Throughout ALL the bullying and harassment I endured in my schooldays, I was just expected to put up with it, not fight back, “turn the other cheek.”

It was said to come from Jesus of Nazereth, in the Gospel of Matthew, 5:39: “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. IF anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to them the other cheek.” (https://biblehub.com/matthew/5-39.htm) 

I always pondered, what does this mean? Allow someone to beat you up and disrespect you, kick you around? From what the “adult authority figures” lied to me about,  it would be bad of me to fight back, that I would “sink down to their level,” and I must just ignore it.

I can’t except that. What they tried to lie to me about was nothing but, as the Nation of Islam put it, “slave religion,” telling me I must put up with that abuse because it was somehow virtuous. HOGWASH TIMES TEN. If someone assaults you, by word or deed, that means they think you’re nothing, you don’t matter.

Yes, you DO so matter, and you have every mother-fucking right to protect yourself. and don’t let ANY body tell you different.