Parents of teen victim in videotaped beating: We have no choice but to home-school her
posted at 3:05 pm on April 9, 2008 by Allahpundit
They’re worried about her being embarrassed by all the attention, which … doesn’t quite explain why they’re doing these daily tours of the morning chat shows. Then again, given the media’s inexplicable insistence on mentioning her name in its reports even while obscuring her face in the video, I guess they figured they might as well.
Between the blaming of society for what happened and the perfunctory call for laws to regulate the Internet, I’d say the probability of her dad getting a guest shot on O’Reilly now approaches 1. Assuming the gag order the defendants’ lawyer is seeking doesn’t cut him off at the pass.
Blowback
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Well, I hope they can afford it: Homeschooling is tough, but rewarding–if done right.
Vanceone on April 9, 2008 at 3:06 PM
There is no explaining what these parents must be feeling.
Their perceived safe world has crumbled and they are trying to make it better and make sense of it.
I think the parents of the little sociapaths who did this should be put in stocks on the town square for two weeks.
EJDolbow on April 9, 2008 at 3:08 PM
This is appalling – one again, our public schools foster an environment where almost nothing educational actually gets done.
How long will we continue to pay for these overfunded, underperforming by any reasonable standard, public school monopoly?
Why should this family be forced to pay for public schools with their tax dollars, that they cannot use?
NoDonkey on April 9, 2008 at 3:09 PM
The “internet” didn’t do it….. a bunch of stupid girls did. Punish the girls…. not the internet and everybody that uses it.
Maxx on April 9, 2008 at 3:09 PM
Hmm and private school, via sueing the parents of the 8 that beat her, isn’t an option?
upinak on April 9, 2008 at 3:09 PM
I think going on television was a response also to one of the suspects’ mother going on Today. But then I’m late comig to this one too.
srhoades on April 9, 2008 at 3:10 PM
I blame the people who beat her up.
I know, I’m old fashioned.
Ok, if they’re really kids (and not to be tried as adults, as we all want), then blame the parents too.
But “society”? Lame.
Nessuno on April 9, 2008 at 3:10 PM
Hey, I blame society too. I blame society for choosing to make it impossible to expel dangerous children from schools. I blame society for choosing to make it socially unacceptable to strongly discipline children.
I sorta doubt that’s what he means though.
funky chicken on April 9, 2008 at 3:10 PM
“I don’t see why she would do it, if she didn’t have the nerve to back up what she is saying”????
It was an eight on one attack!!
ToddonCapeCod on April 9, 2008 at 3:10 PM
between california trying to outlaw homeschooling and Mass outlawing the ability of parents to opt out of classes in school it probably wont be much longer till they dont have that kind of option.
CaptainObvious on April 9, 2008 at 3:11 PM
Please.
Blame society, blame YouTube, blame MySpace, blame the intarweb.
Want to know where the REAL blame lies?
With ALL the parents, including these two.
These were COMPLETELY unsupervised teenagers, at a house with NO adult supervision. Unsupervised for long enough to set up and perpetrate this crap.
Mark my words – there will be a lawsuit – probably against Google.
PJ Emeritus on April 9, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Maybe by doing the “daily tours” the parents shed light on this problem, so that others can be aware and take the necessary parental precautions.
I don’t blame anyone but the little criminals. But I also believe that MySpace is a nightmare in an unsupervised setting (remember the girl who committe suicide because of untrue things said about her on – MySpace). Teenagers don’t have the ability to self-regulate. With the advent of technology and the internet, it’s impossible for the average teen to grasp that if they put something on MySpace, the entire MySpace universe can see it.
I’m not excusing the parents on either side; MySpace, and sites like it, should be restricted to kids over age 18.
KrisinNE on April 9, 2008 at 3:16 PM
In general, laws designed only to protect people from themselves are a bad idea. There could exceptions, but I can’t think of any off the top of my head.
TheUnrepentantGeek on April 9, 2008 at 3:17 PM
I blame society for not roughing-up this girl’s attackers when they got out of line in the past. I mean, if the parents can’t do it anymore…
loganthompson on April 9, 2008 at 3:17 PM
well since Florida is turning into a Miny NY/MAss/Cali… do you expect it to get any better there?
upinak on April 9, 2008 at 3:17 PM
I would suggest laying off the parents. One of my kids was center stage in a publicized issue that was gaining national attention. I was asked to go on a few shows (Montel Williams/Nightline) and refused, and ran for office in the State instead…and shook up more people that way.
