I am not the kind of person who will stick up for myself. Partly pacifism and the rest religious convictions, however I have no problems when it comes to sticking up for, or protecting someone else. When I was in the 6th grade I befriended a retarded student named Frank who was being picked on by the bullies of the school. We became good friends. To protect him from the bullies I would go to his class at lunch and walk with him to the cafeteria to have lunch with him so no one would pick on him. Before I started having lunch with Frank you would be surpriSed how many bullies would pick on this defenseless retarded child. Others would hit, kick or punch Frank because in being retarded he didn't know any better that it wasn't polite to throw things as he had a bad habit of throwing food around. How low do you have to be to strike back at someone retarded? Picking on Frank soon stopped after I started having lunch with him. I was a tomboy, very athletic and the tallest girl in the school and taller than most of the boys at the time. Occasionally I would get teased of being with Frank as the only means to get a boyfriend as tall as me and I would shrug that off. Occasionally I would end up in the principals office for decking a bully who had the nerve to forcefully shove this poor retarded child in my direction to tell him to kiss his girlfriend. Since I was a girl who had decked a boy the principal would always laugh and tell me if they were stupid enough to pick on a retarded child with me around they got what they deserved. I will always stick up for those with any form of handicap. It appalls me to see someone stoop so low as to fight with someone afflicted In any way or by any means, Even in the case of Frank who didn't know any better than to throw his food, if you got hit consider the source and call it no harm done, ignore it and move on. You don't hit, kick, or punch a retarded person!! Of all the fighting I have seen on this site I think the most appalling low blows are the constant HAVE ANOTHER DRINK- ARE YOU DRUNK? How childish and low do you have to be if a person's HANDICAP is the only ammo you have? It would appear to me, and most on this site that you don't have anything to go on against a person, who must not have done anything all that wrong, if all you have is their handicap to throw in their face. As far as me sticking up for someone who is being picked on as this, you better believe it. If you are going to use a person's handicap then I wouldn't even care if they are the one that started the fight. Sometimes this site reminds me of a schoolyard with a bully. Maybe it's time to grow up on here. I'm just waiting for Dawn to be attacked using the fact that she once drank or in telling her to have a drink. I think this site will crash in on whoever has the nerve to do it. I have seen a few remarks already in reference to Dawn being in AA. Good grief. Grow up. This is not the schoolyard anymore and it's time to stop being a bully.