[T * Storm]

Originally Posted by golfhobo

Windwalker said:

So did I, Wind. As a preacher's son, who loved to "cut up" on the back row at church, I've been "blistered" by every form of pussywillow branch, hickory stick and leather belt! I didn't LIKE it... but I learned about "consequences." I was also somewhat smaller when I was young, and different, so I've been beaten and shamed by bullies all my life.

Did I grab a gun and start shooting??? NO! Like you said, it never even ocurred to me! So what is different now?

Is it the 24hr news media who glorify and sensationalize every instance of violence in this country? Or is it something else?

I say it is the lack of control, moderation, and regulation of VIDEO GAMES that desensitize our youth to the consequences of being "blown away" by guns, and the exhaltation of those who score highest by killing the most "targets."

Were GUNS any less scarce when WE were young? NO. Were there any less BULLIES? No. Were principals and teachers any less caring? NO. Were young girls any less coquettish? NO! Were parents any less distracted? No. So.... what is different?

It is the glory and the challenge of KILLING people who mean NOTHING to you, as some truckers and MOST kids do EVERY day on video games!

Give a 4 year old kid an "L" shaped stick today, and see if he doesn't start pointing it and going BANG! Where did he learn that? [Saw this on a news clip last night... not even related to the problem!]

I'm not saying I didn't play Cowboys and Indians when I was a kid. I DID! But, I never saw the glory of the blood and destruction that is shown on video games today.

If we don't WAKE UP and understand the MENTAL development of children today, we are destined for MORE of this "carnage." Think back to every shooting episode that has made the news in the last 20 years. How many of them involved people OVER 50 years of age? Very few. I am 50, and I grew up with PONG! Shortly after that... I dropped out because I couldn't hang. Now... how many killers have been YOUNGER than me? About 90% of them!

What happened in between? The computer revolution.... and the onset of bloody video games.

I could be WRONG, folks. It's JUST a theory! YOU be the judge... and, if you have children... YOU make your OWN decisions. But, don't be surprised if I hold YOU responsible. Unless, of course, you can give me a clue to a BETTER culprit!

Hobo

My vote goes with "Spare the rod, spoil the child." I think a lot of parents are too busy chasing the almighty buck to even pay attention to their kids nowadays. My daughter had a "back to school" night last week and I could count of my hand, how many parents both showed up to take an interest in what their kid was doing. If more parents seriously got involved in their children's life in a "love must be tough" sort of way; love them, but let them know a definite line does exist, i think it would make a huge difference.

[marcel27208]

This guy was a MILK TRUCK DRIVER.. no CDL required

[Mackman]

Originally Posted by marcel27208

This guy was a MILK TRUCK DRIVER.. no CDL required

Most likely it was a T/T picking up at the Amish farms.

[Douglas]

Originally Posted by marcel27208

This guy was a MILK TRUCK DRIVER.. no CDL required

That's right. He wasn't a real truckdriver like us. :lol:

[golfhobo]

Originally Posted by marcel27208

This guy was a MILK TRUCK DRIVER.. no CDL required

Oh Puhleeze! He wasn't DELIVERING milk in a stepvan, he was a TANKER driver collecting milk from the dairy farms and taking it to a processing plant. I don't care if he needed a CDL or not! He WAS a truck driver, and he KILLED people!

[lifespalette]

Hobo.........I think your theory is just a fraction of the cause.........the other cause I think is that society today seems to have accepted the theory that no body should be held accountable for their crimes..........it's the schools fault, it's the parents fault, it's the fact that they are poor and uneducated, on and on and on.............

Look at our courts.........commit a crime, you get your hands slapped, or you do half your time in an air conditioned prison with color tv, free medical care, free education, free job training.........and a gym the envy of many. What happened to the concept of punishment? Personally, I'd like to see the work camps brought back into reality........what's wrong with a camp cot, in a tent behind a 12' fence with razor wire at the top and bottom..........Personally, I see nothing wrong with a 40 years sentence to be carried out in some hell hole for anybody who commits a crime with a gun........no time off for good behavior, no AC, no color TV,............hell for all I care they can make little rocks from big rocks with a ball peen hammer.

It's time for a REAL crack down on those who chose to break the laws by our court system.............instead we get a feel good philosophy toward the poor little mistreated, uneducated, dope dealing, scum............

It's a damn wonder any of us who grew up in the 50's and 60's aren't more screwed up than we are...........our parents didn't know what the hell they were doing.............aahhhhhh the age of enlightenment.

[Mackman]

I just saw on the 10 o'clock news a 4th girl had die in the hospital. There are 7 other still in the hospital god this kind of shit really get to me.

[Mackman]

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/myfox/pag...Y&pageId=1.1.1

[golfhobo]

Lifespallete: I appreciate your well thought out response. But... I'm going to debate it. :lol:

In sum, your argument is the same old tired out argument that conservatives use to claim that Democrats are soft on crime. I don't mean that YOU are saying that. But... that is the argument.

Becuase we instituted programs, years ago, to find out WHY criminals think the way they do, and what historical influences made them what they are, we have been accused of "coddling" criminals, deviants, and now... terrorists. :roll:

Reality is that prisons weren't ALL that much tougher 50 years ago! It has been proven MANY times over that punishment is NO deterrent. Not even the death penalty!

I agree with you that prison time should be hard labor. But, that won't keep them from running their "businesses" from inside the wire. And I agree that any crime that includes the use of a gun should be punished more. But, that is exactly what our current laws dictate. The only problem is that our prisons (and courtrooms) are overcrowded with thousands of guys who only smoked a joint or sold a pound to a willing adult. There's NO ROOM!

No... I think the problem occurs with the education and [anti]socialization of our children. NOT the punishment of our young adults.

MOST of the people who are blasting away with shotguns, AK-47's, and automatic pistols in our schools, are CHILDREN! And they've NEVER been in a position to be "coddled" by our penal system.

You're right that OUR parents had not much of a clue. WE are the "enlightened" generation! And what have WE done to improve the education/socialization of OUR children? We've bought them MORE video games and given them the keys to the castle!

We've let them eat themselves into obese "blobs" before they reached High School, while getting plastic surgery to make ourselves look better! What kind of values are we teaching them?

We cuss and swear at anyone and everyone who crosses us, break our commitments to marriage, jobs and family at the drop of a hat!

WE learned "absolutely nothing" from OUR parents about BEING parents. And taught our children that it was okay to disrespect anyone and everyone.

We live and operate in a multi tasked, overstimulated world, where we have NO time to sit and talk with them or listen to them. And we wonder why they don't "get it."

We are the "ME" generation, and our focus on US has distracted us from our duties to our children. We've commercialized, advertized, branded and outsourced every aspect of their lives, clothes, dinners, and emotions. Yet, expect them to believe us when we say we "care." :roll:

We like to say, "My Momma didn't raise no fools!" Well..... duh? Do we think our children are any LESS astute??

No... the problem is NOT in punishment AFTER the fact as a deterrent. The problem is in UPBRINGING. And as "them what's in charge".....

WE HAVE FAILED!!!!

And any parent who blames something or someone ELSE for the problem with children today, is in DENIAL!!! And might as well hand their kids another $20 bucks for a pizza, the remote control, and the number where they can be "reached!"

Hobo

[terrylamar]

"Reality is that prisons weren't ALL that much tougher 50 years ago! It has been proven MANY times over that punishment is NO deterrent. Not even the death penalty"

I can absolutly guarantee that a murder, put to death, will never kill again.