I went on the local talk radio and newspaper and television to let parents know what kind a thing was going on. I was insane at the time with anger, grief and every other emotion. These poor people need to be cut some slack. We all handle it differently when the sickness of this world touches our family. I think the dad wants justice. Been there…God bless the entire family.
Hening on April 9, 2008 at 3:21 PM
$Ka-Ching$Ka-Ching$Ka-Ching$
Get as much sympathy from the public as possible with the media tour before the inevitable damages lawsuit. I’m not criticizing them for doing it either, I’d do the same.
doubleplusundead on April 9, 2008 at 3:25 PM
I’m guessing you have not raised teenagers, or you live in Candyland? Predators and the kind of evil these kids pulled off is beyond the daily radar of parents. It takes a few hours going over a known friends house for this or worse. Hopefully you will never have to eat those words.
Hening on April 9, 2008 at 3:28 PM
Blaming the internet is shoting the messenger of bad news. We should be glad that the internet has exposed this behavior–which has certainly happened in the past. Now, we can deal with this behavior rather than denying it.
thuja on April 9, 2008 at 3:28 PM
As for regulating the intarwebs, I realize that compulsion is born of emotion, but back away from the Nanny Laws, pal.
doubleplusundead on April 9, 2008 at 3:29 PM
What is going on in Florida? I went to a public high school in south Florida, got a 3.8, went to the best college in the state (free), and think I have done pretty well for myself. There are always people who fall through the cracks.
Hey Upinak, please elaborate on why you think Florida “I live where you spring break” is such a bad state.
FLcapitalistthug on April 9, 2008 at 3:29 PM
Um, these are 16 and 17 year olds, and you want them to have constant parental supervision?
Interesting… when I was 16 and 17, I was taking backpacking trips with just me and my friends… I was driving all over creation… I was taking SKI trips by myself once I had a License…
Of course, that was back in the 70′s… back when Crime rates were HIGHER than they are today… we just didn’t have NATIONAL coverage on somthing that would only have made the local paper back then.
Romeo13 on April 9, 2008 at 3:30 PM
I blame the humidity here in FL. Have you been here in the middle of summer? It’s like 600 degrees outside and you are sweating while you are asleep. Sleeping and sweating!
lorien1973 on April 9, 2008 at 3:30 PM
I blame the parents for raising kids who think its acceptable to beat the crap out of someone thinking that solves anything.
I blame the kids who did it and I hope they get jail time. Not feeling remorse shows these kids true nature.
They are violent, unfeeling sociopaths.
becki51758 on April 9, 2008 at 3:30 PM
I usually goof on people who “blame society”, but in this case he does make a good point about the school system letting them down. You can also shift a hefty portion of blame to the perpetrators parents.IMO; Upbringing alone is responsible for this. The internet doesn’t turn you into a sociopathic monster, bad parenting can.
I hope the gag order is quashed and I hope they’re all charged as adults.
liquidflorian on April 9, 2008 at 3:38 PM
Yes and no. There does become a cutoff point for excusing this sort of thing. Do we completely ignore the fact that Klebold and Harris’ parents were completely oblivious to the fact that their kids had several firearms and were making a lot of explosives?
Can we ignore the fact that this was a pretty elaborate plot, yet the parents of said plotters were entirely oblivious? No, not entirely.
Sorry, but the parents of the kids who made this plot have some responsibility for raising their little sociopaths. I do give some blame to the parents of the shooter at my high schools some of the blame for what happened because they clearly didn’t secure their firearms well enough that they couldn’t be accessed by someone who they knew had a long history of mental instability.
doubleplusundead on April 9, 2008 at 3:39 PM
White trash breeds white trash. There was a time when what you did reflected on your family name.
Now these punks want “respect” given to them for nothing and will fight for anything resembling being “dissed”.
These kids and any like them need the fear of God put in them from someone other than the police.
Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening.
Reminds me of Walker and Texas Ranger telling Chip where to go. Funny but true.
Geronimo on April 9, 2008 at 3:40 PM
Hey Lorien, if you pay the electric bill you won’t sweat as much.
FLcapitalistthug on April 9, 2008 at 3:40 PM
You know what? Everyone’s acting as though this is a new development in society.
It’s not. They just didn’t have video cameras then.
kippras on April 9, 2008 at 3:40 PM
Oh, and the school system has part of the blame as well. Schools are pretty much Lord of the Flies anymore.
doubleplusundead on April 9, 2008 at 3:41 PM
In
twentyten years, public schools will be empty.THE CHOSEN ONE on April 9, 2008 at 3:41 PM
I wonder if anyone will ask them “but what about socialization?”
