I bullied kids, was bullied myself and defended other kids from being bullied.
It's part of growing up. The problem today is that the technology kids have access to allows bullies to take shit to the absolute extreme. Many children are now growing up in a quasi electronic universe constantly text messaging one another, checking their facebook status every 5 minutes, sending out mass emails and posting shit on message boards. Plus the parents don't stay on top of this stuff as much as they used to either. The pussification argument some of you have made is completely accurate. Also, consider this-- If a kid being bullied is encouraged to fight back by his parents and he beats up the kid bullying him ( not shooting him, or burning him, or taking it way too far) what would probably happen? The kids parents would probably have to answer to the school, the bullies parents, etc. It's almost as if now raising children in this country has become a grotesque exercise in turning your offspring into a bunch of thin skinned pussies. Words hurt! Tell an adult! Use talking instead of action!
Bullying is an issue, but I think it is being made into a much bigger problem than it should be. Kids need to toughen up, the parents need to pay closer attention to what's going on and there needs to be a push for kids to start acting more like kids instead of socially inept internet dweebs.