A look down the road
*shudder*
I remember the days when there were women “of a certain age,” usually dressed in black with sensible shoes but occasionally in bright colors or in chic beige, gathered on street corners discussing the State of the Neighborhood. Were any “yoots” so ill-advised as to act out in the sight of these women they would be hauled up sharply, smacked onna back of the head and told to straighten up, and their mothers called and informed as to their misdeeds before they could run home.
‘Course those “misdeeds” fell into the slouching, swearing or “running in the street like an animal” category. Thus, the women “of a certain age” utilized the “broken window” principle to keep things down to a dull roar. They were backed up by their husbands and sons who, hardened and tired by long days of work, would be decidedly un-amused to be greeted of an evening with reports of more serious misdeeds by their offspring.
Somehow, somewhere that all vanished in the mists and our misdeeded yoots were handed over to the “professionals” of cops and courts and social workers.
And next?
What an admission of total defeat by those in charge of our failing criminal justice system. ...
Panels of four children [age 10 and up], under only minimal adult supervision, are to have the power to require delinquents to repair the damage they’ve caused and compensate their victims.
...What we are seeing is simply the adultification of children and the infantilising of adults.
Of course, I lay some of the blame for this in the criminalization of spanking by parents or teachers. Because I was whipped with a razor strap for misdeeds, the next temptation was weighed carefully. (And now they say capital punishment is not a deterent!)
Posted by on 10/25/07 at 03:49 AMHere’s an interesting view from an Australian blogger:
“Parents are creating a generation of yobs by failing to teach children good manners at a young age....”
His link is to the UK Daily Telegraph, yours, to the UK Daily Mail. (I’ll send him a link to here.) Luckily, that couldn’t happen here.....
Posted by ZZMike on 10/25/07 at 11:46 AM
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