TX Mom on April 9, 2008 at 3:45 PM
Cool, that should cut down on some of the taxes I get taken from me.
Yeah, like that’ll happen.
Geronimo on April 9, 2008 at 3:46 PM
When I was a kid I witnessed much more brutal attacks on the playground. Should we regulate playgrounds?
These animals should be prosecuted surely but we shouldn’t pay by losing the freedom of information that we enjoy on the Mysterious Interwebs. The pols are just itching to get their grimy paws on them. Can’t have any aspect of our lives that isn’t regulated. Creeps.
ronsfi on April 9, 2008 at 3:46 PM
Oh, and I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess the ringleader does/did behave like a whore.
funky chicken on April 9, 2008 at 3:46 PM
No, it really isn’t. Assuming even that the defendants have money, this girl would be long graduated by the time the litigation was over. It’s not like you file suit today and get a check tomorrow. Civil litigation isn’t the lottery that a lot of folk seem to think.
paul006 on April 9, 2008 at 3:47 PM
Well, you could teach the kid to fight hard and dirty in those circumstances…
mojo on April 9, 2008 at 3:47 PM
The parents of the victim need to be glad that these girls put the video on YouTube, otherwise nobody would be held accountable for the attack on this girl.
I am waiting to hear from some of the parents of the girls who carried out this attack. I don’t want to hear the crap about how innocent their kid is, I want to hear how the parents could live in such a cocoon of deniability that foster the attitude which emboldened these teenagers to carry out the act and then I want to hear how they could possibly think it was “cool” to put the video on the internet with no expectation of reprisal.
It, I believe, is just another example of the hands off parenting style that is all the rage. Parents don’t challenge their children anymore for fear of evoking a violent reaction. Teenagers know this and will milk it for all it is worth. I had a teenage daughter and once she figured out she needed to fear me more then I needed to cower from her temper tantrums we got along fine.
Just A Grunt on April 9, 2008 at 3:47 PM
I think that’s partly true, but IMHO I think where most of the blame should be placed are with parents that refuse to teach their children mutual respect, compassion, honesty, and responsibility for ones actions.
Instead what we have now (and in growing numbers) are the “it’s all about me” generation that are not being taught personal responsibility, mutual respect, compassion, or that there are consequences (both good and bad) for ones actions.
Add to that parents giving their kids anything they want and not holding them accountable when they do wrong has created a generation of narcissistic miscreants (such as these monsters) that have no sense of anything outside of their own selfish needs, and being narcissistic their needs trump all else including basic human decency and they don’t care if it harms others as long as their selfish needs are fulfilled.
In fact there was a study recently on this very issue here:
Narcissism Among the Youth
I blame this growing narcissism among our youth squarely on the parents and IMHO much of it stems from the “feel good – you’re special” permisiveness that got its start with the 60′s “cultural revolotion” where anything goes and nothing is out of bounds provided it makes little Johhny or Jane happy!
Unfortunately it is those of us in society that do teach our children honesty, respect, compassion, and responsibility that will be the ones to suffer at the hands of those in society that don’t teach their children these most basic of life’s lessons. Therefore it’s important as a society that we throw the book (and the kitchen sink) at these monsters and their parents so it will hopefully be a wakeup call to all parents to do a better job raising their kids!
Liberty or Death on April 9, 2008 at 3:48 PM
I blame the parents, all of them…the only blameless person is the victim. Sure they were old enough to “supervise” themselves…but, how did they get to this point? The parents failed in their duty to raise their kids to be upstanding citizens. They are all concerned with their 5 minutes of fame, their image.
I also disagree with the reason why the parents are choosing to home school. You are teaching that when attacked you should run away!
Glenn Beck said it best, we are worshiping false Gods.
I have more sympathy for all the kids involved, as they are still kids…they should be punished, but more importantly they need to be taught better values and not just punished to get even.
Shame on you parents for teaching this is acceptable behavior, and shame on the victim’s parents for continuing to teach your kid to be a victim.
Conservative Voice on April 9, 2008 at 3:48 PM
I “blame” society for infantizing kids long past the age of infancy, for thinking teenagers are unable to monitor themselves and their actions. joan of arc was 16 or 17. king tut was 8 or 9. Louis XIV took the throne just before he turned 5 (though he was closer to age 23 before assuming power). Romeo and juliet were 13 and 14 (I know, fictional characters that came to a bad end) The list goes on and on. Kids are very capable, far more so than we give them credit for.
