Someone I know got shot with a shotgun while attempting to defend his vehicle that was being stolen. He's ok, the gun was far enough away that he was just hit with a stray pellet. Just below his heart. Lucky him, to have been so far away.
It was young guys who were attempting to steal the car, one of them shot the gun. One of them shot at this guy I know. Shot ...at this guy I know. Just shot at him.
That's attempted murder. Isn't it? Why would a young guy stealing a car think it was nothing to shoot at this guy I know. They'd already gotten away. The news article said one of them was saying "just do it! just do it!".
Some comments on the news article say the parents should be charged. Maybe that's not a bad idea. A co-worker looked real hesitant at this thought. I wondered why. I asked her if she thought one of her kids would ever be out stealing a car carrying a sawed off shotgun, and then use it to shoot this guy I know. Her reply was what I knew already. Not a chance. I know my kid would never do that. Is that just luck of the draw? That our kids know that shooting guns at people isn't right?
We decided that if it were a situation where the parents or guardians of these young men had been to hell and back trying to teach their kids behaviour like this isn't right, that they'd provided an environment at home for these young men where they felt loved and knew the value of human life, that they'd taught them that no matter what type of rules they thought were tough at home the rules of a gang they may join will be way tougher, that they made their kids feel like part of a family so that they had no need to find a place like a gang to feel they belong, to feel important, that they'd sought out every possible solution to any drug abuse that may be going on, that they'd done all they could do to prevent this from happening, the charges could be dropped. If they'd done nothing wrong.
Some thoughts from others on this guy I know getting shot were "well, I'd have done the same thing, running after them and would still do it tomorrow", "maybe it's a single parent who works at night and has to to make ends meet", "nothing can be done to help people like this, all people who engage in a violent crime should be sent off to an island somewhere to live amongst people who are the same".
My thoughts on these thoughts are I wouldn't run after anyone who was trying to steal my vehicle, that even if my co-worker or myself worked at night to make ends meet our kids still would not have shot at this guy I know, and that I think there are things that can be done to help people like this, if they want it.
If they don't, perhaps an island isn't that bad of an idea.
Thursday
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I attempted this before and it did not go through - but here is the synopsis.
ReplyDeleteWe need to stop blaming our children and stop accepting responsibility for their issues. First, children need guidance. We as a society have given no guidance and hog tied anyone that did not conform to the "moral majorities" idea of what is good for children. Effectively giving children all the power.
Second, children without guidance and with all the power are not good at all. They are very viceral creatures that react and continue in what ever direction that they are interested in.
Third, with the inability to be in charge of our own children due to the nosy neighbor syndrome that is so prevalent, parents are not responsible for the actions of children they are not allowed to actually raise.
Fourth, if someone was able to raise their children, without interference or fear of going to jail for anything and everything, then maybe we could be more able to function as a society.
Parents are not responsible for putting guns in our children's hand, the government that we refuse to reign in does.
My dad spent his career as the director a juvenile detention center. Almost to a kid, the one thing all the boys had in common was a chaotic home life. Some had very loving parents, some had absent parents, some had abusive parents, some had addicted parents. But, almost without exception, for whatever reason, the parents were not able to "get it together" for their boys. (I say boys b/c it was a facility for boys only). The other thing my dad always pointed out to us is that not everyone has a fair shot in life. Some are born into circumstances beyond their control where they already have 2 strikes against them. The goal is to educate them, give them responsibilities, and hold them accountable for their own actions so they may yet grow up to be functioning members of society.
ReplyDeleteI hope your friend will be OK!!! That's scary!
That is scary! My condolences.
ReplyDeleteAhh he's ok, these kinds of things just freak me out. I had another experience a year or so back that I was directly involved in that scared the crap out of me. It just frightens me when young people don't care, about anything it would seem. For whatever reason, it's like they have no hope, for a person who'd seriously harm another for the most part must care very little about themselves. It's sad, and scary.
ReplyDeleteTurns out 2 16 year old boys and 1 15 year old have been arrested.
ReplyDelete