The Youth of today....
I do not buy into the mentality that the youth of today are loafers, irresponsible, good-for-nothings. What we have witnessed are the actions of a tiny minority of immature, weak-willed, and twisted individuals. We should not allow their stupid actions to whitewash a generation of talented and able youth who are making a worthwhile & positive contribution to their families, schools and communities.
I love this response from Ivar Benjamin Ostebo, a 16 year old survivor from those sickening Norway shootings.
Please click through and read his response. It will be the best thing you read today.Lack of Direction
Do you remember this scene between Alice and the Cheshire cat?
Alice came to a fork in the road. "Which road do I take?" she asked.
"Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat.
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then," said the cat, "it doesn't matter." ~Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
The wasteland souls we have seen looting, burning, beating, smashing and killing have lost their moral compass. They have no idea where they are headed, and, as a consequence, anything goes. The reasons and excuses have been flowing thick and fast. Lack of funding, poor parenting, a weak education system, insufficient policing, budget cuts, mob mentality, boredom, organised crime, etc. etc.. On a couple of news reports I witnessed adults defending the rioter's behaviour and trying to place the blame elsewhere.
What a load of Rhubarb with custard on the top!
I am not pretending that there are not some major social problems to be sorted out, nor do I deny that there are pockets of society that seem to foster despair and wallow in self pity. Those are very real issues, and for those who are born and raised in such pockets the roads that lead out appear limited. Crime is often a quick fix answer that can quickly turn into a lifetime career of darkness. A career that strips the conscience and creates a disregard for others.
But, these very real feelings of despair, bitterness, disillusionment, or revenge are excuses for lack of self control. YOU are the master of your soul. No one else. Don't try and blame others. You are the one who decides to smash a window. You are the one with a loaded gun - be prepared to be shot at by police. You are the one who decides to loot. You are the one who decides to destroy. You are the one who decides to drive your car into someone and kill them. You are the one who beats someone to death. YOU.
The mindset of always trying to point a finger at everyone else is unhealthy and unrealistic.
You may never be rich, you may never get a job, you may spend your life in a minimum wage job, but you can still be happy and live a productive life.
My punishments
Give me a judge's wig and a gavel for a day, put me in a courtroom, and here is how things would roll. I'll leave the jail terms & fines to other judges, but every rioter that passes through my court could be made to do the following:
- read Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, a survivor of the Holocaust. It was in a concentration camp, where his family and freedom were stripped away from him, that he discovered the power of love. YOU are the master of your mind & actions even when the odds are against you. I like his statement about freedom and responsibility:
Freedom, however, is not the last word. Freedom is only part of the story and half of the truth. Freedom is but the negative aspect of the whole phenomenon whose positive aspect is responsibleness. In fact, freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness. That is why I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast
- read The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Another Holocaust survivor who stepped up to do what is right.
- A course on freedom, responsibility and destiny. Included will be field trips to victims, and community service projects. I would love to include trips to places like the beaches of Normandy (but I'd hate to be rewarding them with a trip to France!).
- Or how about a few months living as an aid worker in some famine stricken / disaster area. Even our British poor have an amazing standard of living in comparison. That would soon instil an attitude of gratitude.
- Abuse the system again, and you are automatically put into basic training. You will put your life on the line and be made to defend the freedom of others in the world. Freedom isn't Free.
In all honesty, I've got no idea if such things would have an impact. But I do sense that just dishing out an imprisonment or monetary punishment does not get down to the foundation of the problem. They need to experience a different way. They need to witness the love and hope and goodness of others. They need to count the blessings of living in such a great nation.
We are Great Britain.
I love my country. We have Great youth, incredible heritage, stunning scenery, dynamic businesses, excellent infrastructure, beautiful language, and millions and millions of good hearted, loving people. I am proud to be British.