Is the Internet making us indifferent?

[Thorne]

I have the misfortune of knowing a family whose child did a murder. He was hounded by a bully. His girlfriend was raped by the bully. The bully bragged he would do it again and threatened his life. He's in adult prison, no parole. No prior record of any kind. It's made me rethink my attitude against juvenile leniency. Who's to blame? His parents? The bully's parents?

The first blame must go to the bully's parents, for sure. I would never tolerate that kind of attitude or behavior in one of my kids. And they knew it, too. In no uncertain terms.

But the state, or city, or community, must also shoulder a portion of the blame. In this country, at least, bullies seem to have the run of the streets, terrorizing their victims with impunity, rarely having to pay the price, until finally one of their victims snaps and takes him out! How can any jury convict a young man (I'm assuming a teenager?) who killed a rapist, one who bragged about it and threatened to do it again? Must we wait until someone dies before we act?

And a prosecuting attorney who would pull out all the stops to convict this boy and send him to prison for LIFE? I'm guessing here, but either it was an election year and the DA needed to show he was tough on criminals, or the bully's parents were well placed in the community. Perhaps wealthy contributors? Politically connected?

I know there are many people who believe that ALL human life is precious, and that taking a life is the ultimate crime, worthy of the harshest penalties. I believe that there are some people out there who are so evil that they deserve to be killed, especially if it's one of their victims who does the killing. It's a sad, sad world when people give more thought to the welfare of the criminals and bullies than to that of the victims.

[Ozme52]

The first blame must go to the bully's parents, for sure. I would never tolerate that kind of attitude or behavior in one of my kids. And they knew it, too. In no uncertain terms.

The bully had a juvie record to boot... but the parents didn't seem to care until he was dead and now they're suing the school district... I don't know much more than that

But the state, or city, or community, must also shoulder a portion of the blame. In this country, at least, bullies seem to have the run of the streets, terrorizing their victims with impunity, rarely having to pay the price, until finally one of their victims snaps and takes him out! How can any jury convict a young man (I'm assuming a teenager?) who killed a rapist, one who bragged about it and threatened to do it again? Must we wait until someone dies before we act?

That's in part due to the girl's parents not letting her report it AND making her recant after the murder... I think they feared she'd be named an accomplice. There was a second boy... and he was coerced to testify in exchange for a mere 27 year sentence.

And a prosecuting attorney who would pull out all the stops to convict this boy and send him to prison for LIFE? I'm guessing here, but either it was an election year and the DA needed to show he was tough on criminals, or the bully's parents were well placed in the community. Perhaps wealthy contributors? Politically connected?

As I understand it... he was elected on a "tough on crime" platform and is prosecuting all questionable juveniles as adults. Unfortunately it was obvious that the murder was planned...

I know there are many people who believe that ALL human life is precious, and that taking a life is the ultimate crime, worthy of the harshest penalties. I believe that there are some people out there who are so evil that they deserve to be killed, especially if it's one of their victims who does the killing. It's a sad, sad world when people give more thought to the welfare of the criminals and bullies than to that of the victims.

As I said, because I know the family and the kind of kid he was... I'm really conflicted about my previous no-leniency stance. It's just not a cut and dry issue for me anymore.

[sidhewolf]

Hello All~

What another Horrific Thing! <grimace>.

I don't blame UTube though. They offer a Free Sevice. I don't know for sure, but I don't think the place was intended/created for stuff like this that happened. Nearly any site has ways to Report Problems, or Violations of Their Policies. And given that U-Tube is widespread, 600 PPL while it sounds like a lot, and Is a lot of PPL, I'm sure it's not for That Site. I wonder what the other 599 PPL thought? Maybe that it wasn't even Real? Fortunately *Someone* was disturbed enough by it to Report it.

Maybe the internet does help create indifference to such things? And others. These days children, and PPL everywhere pretty much have free access to the internet, where they spend hours upon hours, talking with PPL they don't know, playing games, reading and seeing things that maybe they shouldn't be? Nearly everyone has a computer these days. Who is not influenced in some way by what they see and read and hear? The internet also has the annonminity factor that a child or anyone else can Do Be Say Anything while on the net.

I think the net offers a lot of positives, but that it has as many negatives also.

Too Many children today (because of a need for 2 income households just to survive in today's economy, and split Family's) are left to do what they will, with no Caretaker to Teach, Supervise, and watchover them, and what they do.

I've also noticed that younger children are doing more horrific things, than in the past. It seems there is a lack of Supervision and Guidance for many of today's children. And then taking away of Authoritative Power (tying their hands), from Parents, Teachers, and Other's, by the Government, has done a lot to harm Society as a whole, by Allowing children to *just get away with it* (whatever IT is). I've also heard many children say what the laws will or won't do about things they do, because of their age. AND they find that quite hilarious <sighs>. Most of them already Know just how much Time they will do for what. And they have no fear or concern about it at all.

At the same time there is children, such as the child Known by Ozme, who is suffering for Trying to Protect himself and the PPL he Loves, from one of the type of children I wrote about above. When Those who are Supposed to make others abide by the Laws Don't, what the heck is someone to do? Granted, this child made a very poor Choice by killing the other child. At the same time, he was Also a Child.

I don't think, and in my experience with children (and I have a lot of it) that children think, realize, or reason, the way adult PPL do. They lack Experience and adult Judgement in deciphering things. They many times think themselves 10 foot tall and bulletproof, and they aren't.

There should perhaps be Levels of punishment for children? And psychologicals done on them before a punishment is handed down, to determine Why it happened. And consideration of that child's Criminal past also. Before determining a child should be Caged for the rest of their Life. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances, like the child Ozme Knows.

Children like the ones that this thread was started about, were nearly adult in age, by most Laws, most places. Dunno about England? And I do think should be Judged as such, based on the hieniessness of what they did to another Human Being.

I Always think the punishment should fit the crime! And too many times it doesn't.

At the same time, I am Very For the Punishment handed down Being what one did. Rape=Be Raped. Kill=Be Killed. Maim=Be Maimed. etc. If PPL Knew they were going to suffer the same thing they did to someone else, they might not be in such a hurry to do it?

Also when found Guilty by a Court of Law, I think the perp should be handed over to the victim for punishment, or the Family of the victim if the victim did not survive.

Just Me and My Opinion's and Thoughts on such things.

Respectfully~Suni