But in truth, I blame the little buggers who did it – they are responsible for their actions and when you have a group it quickly spirals out of control – mob mentality.
Blight on April 9, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Home-schooling is stupid. Let’s undo specialization and go back to feuds. What a great idea. The “society” has nothing to do with this.
She was beaten by punks. The punks need to be punished. Everybody will then move on.
freevillage on April 9, 2008 at 3:53 PM
If my daughter had been one of those who was beating that girl up, she would be now seriously kissing her and her parents ass and begging for forgiveness.
“Life as she knows it” would be over.
No car, no friends, no phone, she would be doing community service not because the courts said, but because I said.
Starting with mowing that girls lawn, cleaning that Dad’s garage etc.
Too many parents want to be their kids friend.
That isn’t my job, my job is to raise a respectful, productive kid.
She would also have to get a job and turn over the proceeds to the parents to pay for the doctors bills.
Believe me, once there are consequences to their actions and I don’t mean the parents doing it for them, but once THEY have to pay the price, their behavior will change.
ArmyAunt on April 9, 2008 at 3:54 PM
This is a really sad story. I used to get beat up by bullies when I was younger (although never as severely as this girl) and I always felt there was no recourse. You can’t fight back, because you’re always outnumbered. So you have to learn to live with it, which turns you into a bitter, unhappy person.
Honestly, when faced with situations like this, justice can only be served through violent revenge. Parents – teach your kids to fight back when they’re bullied. And by “fight back” I mean “tell them to go for the eyes and throat.” If you take a bully’s eye out, I bet he/she isn’t going to bully anymore. Even if your kid is outnumbered, a gang of bullies is going to think twice about beating you up if you blind one of them for life.
Enrique on April 9, 2008 at 3:55 PM
And yet a large portion of the men and women who wear the uniform of this country over in Iraq are only a year or two older then these “children”.
Just A Grunt on April 9, 2008 at 3:58 PM
I 100% agree freevillage.
My 10 year old daughter came home yesterday and she had asked a first grader if they were a boy or a girl (long hair). She did this because a boy had hit him and she was going to defend him is he was a she lol.
The aunt of this boy, a teenager got in her and her friends face and said she would “bitch slap them if they asked that again”.
Suffice to say that I am going to school and use the old “no exceptions” rule against a bully and have her suspended for a few days.
In the old days, when I was a kid, the mom would have called my mom and I would have been in big trouble!
Now though, the parents knee jerk defend their kids bullying ways so that is not an option.
My first instinct though was to have a little “chat” with her myself.
ArmyAunt on April 9, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Interesting that the officer pointed out that the kids STILL have shown no remorse. Yep, there’s that 3rd grade emphasis on self-esteem coming up again… these kids simply do not believe that rules apply to them… TOO MUCH SELF-ESTEEM!
Now how about a class in humility once in a while.
Gartrip on April 9, 2008 at 4:01 PM
Sorry to hear that Enrique.
I was the chick who always defended those against bullies.
I too had a 6 against one once.
I just singled out the leader, put a beat down on her and never had a problem again.
ArmyAunt on April 9, 2008 at 4:02 PM
…
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Excellent!
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subbottomfeeder on April 9, 2008 at 4:02 PM
Enrique on April 9, 2008 at 3:55 PM
There are other ways to deal with bullies than taking them on like that ( like using humor ). But the one thing you should never do is act like a victim.
Conservative Voice on April 9, 2008 at 4:04 PM
The only good thing that will come of our schools completely turning to ash: The end of the teacher’s unions.
THE CHOSEN ONE on April 9, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Well said.
Good call. These two aren’t exactly role model parents, either. According to reports, the victim was staying at her friend’s house because of an argument she had with her parents.
I am currently raising two teenage daughters, so I’ve been there. Some of the best advice I’ve gotten is “Make sure you know the parents of your kids’ friends.” Both You Tube and MySpace are blocked on our home network, and our kids are uninterested in the crap on there anyway. Remember, this is supposedly how this incident started – the victim posting nasty things about the defendants on her MySpace page.
However, the bottom line is you can’t seek retribution for a few choice words directed at you and your frients by beating the crap out of her.
RMCS_USN on April 9, 2008 at 4:09 PM
As a former teacher I think temporary homeschooling should be used more often for teens who have been in extremely embarrassing situations.
ninjapirate on April 9, 2008 at 4:09 PM
Those stories always crack me up, because one time I went after the head bully, sneak attack, smashed his head against the wall – and that only made him mad.
I guess that’s why he was the alpha bully.
The problem with some bullies is that they like to fight, and are good at it.
