Real consequences key:

So the headlines are filled yet again with a horrific story of another school deadly massacre. Gunman opens fire at California high school. First of all he is no gunman, he is a cowardly young punk. Man is not even a word to be associated with this punk. With intense eagerness I continue reading the story. A poor, picked on 15 year old, he was called a freak and a nerd. He was scrawny. He had a smile on his face for God’s sake as he fired away into the back of an adult fleeing the bathroom where the incident occurred. Now if that isn’t a cowardly punk, it should say that in Webster’s dictionary. The teen reportedly had talked about the possibility of shooting his classmate’s over the weekend preceding the incident. It was stated that he said he had the entire shooting planned out. The kid even bragged about owning a gun previously. That should have set off some alarms with someone. That is not to say the shooting could have been prevented.

The overriding question in many people’s minds is “Why.” Not in my mind. I feel I know why. It’s not because he was picked on. It’s not because he lives with only his father and there is no mention of a mother. I feel it’s because he has not been taught he must pay consequences for his actions. He obviously felt he could do it, and so he did. Society has taught our youngsters today they are equals. They are prevalent in major decision making. The youngsters are handed out phone numbers, contacts and told to call any time night or day if your rights are squashed , or not being met. You have the right to do this and the right to do that, they are told. These children who are not our equals are given far too many rights.

IF you do it wrong, that’s not going to be a problem, society says. You are a child we will forgive you of your ignorance, therefore there will be no consequences for you young child. Go play now, son. We adults continue to be amazed and surprised that these young punks do as they please, when they please. Perhaps it is because there are no real consequences for their horrific acts of violence, disobedience, pure imbecile acts. Perhaps if we as a nation took a stand and said we will not tolerate you acting as an adult yet pleading I am an ignorant child, maybe then we would send a clear, precise message to these thugs---you kill you go to jail until you can be killed by lethal injection. I wonder if that would be a deterrent. Detaining the cowardly punks forever on end in “Juvee” is not obviously working.

©2001Nancy Lee Destiny