Some of the high school "kids" I've seen around look like they must buy
their "thug"-like threads at the "Big-n-Tall" shop! They scare me! (And I
don;t scare easily!)
Laura G.
----- Original Message -----
From: Scott Hall <sch8489@garnet.acns.fsu.edu>
To: Kristi Richardson <krichardson@pdxchamber.org>
Cc: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, December 03, 1999 12:50 PM
Subject: RE: Commentary on WHY ME? (Long)
>
> On Fri, 3 Dec 1999, Kristi Richardson wrote:
>
> >
> > I think Brad has a good point, Oregon does have a minimum penalty law in
> > effect that can hurt minors for life. When I was younger I did some
things
> > that could have put me in jail in todays climate.
>
> I agree, in that sometimes I think that the changes we make on the
> criminal justice system could land some kids in jail for what is really
> (and used to be treated like) something that should be remedied by your
> parents giving you a good kick (nevermind the lack pf parents here). so
> we permanently stain kids who would have otherwise had bright futures.
>
> and, though I'm not so proud of it now, we had a scavenger hunt similar to
> the one discussed when I was in high school. I seem to recall that the
> line was drawn at stealing private property, but there was always a set of
> police lights listed, and a manhole cover, and street signs, etc. nobody
> thought it was *cool* to swipe someone else's stuff (let's not discuss the
> taxpayer-owned aspect of it--I really can't think of a good defense now).
> the catch was you gave the stuff back after the hunt, and for a while it
> was my understanding that the cops were (sort of) cool with it, i.e. they
> knew what night it was and the guy who had his lights swiped got ribbed,
> since he knew to look out for it, etc. as well, many of the cops had gone
> to the high school, and thought it was a tradition, so they were perhaps
> more complacent than they might have been.. as well, if you swiped a
> manhole cover, you: a) left someone (who claimed to have happened by) to
> alert other motorists and the cops when they showed up ('cause we called
> 'em), and help take down the construction saw horses (that we put up to
> alert traffic). granted, these were stolen, too, but there you have it.
> as well, do this at 2:00 a.m., and do it off a side street that's lightly
> traveled. same for street signs, etc.
>
> I heard later from a friend that graduated a few years later that the kids
> had taken to swiping manhole covers from main streets and not telling
> anybody and somebody drove their car into one. as well, they started
> keeping the stuff, so the cops cracked down. then the kids bitch about
> how their 'tradition' is being ruined. I'm sad to admit I was ever a part
> of it now.
>
> so I don't have a *good* answer, except to fall back on "kids not being
> what they used to", which may be true, but a) I'm a little too close to
> being a kid my ownself to try that one, and b) you can make damn sure _my_
> kid will get a good kicking if I catch him screwing up like that, and I
> assume other parents say that, too. so who's to blame? we (me and my
> friends) share our part, but I'm reluctant to take responsibility for the
> bastards years later who thought it was cool to let a car crash into a
> manhole cover. I wish I knew who they were so I could nail 'em for
> screwing it up and making us all look bad.
>
> now having said that, if I catch one of those monsters defacing my car,
> well, I'm not going to beat him (at least not a kid) but I'd try darn sure
> to think of something harsh _and_ non-violent pretty quick. but
> destroying private property that someone worked for is far different from
> anything we would have done then. it amazes me how much things seem to
> have changed--maybe I hung out with different people than these kids do.
> anyhow, destroying private (and public) property is a crime, and should
> be prosecuted, if they haven't been taught respect by that time, someone
> should. I'd hate that it'd be a judge, but that's why my kid (the only
> one I control) is being taught _not_ to swipe his cousin's juice cup
> (first kid--figure I have to start young ;-) ).
>
> a grown man stealing my car? he gets the ball bat.
>
> scott
>
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