Another problem with the ‘fight back’ philosophy is that it makes the victim responsible for fixing the problem which might ‘make a man of him (or her, to be PC)’ but it also put the person in a bad spot.
tlynch001 on April 9, 2008 at 4:14 PM
How about the perpetrators (kids) having that happen. And hold the parents reponsible for any medical or psychological damge to the beaten girl..who appears to have been way out numbered, prevented from fleeing , and generally was not antagonizing after the initial assault. As an adult..if I was guilty of that i would expect to do some time and I think the “Gang” of girls need some juvenile detention …in Arizona with the sheriff of all Sheriffs!
RedLizard64 on April 9, 2008 at 4:14 PM
I blame both the parents and the little heathens who did this.
When I was comming up girls were raised to behave like ladies with the only caveat being it’s okay to fight off an attack or defend oneself.
Of course, I also wasn’t handed a brand new car at 16, allowed to wear make-up till I was 16 etc, etc. I’m only 41, but I never cease to be shocked at how far down the slope society has fallen. The evidence of the fall is everywhere…TV, radio (in the 80′s cussing on air was just not done!) etc.
I’m single, and have to sacrifice some things, but both of my girls are in Catholic school, a very small school. I am involved in their lives as are their grandparents. It’s hard, but it’s my job.
My guess is these hooligans parents are too self absorbed to pay any attention to their kids.
Pulchritudinous Patriot on April 9, 2008 at 4:14 PM
If you are talking about teen pregnancy…I agree. Back in the 80′s when I was in high school, it was still a stigma to get pregnant before marriage, much less while still in high school.
Pulchritudinous Patriot on April 9, 2008 at 4:17 PM
Or California Assmebly woman Sally Leiber pushing an absolute moratorium on “any” form of corporal correction by parents!. First we stop the school from being able to correct unsocial behavior and now we strip the parents of their God-given authority.
RedLizard64 on April 9, 2008 at 4:17 PM
This is Lakeland as in Lakeland, Florida right?
I should have read this story on Fark in the Florida news section.
gabriel sutherland on April 9, 2008 at 4:17 PM
Exactly, and as long as parents continue to be overly permissive and allow their kids to be narcissistic monsters and do not set boundaries or enforce consequences for their actions these incidents will continue to grow.
It reminds me of a case back in the 90′s (I can’t remember all of the details) but back east somewhere these two kids (boyfriend and girlfriend) from a well to do affluent family had numerous run-ins with the law regarding vandalism, drugs and alcohol, their runs ins with the law kept escalating and all the while their parents kept bailing them out and giving them whatever they wanted. The parents never took action by holding their kids accountable (consequences) and one day these two decided they wanted to see what it was like to kill someone, so they did, just for kicks!
Hell, why not? After all mommy and daddy will bail us out again, there won’t be any consequences because there never have been in the past.
Well I remember when these two were arrested and brought into court (with shackles and their orange jumpsuits) and what struck me the most was the look on their faces, in addition to being scared you could tell they were both in shock, shocked because for once in their permissive lives they WERE going to be held ACCOUNTABLE for their actions and there wasn’t a damn thing mommy or daddy could do about it.
It was a sad and pathetic sight and while the kids were responsible for their actions and are paying the price the parents are much to blame too for not teaching their kids respect, honesty, compassion, and personal responsibility before it was too late for them and their innocent victim!
It’s true we can’t control everything our children do, and it’s true they will not always do right, but when they do wrong we as parents must step up to the plate and ensure there are consequences for their actions or they will not learn until it’s too late.
Liberty or Death on April 9, 2008 at 4:19 PM
This guy seems to be trying to set up a civil suit against Myspace and Youtube — which is why they’re doing these shows, I’m sure. When I hear him blaming the internet, I just lose all sympathy for him.
a) The girl wasn’t living at home when this happened. She was living with a friend because she had a fight with her mother. That’s how she got ambushed — they attacked her in the home where she was living. So her parents were letting her live with one of the girls that did this to her.
b) These were her “friends” that did this to her. Her parents obviously didn’t teach her to hang out with a better class of people.
c) They allowed her to have a Myspace page in the first place and she used it to challenge these girls to a fight. They should have taught her to have more class than that.
d) If you hear what the girls are saying, they didn’t do it post it; that was the threat. That if the girl didn’t stop talking trash about them, they’d post it.
I’m not condoning what those girls did. Ganging up on the victim like that, even if she did taunt them and threaten to kid all their arses it disgusting. But when I hear this guy blame everyone else and call for internet laws, it makes me sick.
