Stop cyberbullies!

Mentality Pozzolana from the Mattes collection, a grey Earth tone, modeled by Danny Dannels.

---

Let's be honest. Cyberbully trolls are the weakest link in the internet food chain. Cyberbully attacks are hurtful, inappropriate, and the epitome of what social media gets wrong. For all the wonderful advances that technology has provided us, technology also provides an insular chasm that has removed the empathetic connections between people that happen in real life encounters, the interpersonal communication and contact that creates real understanding between human beings.

People say things online that they might never consider when talking face to face with someone. They forego netiquette, the application of consideration that the person you're shouting at in all capital letters, might not appreciate your interjection and respond, let's say, poorly.

Technology makes us numb to human suffering. It is either that, or cyberbullies do not realize that their belligerent online words live forever, and that we can continue to feel their attacks long into the future, or it is that they actually do want to inflict long-term pain, which is abhorrent. Infliction of pain, either corporeal or emotional in order to reach some perceived social order, is sadism. By the way, cruel people suck farts through straws underwater. There's a visual for you. (smiles and waves at the trolls)

---

Nutella &Go! is the perfect snack to keep in your pocket. Mentality Pozzolana modeled by Danny Dannels

---

We know a great many things about cyberbullies at Mentality. People armed with malicious intent and/or just flat out wrong information over the last few years continue to set out to attack us. Now, don't worry about us. We're okay. We can take the abuse because our personal identity doesn't rely on making sure that anyone with an over-inflated ego has to like us. We'd rather be friends with everyday normal people, like us. If the trolls don't like who we are, whatever. However, I refuse to allow people to attack our fans and friends. I simply don't have time for it. I have taken to permanently banning people with hostile words from being able to hang out with our fans. Seriously, if you were hanging out on our pages for the last six years to pontificate in drafted excremental format, you were actually a fan. Don't lie. Nah, you just wanted people to think you were cool so you could earn group cred in the hate forums. Look at how cool you are. (awards you the Smug Pepe meme)

Unfortunately, not everyone can be as confident as we are, or have sufficient support structures to express and cope with the types of misplaced hostilities that we faced over the last three years. Case in point, our children have not been allowed to visit our own web pages, because of the outpouring of resentment towards us over being the victims of Arminex's poisonous intents. Even our going through the herculean task of pursuing and taking out Arminex was not nearly enough for many of the trolls.

---

Double dipping is certainly a no-no, unless it's your own snack. Mentality Pozzolana modeled by Danny Dannels.

---

It was in fact only very recently that our children were invited to see our posts, because we had finally banned and reported all the cyberbullies from the online community that even three years later, were still taking the time to spew forth emanations of foulness from their face holes. Like, consider the rumor floating around that we were putting lead in our polishes. That is some real stupidity. No one in their right mind uses lead or refers to glazing as lead lighting, such as is from stained glass work. For real!!! Are you actually serious? Lead? GTFO of here with that complete idiocy.

The real and obvious problem is that there are people that cannot separate the ravings of the average troll, from the real life accomplishments and challenges of being a human being, the hardest hit being taken by children, and other people that suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, or any host of personal challenges. Kelly Marie Tran's disappearance from social media comes to mind, and her story, and ultimately her recent response to her bullies that went viral. It is all too easy to believe written words. They affect how we respond and even feel about ourselves. It happened to us during the Arminex poisoning fiasco, even leading up a point where I asked my wife not to be involved with social media anymore while we fought to restore our personal honor while chasing down Arminex via the FDA.

---

K12 Online Education and Programs is an amazing school to be able to actively participate in your children's education and be able to stay home, and away from the insanity of cyberbullies. Mentality Pozzolana dry brushed with Mentality Agere modeled by Danny Dannels.

---

So, I reach out to all our fans. Protect the people that you love from cyberbullies. Talk to your children. Tell them and show them that you are there for them in case anyone attacks them. Stand up for your loved ones and report cases of direct hostility to any of the platforms. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter make it easy to ban and report people with offensive actions and hateful words. Just click on the thread and report it. No one will know it was you, but it's amazing how much better you will feel.

And for the love of all things dear, if you see an actual emergency, please report it to the police. The news of late is filled with posting of people that could not bear with the onslaught, such as the heartbreaking stories of children that have taken their lives in response to being bullied online, at school, or even at home. I lived through a horrible home life, which transferred over to school, and led ultimately to my being emancipated from that violent environment at age 15 through the graces of the Texas court system. Perhaps the single best thing that came of that personal horror story was my case worker set by the court, who was an older African-American woman who always wore her hair in big curls. I wish I could remember her name. I can only recall the name I referred to her as, Momma, in reference to the impact she had on my life. It is a miracle that I lived long enough to ever find my way through life. I know a few things about being bullied, but somehow I was able to stand up to my oppressors and find my moksha, my freedom from that cycle of abuse.

---

Beef Torta: jalapeno cheese bread with taco meat and mixed cheese. Those peppers were really hot. Made by Danny Dannels.

---

In the end, this is the message that I want to share with our fans. You are strong enough. You are good enough. You don't need people that hurt you. Life is so full of opportunities to grow, and thrive, and make new friends, or even new family. Surround yourself with people that actually support you being you, whoever you happens to be, not just with words, but with their actions. That is what we did, and it is how we continue to survive and thrive, living a fulfilling life with our children, which occupies our all day, every day. Our family is how we survived the cyberbullies. We owe them our everything.

You can find information on how to talk about bullies, or how to safely stand up for yourself at stopbullying.gov. 

Learn about netiquette at https://www.auburn.edu/citizenship/netiquette.html

---