WTF is the world coming to

[Fubar]

You know, I have often wondered if thing are really worse now or if I'm just getting old. I like to think that things weren't as violent when I went to high school but there were fights (some of them bad). I know kids that carried guns but I never knew any of them to actually use them. Most of the kids I ran with drank a lot and some of them did drugs. I know of a few B&Es and I certainly stole my own car more than once (I could have it hot wired before I got the door open).

It seems like things happen a lot faster now but I may just be a lot slower (unless I'm in my GT)

 

[S592R]

I agree that executions should be public, if that is the sentence to be handed down. I agree less that a hand should be cut off for stealing food; else my gas-pedal-foot might meet the same demise for speeding.

The trouble with execution; the death penalty, is that it is more costly to us tax payers than life imprisonment; with the automatic appeals that are set in place, etc. As bad as things seem at times, I still prefer our way of life over anywhere else I've been, or read about.

I agree in many ways. But I think my point is more like.... it took place about 17 years ago and I still remember it like it happened this morning. I think the mental image of your own body part rolling around in that basket is strong medicine.

It seems people in general today think less about how their actions effect others and the long term ramifications of those decisions. Selfish acts seem to be the norm and selfless acts are almost non-existent. Now that does not come into play when shooting an infant in the head. But I ask the question if everyone thought of someone else first would it have ever gotten to that point at all .... and would it ever? I think not.... or maybe I would like to believe that it would not. Call me idealistic since I am certainly not naive.

There are times when I look at our society today and almost regret the idealistic and personal sacrifices that I made serving my country. Some of those miles on the odometer where down some very bad road. But then again, that in itself is selfish. But the thoughts come through my head why should I try to live to a higher standard when the moral fabric of our society lays in tatters, the rule of law is up for the highest bidder and people only care about the latest sound bite?

How to fix out society starts at home with a two parent family involved in their kids life. Knowing that you are loved and the threat of switch across the butt was more than enough to keep most of us in line. Today there is not enough contact and not enough talk. Quality time was a farce .... only quantity of time matters in anyone's life especially a child's and it takes two to meet that need.

Sorry got on a soapbox there but I have been reading a book on the effects of divorce, severed families, and lack of parental contact has on the next generation and the ripple effects that it causes. It was a case study over 25 years with a broad research group. The data was shocking and the event that started this thread probably had some of these issues in the perps past. Statistically its better than 85% that it did. As a divorced father, it broke my heart to read the data knowing that I placed my beloved child on that slippery slope unknowingly at the time and certainly unintentionally. But I did it all the same.

S

 

[Empty Pockets]

Nope. Things ARE much worse, Fubar. It's not anyone's imagination.

I went thru the public school system from 1950 to 1962. The WORST thing any kid did in school in those years was chew gum in class - or get caught smoking in the boy's room. LITERALLY. Yes, there was the odd fight (I remember 3 in the entire 12 years) but, NOTHING like the violence seen in schools today. And the kids involved in fights were punished for it.

'Use the "F" word?????? NO WAY ON GOD'S EARTH!!!!!!!! Sass a teacher and all hell woulda broken loose! And NO student ever even thought about raising a hand to a teacher!!! (There was even a paddle hanging on the wall in the principle's office to deal with those he felt needed it.)

Drugs??? Those were taken when you were sick. You got 'em by perscription at the drug store. Coke was a drink. Grass was something you mowed. Pot was what mom cooked in. Crack was a split in the sidewalk. Blow was what the wind did. And black tar was used to seal roofs and gutters.

And the only "guns" brought to school were toy guns on "Cowboy and Indian Day." ( No lie. We had C&I day at the end of the school year! How "un-P.C." WAS THAT!!!) However, if a kid brought a toy gun he'd gotten for his birthday for "show & tell" -NO BIGGIE!!! Even if a toy gun was just brought in for the heck of it that was no big deal. NOBODY CARED because there WERE NO LOONS in those days.

Gangs? The only "gang" we knew about consisted of Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat and the rest.

And a "family" was mom, dad, and the kids. Period. (And mom stayed home with the kids, too.)