Spolitics on April 9, 2008 at 4:21 PM
I take issue with your comment on Home-schooling…have you ever tried it, have you ever checked out the results? as compared to what our inepy public schools are doing as a whole…still some good teachers out there but there are up against a lazy, loathsome monster of a system that doesn’t give a crap about kids except to use them as a social experiment…seems like their experiment got out of control on this one…It always happens when you take away inhibitions, laws, and common decency!
RedLizard64 on April 9, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Liberty or Death…too right. I used to hate my parents (not really, but it chaffed) because they had to know where I was gong, who I was going to be with…I had a cerfew (sp?) etc. I got punished when I was bad and was always held accountable for my actions. My parents were my parents, not my best friends. We are best friends now, but even at 40 I’d rather die than disrespect them. I’m raising my kids the same way my parents raised me (for the most part). They rail that I’m unfair when I ground them, unfair when I make then do their fair share of the housework etc, but I figure they’ll get over it. I did.
Pulchritudinous Patriot on April 9, 2008 at 4:24 PM
I love Sheriff Joe…he’d know what to do with these monsters…they’d be eating green bologna sammys, ostrich for dinner, and sweating their azzes off in the tents during summer and workin the chain gangs!
In other words, he’d make it so bad they’re reformed and NEVER want to come back, which is supposed to be the main purpose for being incarcerated.
Liberty or Death on April 9, 2008 at 4:27 PM
My comments about the parents were of the victim’s parents. Tough to comment on the other parents since I haven’t heard anything from them.
Hening on April 9, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Yah, just getting in and out of cars on a hot day makes you want to invite someone over and kick the crap out of them…..
Friggin’ humidity on the West Coast is awful. I went swimming in the Gulf and it was like bath water. Didn’t hit anybody except a pelican that got too close.
Hening on April 9, 2008 at 4:34 PM
You’re generalizing about a lot of land mass there buddy.
The Race Card on April 9, 2008 at 4:34 PM
God, I can tell you’re right about this Allah. The way the dad speaks, you know it’s coming.
Does Bill really blame the Internet for the whole Mackris scandal? Newsflash douchebag: You did it, take responsibility for your actions and stop blaming others when you get caught.
Typhonsentra on April 9, 2008 at 4:45 PM
You’re very fortunate to have such good parents. I myself grew up in Northern Cal (Bay Area) in the immediate aftermath of the 60′s “cultural revolution” and I can tell you from firsthand experience (in hind sight) I wish my parents had been a little less permissive so I didn’t have to learn such difficult lessons. However I do have to give them credit for at least ensuring there were consequences for my actions, had they not I seriously believe I would be taking a dirt nap or in jail as many of my cohorts of that era are doing right now.
As I mentioned in a previous post I blame mostly the parents for this incident and I firmly believe the pervasiveness of narcissism of our youth today and the lack of accountability stems directly from the permissiveness of the 60′s “cultural revolution” because I grew up in the epicenter of its aftermath (Bay Area) and I can tell you the 60′s “cultural revolution” did much more harm than good for our society.
In fact I had a girlfriend back in the day who today is a far left liberal and when I met with her and some other old friends at a reunion (theirs not mine as I dropped out of high school) I got to meet her child and it was a real eye-opener, you talk about permissive! Her kid had no boundaries whatsoever, she allowed him to do whatever he wanted despite it obviously annoying all those having to put up with it, yet she was oblivious and didn’t care one bit, after all she wouldn’t want to stifle little Johnny’s creativity and him exploring his world now would we!
Needless to say I no longer have the desire to maintain the friendship and it wouldn’t surprise me to someday see her kid on the news, but it wouldn’t be good news.
Liberty or Death on April 9, 2008 at 4:55 PM
I disagree.
When kids graduate from college have the following skills:
Advanced Protesting
Advanced YouTubing
Anti-Americanism
Intermediate Islam
Whoring
Advanced Gay Rights
Beginning Panty Flashing
Welcome to the Untied States in 2008!
Claypigeon on April 9, 2008 at 4:57 PM
We’ve become a nation of exhibitionists and voyeurs.
easy on April 9, 2008 at 4:57 PM
RedLizard @ 4:23 PM
You beat me to it and did it so well! Idiots who make such STUPID comments (as you quoted from the original poster) apparently don’t realize that when they make such STUPID (and uninformed) comments they reveal their own STUPIDITY and if they should have anything worthy of being read they’ve already blown it by making such STUPID (and uninformed) statements.
