From: colliding | #040
I guess my only problem is from the wording in the article it doesn't seem like the dude made it clear to the bully that he had a knife. It says he showed it to people on the bus, but not necessarily the bully. It seems the kid was only hit one time, and then stabbed the guy until he was dead. Even considering the bully brought his friends with him, I don't see how lethal force was required here. I don't think the guy should get charged with murder or anything, but it does seem like this law is cruel towards the bully's family.
When you're bullied, you have to make a show of force to stop getting picked on. I was picked on a lot in high school, and it only stopped when I did two things: First, grab the hair of a boy who was three years my senior and straight up pull a chunk away from his scalp to make it clear that I wasn't going to take his BS, and second literally grab a desk and threaten to bludgeon a bastard who ripped the pages off a book I was reading (and I would have gone through with it had the vice-principal not walked in right then and there so I could tell him what happened and get the jerk suspended). Lethal force is harsh, but given mob mentality and the fact that the other dude got seriously physical, I can definitely excuse the kid for protecting his own hide. Horrible things have happened to people too passive to fight back in these situations.
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Sburbopolis, Homestuck RPG: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/60981373