Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered

“These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value."

― Thomas Paine

Plato and Aristotle define a tyrant as, "one who rules without law, looks to his own advantage rather than that of his subjects, and uses extreme and cruel tactics—against his own people as well as others"

Bullying is the use of force or coercion to abuse or intimidate others.

I hate tyrants, I hate bullies.

I always have, I'm not sure why. I do know that the only fight I ever had in school was with the class bully, because he was picking on the only kid in the class that was smaller than I.  I watch it day after day until one day I could take it no more. I didn't care what happened to me, I didn't care if no one else would stand up to him, I just didn't care.  Seeing that poor kid picked on day after day became intolerable.

To this day there is little that upsets me more than seeing someone who holds power over another use it to their advantage, at the expense of the other.

I sometimes feel as Thomas Paine did, that these are the times that try men's souls.
Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.
But those who feel as I do have no other choice, we must continue the struggle for fairness and respect for all, and we can take solace in Paine's words, " that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."