Pachyderm on April 9, 2008 at 4:59 PM
Public Schools: Allowing children to learn socialization from each other, like that film “Lord of the Flies”.
Home Schooling: Having adults teach children how to socialize.
Kristopher on April 9, 2008 at 5:04 PM
are there absolutely no restrictions on UTube? I do not like regulation and restrictions willy nilly, but it does seem to lead to disgusting behavior.
But yes, punish the girls severely. Maybe flog them, and put the video on UTube?
kirkill on April 9, 2008 at 5:04 PM
For too long, IMHO, young people have been taught too much to value “self-esteem” over and above “self-respect”….also, it’s interesting that the father in the interview sorta began to stumble over the supervision issue, and ended up rather self-consciously saying, “We can’t be with our kids every day”
surrounded on April 9, 2008 at 5:37 PM
Questions that need to be asked:
1) Do the (alleged) perps have their names witheld “because of their age”?
2) Will they be tried as adults for a crime of adult magnitude with adult consequences?
3) Will the convictions (and sentences) be wiped out when they reach 21?
The answer, in any sane society, should be (1) No way, (2) Damn straight, and (3) Hell, no!
njcommuter on April 9, 2008 at 5:41 PM
We are shocked by the new reality (to us)of teens adapting to the New Rules at the local public schools, to wit:there is never a distinction made between the attackers and the victims. This blends everyone into school suspensions or brief vacations, BUT NEVER expulsions which would result in less money to the school system. Since everyone is punished it looks like a tough response to “fighting at school.” The teen girls figure out that the guilty girl is in a little trouble and the innocent girl is right there with them being victimised again. That grants power plus to the attacking bully. Frequently the Victimised girl is the student who cares about her grades– her suspension puts her behind in her courses– the attacker girl could care less about grades. Again the attacker is granted powere to be feared. But the school system pretends to not know any other way to handle things. Maybe the schools really do need to see the “Ten Commandments” displayed to evan get a clue on how to run a just and peaceful culture.
jimw on April 9, 2008 at 5:49 PM
The parents? Why the hell the parents? Shouldn’t the “little” sociopaths be punished instead? They were old enough to know exactly what they were doing.
Darth Executor on April 9, 2008 at 7:17 PM
The internet did it?? The companies should be held responsible??? have some lawyers already gotten into this and dropped some thoughts into the parents ears as to where the deep pockets might be???
Right there is part of the freakin problem!! THAT ATTITUDE! ANYONE BUT THE ONES WHO ACTUALLY DID IT!
I agree, parts of society can be to blame,, how about the stinkin TV networks! They are the only ones showing the video right now!!
Stupid TV network person,, “O look at this horrible video that was to be posted on the internet of a poor girl getting beat up! Watch how she, the girl in the video that was to be posted on the internet, is hit again and again!! This is so shocking, and to think it was to be posted on the internet! As we watch the video of your daughter getting beat up,, I want to ask the parents,, do you think the internet should be held responsible for the way they exploit this kind of behavior?”
Yes yes,, how I love the brilliance displayed on the part of this network nitwit,,
“Mom and Dad,, some have said your daughter might be to blame for this kidnapping and beating by nine other students because she “talked trash” to one of the girls. How do you respond?”
I don’t know who is more stupid,, the parents that said that or the freakin news person who actually asked the question!!!
JellyToast on April 9, 2008 at 8:23 PM
If we’re blaming people,here’s how I see it:
1. The crazy girls who beat the crap out of this girl.
2. The victim’s stupid parents for letting her have a Myspace account.
3. The victim’s stupid parents for not monitoring her Myspace account closer.
4. All the parents for raising such turds and having no clue about it.
In no particular order.
Society’s fault? We’re all society, including the victim’s parents. So, ya, I guess I kinda agree with them.
sheesh on April 9, 2008 at 8:49 PM
- Fault rests squarely upon the many participants in this situation. Yet each participant we have heard from is playing the “victim card”.
– Apparently, there is no remorse from the perpetrators. Rather, they blame the victim for having posted objectionable comments on internet.
– Fairly obvious lack of parental disapproval from perpetrator’s parents. (At least the ones that agreed to be interviewed.) These parents also blame the victim. Could that be where their children are getting their own views?
– No parental responsibility for victim being in a position to receive the beating from any of the parents!
– The victim’s father completely rejects parental responsibility to control the whereabouts and/or actions of own child. Instead he blames the internet. I know kids will test limits; had two that sorely tested me. As a parent I still owned responsibility for my children. Yes, I had to also teach them responsiblity by holding them responsible for their actions. However, I believe that they learned more from my role model than from my instituting consequences. (I too “worked” but never thought to use that as an excuse for not controlling my children.)
