So, at my school we have this thing called book club. Basically, the people there every Thursday go to discuss books/e-books they found recently that they liked, give recommendations on what others should read, have discussions on whether a particular book is good, etc. Yeah yeah not the most exciting the club, but I mean, if people want to read let them read.
Anyways, my friend is VP of the club and asked me to come because they thought I might like it. I went just to support my friend even though the idea to me didn’t really sound that interesting, and everything was as normal for a bit.
The issue came when a newcomer to the club decided to come in. They hung around for a while before loudly commenting that they couldn’t believe people would participate in such a lame club, and that reading sucks, etc. They said a lot more than that, but I think those 2 statements give you the point of what they were saying.
Anyways, I probably wouldn’t have cared that much, but my friend started tearing up. The thing you have to understand, my friend and their friends put a lot of work into starting and maintaining the club because they’re passionate about reading and having someone trash talk books isn’t the best feeling.
So at this point I’m pretty pissed, because that friend is a pretty good one of mine. So I go up to the newcomer and start saying things like "Is it lame to enjoy reading, or is it more lame to go into a club about reading and trash-talk it because you have nothing better to do in your sad pathetic life than bring down others?" and "I don’t even like reading that much myself but at least I’m not wasting my time being an insecure loser".
I said a bit more than just that, but after I finished my rant, the newcomer basically started crying and saying how I’m so mean and then just ran out of the book club.
Now the newcomer’s parents are demanding I apologize to their son for being a meanie and are asking the school to suspend me. To be fair, I probably could’ve just asked them to leave, but I don’t really understand why they were there in the first place? My friend has stayed silent on their opinion of what I did and the book club is kind of divided on what they think. So idk, AITA?
nta fine sense of honor your building young sir be well
Never happened
Or OP is 12.
Or both!
NTA maybe you can apologise for making them cry straight after that person apologises for making your friend cry. Who has the time to join a club that don’t enjoy just to rag on it and the people who created the club?!
NTA
The person who came into the book club meeting just to talk it down and make others feel small for liking to read is in the wrong. Apparently, he had no other reason at all to even be in the room, or to stay in the room if he didn’t like being there. Just because he doesn’t like something doesn’t give him the right to come in and basically tear down all who were there and enjoying their meeting; if you don’t like it, leave already, but don’t put others down because they don’t agree with you.
I get that some may feel you went too far in your tirade back at him, but he started it and obviously can dish it out but not take it. If you can’t stand the consequences, don’t do the deed. I think you had every right to speak out, while he was clearly abusing his right to come into the meeting. I can’t figure out why he came in there at all if he doesn’t like to read. Again, just because that’s HIS opinion doesn’t mean he gets to put others that do like it down in any way.
If you have to apologize, I hope you insist that he apologize, too; he is more guilty than you are. It’s odd to me why some people can’t seem to just live and let live. His behavior in your meeting was specifically meant to put the club members down and make them feel bad about themselves. No one should have that right. Yes, I know, freedom of speech and all that, but if he has that right, so do you.
He came into the meeting to bully the people there, and bullies should always have to face the consequences of their behavior.
NTA I consider your actions a public service. Too many people like that kid go through life being a jackass consequence free and before you know it they become a real problem in society because their fuckery is just more emboldened by every consequence that misses them. That kid could have avoided all the drama by simply not being an asshole.
*high fives*
If he can’t take it, he shouldn’t have started it.
Have your parents involved and defend yourself, if you get suspended, bully kid needs to be suspended too.
NTA
I think this is probably an ESH situation. Obviously he was an AH for coming in and saying the things he did. But his comments were about the club and reading. The two things you say, you said were both personal attacks on him. then you say you said some more stuff and I wonder if you got more personal with those comments.The fact that the book club members are split and that some number of them think that what you said was pretty bad hints that perhaps you took things way too far.
Hasn’t this been posted before?
Are you guys like 9 year old?
I didn’t realize they had book clubs in elementary school. I’m going to have to ask my 8yr old if he has one at his.
NTA and I’d tell those parents to go and fuck themselves.