting other kids. I think the new generation of parents wants to make picking on their kids illegal.

Kids have picked on other kids since the beginning of time.

I don't know if things have changed all that much but is the narc the most respected kid in school now?

WSS

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/409245https://brownsboard.com/post/409245Mon, 19 May 2014 13:39:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to California mayor sparks outrage by telling bullying victims to 'grow a pair' on Mon, 19 May 2014 12:52:58 GMT]]>

@the-cysko-kid said:

He's not necessarily wrong. We spend more time trying to get bullies to not be mean and nowhere near enough time trying to teach the victims to stand up for themselves

I agree. I taught my sons to fight back even if they got beat up. The kid will respect you more and will more then likely leave you alone.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/409240https://brownsboard.com/post/409240Mon, 19 May 2014 12:52:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to California mayor sparks outrage by telling bullying victims to 'grow a pair' on Mon, 19 May 2014 12:45:19 GMT]]>He's not necessarily wrong. We spend more time trying to get bullies to not be mean and nowhere near enough time trying to teach the victims to stand up for themselves

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/409237https://brownsboard.com/post/409237Mon, 19 May 2014 12:45:19 GMT