It has been said that a mind is a terrible thing to waste. I have been around and known some Bullies in my time. We all have. There are the Bullies in the open and closeted Bullies. They feed off the acquiescence of others. A Bully plays on vulnerability. A Bully is a Paper Mache Tiger. When courage is required they are busy. Courage is not part of their day job.

Hitler was a malignant narcissist. His images were of power and strength. After all, everyone had to greet each other with the straight-arm salute and his name in the greeting. Heil Hitler expressed submission to Hitler. There was a lot of submission going on.

Cult leaders are Bullies. They demand their followers do things their way or ‘the highway.’ Often, Bullies are expecting someone to stand up to them. They know they do not have the goods to back their rhetoric. Bullies are disappointed when people smarter than they are bowed in submission easily.

Public service requires courage. It was never to be a well-paid career. Some State Houses still have the remnants of Statesmen and Stateswomen. They are there to do the people’s business. Not their narrow constituency, but all the people. The ethos of having a leader to persecute and bring judgment on your perceived enemies is not new. There is no shortage of advisors who have a damaged understanding of leadership. I had a boss long ago who told me that he had been mistreated by people in power, and now that he had some power, he was going to do the same to as many people as he could. Behind the Bully Leader are hidden Bullies. They whisper in his ears to take revenge.

The Little Bully comes from dysfunction. A lot of fear is in his heart. Fear of being accepted. Fear of being liked or loved. The Little Bully says,’ I will throw sand in your eyes and show you who is the king of this sandbox.’ ‘I will call you hurtful names and look around me for the laughter and approval of the other children, Little Bully says. ‘You are short or fat or have big ears…I will tell others about your defects so they will not look at my defects,’ Little Bully boasts. ‘I am afraid at night in the dark when there is no one to admire and reassure me, ‘Little Bully whispers. ‘Dad does not have time for me, and Mom is aloof,’ Little Bully says. ‘The sound of cheers and approval for whatever I say is music to my ears,’ Little Bullys laughs. ‘Even I can not believe what I can get away with,’ Little Bully considers.

The little boy is doing laps with his dog around their house by the pond. It is a cool evening, and they both seem very happy. The little dog is especially for the evening run. The crickets are tuning their instruments. The Bullfrogs are practicing the scales before their performance in a few minutes. No Little Bullies around Brooks Pond. Creatures working together with an appreciation for each other’s differences and diversity.