– No regard for others from the victim as evidenced by alledged postings on internet. Apparently the victim was also at odds with her parents at the time of the incident.
– This is not new. Similar situations existed when I was a teenager, and they existed when my daughter was a teenager. And they still exist while my granddaughter is a teenager.
– We are more aware of unsocial behavior, largely due to the 24 hour news cycle and the need to fill 24 hours with “News”.
MsDollie on April 9, 2008 at 8:56 PM
Ya know,, honestly,, the more I watch theses parents on this clip,, they don’t seem mad enough for me.
The dad is actually saying,, “I can’t monitor my kids all the time,, I have to work”
That thought would not even enter my mind!!!! I would be out measuring rope and looking for high tree limbs and this guy is on TV complaining about having to be a Dad!!
JellyToast on April 9, 2008 at 9:05 PM
What does the myspace account have to do with this?
Darth Executor on April 9, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Amen brother, I enlisted in the Marine Corp at 16 left for Boot Camp at 17. I’d been living on my own for 2 years prior to that and managed to graduate high school while working 2 part time jobs (Mickey Dees and Cumberland Farms) and playing football and fighting in AAU, ISKA, KRANE and PAL.
I think the problem is too many news shows, an ass whippin like this wouldn’t even make the local news in the late 70′s , maybe the local paper, not the tv.
Alden Pyle on April 9, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Reposting from a previous …
You don’t even know what you are talking about.
AZ_Redneck on April 9, 2008 at 10:19 PM
Hening on April 9, 2008 at 3:28 PM
Then you guessed tragically wrong.
Raised two, one of each, boy and girl.
Neither of whom would have been unsupervised like this, and neither of whom ever was.
PJ Emeritus on April 9, 2008 at 10:31 PM
You can home-school, you can grow your own carrots or you can milk your own cow. Certainly it’s your right. I’m all for privatization of education and/or giving more control over the process to the parents.
I went to a public school… in the Soviet Union. I can actually remember myself saying when I was very young, hey isn’t it just swell that we live in the first socialist country? I also somehow remember my mother not being particularly enthusiastic. By the time the late eighties came I somehow knew what was wrong with the Soviet Constitution, what was the right to free speech, political pluralism etc.
This notion that public schools will brainwash your kids is ludicrous. It depends on you. Most of the stuff you mentioned I had done too. When I was doing my homework, my parent checked my notepad and any mistake or a typo resulted in me redoing everything. I also socialized with kids. Yes, I smoked. Yes, I saw porn in the 4th grade. But at the end I turned out more or less ok.
P.S. People who excel at all subjects don’t do well later in life. That’s been my observation.
freevillage on April 9, 2008 at 11:16 PM
I guess you’re blaming your goofy ideas on your upbringing?
jgapinoy on April 9, 2008 at 11:52 PM
I like your philosophy so much, I blogged about it…in December.
Click on my username & click on “2007″.
jgapinoy on April 9, 2008 at 11:55 PM
Next time you have a guess, let it go.
freevillage on April 10, 2008 at 12:21 AM
Wow. When time-wasting is a way of life, some pretty wierd sh*t can happen. Right on, AZ Redneck.
smellthecoffee on April 10, 2008 at 12:48 AM
This whole thing could have been worse. It could have been worthy of an episode of CSI…
Wait… There’s already one! If you watched the re-run yesterday on Spike TV…
Apart from that, I think the girl and her parents should move out of state and start over. New friends, new school… wait… Definitely homeschool her! High-school friends are highly overrated, trust me.
newton on April 10, 2008 at 1:07 AM
They may not be empty, but the teacher’s unions are worried. They see the start of the exodus to home education and that’s federal dollars out the door. It’s not about education anymore, it’s about putting butts in the seats to get the dollars – hence the recent California court decisions.
labrat on April 10, 2008 at 4:10 AM
Nor have mine…and, God help me, they never will.
labrat on April 10, 2008 at 5:56 AM
Your comment is a testament to that.
labrat on April 10, 2008 at 6:01 AM
What does the myspace account have to do with this?
Darth Executor on April 9, 2008 at 9:32 PM
sheesh on April 10, 2008 at 10:14 AM
I don’t know. There are a lot of great reasons to homeschool- but hiding from other kids isn’t one of them. It looks like they’re taking the same stance their daughter took and aren’t really interested in standing up for themselves.
Jewels on April 10, 2008 at 10:35 AM