Monday, December 24, 2012

December 24, 2012 Guns, Kids, Society...who is really to blame?

 Wayne LaPierre is on the hot seat these days.  For those of you who don't know, he is president of the NRA.  Should he be?  There are a lot of issues going on these days, since the Sandy Hook shooting.  But, as usual, it is all about who to blame.  So, the media gets all over the guns.  Then, people start on the guns because that is all the media talks about.  Then, the NRA starts taking heat!  But really folks, who is really to blame here?  It kind of goes back to what I talked about before - accountability and responsibility.  They go hand in hand.  Even talk show hosts like the Brit, Piers Morgan, who is totally anti-gun, has a town hall style meeting show to let both sides speak.  However, the people on the side of owning guns is always cut off and not allowed to make his point.  Funny, isn't it, how the anti-gun people do not want to listen to any thing that isn't their opinion.  Then, you have the pompous asses like Michael Bloomberg who thinks no one should own a gun except the police.  However, he always has armed bodyguards to protect him.  Everyone wants it their way with no concessions to anyone else.
Ok, let's not get off subject too far here.......
Guns - they are an inanimate item.  Sitting on a rack or hanging on the wall, they do no harm to anyone.  They just are.  Period.  So, why are we blaming them?!
Kids these days.....well, let's just say...some of them are not very nice.  Go hang out around some kids these days at a high school and listen to the filth coming out of their mouths.  If I had talked like that when I was a kid, I'd have gotten smacked, but good!  That kind of thing wasn't tolerated, and shouldn't be.  There are kids in classes who have to have a special, paid person to be with them, one on one, all day, every day, because of their issues, to try to mainstream them in to classes so as to get an education and not be different.  Some have some attention deficit disorders.  Some, for whatever reason, are just plain disruptive in classes right down to having temper tantrums and the whole nine yards.  Some of these teens are big kids, besides, and can almost be frightening or threatening in the class rooms.  Then again, there are some very nice, intelligent, helpful kids in the schools that I can't say enough good about.  But, whose fault is it when kids are so disruptive in classes?  When they are teens, they are old enough to know better, aren't they?  But.....were they ever taught right from wrong?  If not, then who do we blame, if not the "bad" kid?  Well, hate to tell you....but it goes right back to the parents.  We have a lot of parents in society these days who should not be.  They drank too much or did too much dope/drugs when the mom was pregnant, and in some cases, still is using.  They don't have the time or inclination to pay any attention to their kids.  They think the school should do it.  They don't get any love or discipline at home.  What is a kid to do?  If they are lucky, they will have a really good friend with good parents that care and understand the situation and take them under their wing.  If not......we have problems.  Back to the responsibility....who is responsible for seeing to the welfare of the children?
Parents....every time, it should be the parents.  The parents should be accountable and responsible for making sure the kids are where they say and doing what they should and behaving in a reasonable manner.  Older teens can be harder to fit in to that mold.  But, if they have been brought up properly, this should not be a big issue.  Then, the school teachers can be aware, as a back up, for if there is a problem with a child.  From there, we could go to counselors to remedy some of the issues.
Parents......paying attention to what their kids do in their free time is important.  Are they spending all of it immersed in violent video games that take them from reality in to another world?  Are they monitoring what they watch on TV?  A kid in a home with all things good, such as loving, attentive parents, will have no problem knowing right from wrong, video games or not.  Kids who have no support at home and completely inattentive parents may react differently.
So, bottom line is......it starts with parents and their place in society.  Parents should be the first to know if their kid doesn't have a realistic outlook on life.  Whatever the issue, caring parents should notice these behaviors.   Kids need discipline and love.  They need it on a regular basis.  They need to know people care.
So....to all you parents out there, the ball is in your court.  Pay attention to your kids.  Give them responsibility with consequences if they aren't.  Be accountable to your kids and make sure they are accountable too.  Having decent kids starts at home.  Put the blame where it belongs.

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