And, can you believe it? We actually had Christmas trees in the schools back then! And Christmas decorations! AND EVERYBODY, IN THERE IGNORANCE, THOUGHT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT! What loosers we were!

Then along came Dr. Spock and the ACLU, and it's been all downhill on greased skids ever since.

 

[Pete S.]

I agree in many ways.
There are times when I look at our society today and almost regret the idealistic and personal sacrifices that I made serving my country. Some of those miles on the odometer where down some very bad road. But then again, that in itself is selfish. But the thoughts come through my head why should I try to live to a higher standard when the moral fabric of our society lays in tatters, the rule of law is up for the highest bidder and people only care about the latest sound bite?

How to fix out society starts at home with a two parent family involved in their kids life. Knowing that you are loved and the threat of switch across the butt was more than enough to keep most of us in line. Today there is not enough contact and not enough talk. Quality time was a farce .... only quantity of time matters in anyone's life especially a child's and it takes two to meet that need.
S

Well thought out, S592. The answer to the why is: it is the right thing to do. The 'moral fabric of our society' includes you and I, and the rest of us on this forum. Not even a drop in the barrel, but we lead by example, hopefully.

 

[KJRGT]

So very, very sad to read about this horrific crime, but unfortunately it gets worse.

For those at Rally II that drove to the Petersen Museum on Friday afternoon, remember the park we had to circumvent along Wilshire Blvd.? That's called MacArthur Park and is heavily attended by the local hispanic population. Well, just last week a 23 day old baby...yes, 23 DAYS YOUNG was shot and killed by a local gang banger. Why you ask? Because the father would not pay the $50 he owed the no good hoodlums for their "protection" service.

I've read the threads here and in my opinion many have hit on why there is such a lesser regard for life and the law than we saw 30 or so years ago. Divorces, absent "fathers" (biological term only) not modeling proper values and respect for others, abortion, violence/murder in movies, TV, sex-energized music videos, internet porno, myspace/facebook, "relative truths" replacing real and absolute truths every day, etc., etc., etc.

What's really frightening is that there is very little effort to reverse the tide and when someone makes a stand to do so, they are vilified by the drive-by media and tolerant liberals as the ones being racist and/or intolerant. Unreal.

It has come to rule our elected officials also. Nowadays there are hardly any politicians who put the welfare of the country and its citizens first and foremost on their agenda. Their desire for personal power and the almighty dollar comes first, second and third.

It's on us as individuals and families to stay the course and lead by example, for our children and any other young people we come in regular contact with. I know our numbers are getting smaller by the day, but we absolutely cannot give in.

Thank you and now I'll step off my soapbox, hope I don't slip. :biggrin

 

[STUNTS]

So very, very sad to read about this horrific crime, but unfortunately it gets worse.

For those at Rally II that drove to the Petersen Museum on Friday afternoon, remember the park we had to circumvent along Wilshire Blvd.? That's called MacArthur Park and is heavily attended by the local hispanic population. Well, just last week a 23 day old baby...yes, 23 DAYS YOUNG was shot and killed by a local gang banger. Why you ask? Because the father would not pay the $50 he owed the no good hoodlums for their "protection" service.

I've read the threads here and in my opinion many have hit on why there is such a lesser regard for life and the law than we saw 30 or so years ago. Divorces, absent "fathers" (biological term only) not modeling proper values and respect for others, abortion, violence/murder in movies, TV, sex-energized music videos, internet porno, myspace/facebook, "relative truths" replacing real and absolute truths every day, etc., etc., etc.

What's really frightening is that there is very little effort to reverse the tide and when someone makes a stand to do so, they are vilified by the drive-by media and tolerant liberals as the ones being racist and/or intolerant. Unreal.

It has come to rule our elected officials also. Nowadays there are hardly any politicians who put the welfare of the country and its citizens first and foremost on their agenda. Their desire for personal power and the almighty dollar comes first, second and third.

It's on us as individuals and families to stay the course and lead by example, for our children and any other young people we come in regular contact with. I know our numbers are getting smaller by the day, but we absolutely cannot give in.

Thank you and now I'll step off my soapbox, hope I don't slip. :biggrin

Hit that one on the head buddy... :thumbsup