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He's Not Dangerous, He's Just a Kid

In relation to the OP, it is my low skill, uneducated belief that when the majority of interactions between evererday, law abiding citizens and Leo’s are over nonsense, non-violent traffic laws it creates a “us vs them” mentality thus making it very easy for the general public to view the cop in this video as the bad guy.

Why would you care if someone was wearing their seatbelt? Do you express concern/steal money from people who ride motorcycles or camp in grizzly country.

Maybe that “sheep” (Shepard) is tired of seeing brains steaming on the guardrail at a few offenders accident location or an open phone with a half typed text at the scene of a fatal accident. I pretty much don’t care if someone uses their seatbelt but I do think it is selfish to expect the first responder to clean up your brains from the windshield, dashboard, roadway etc. or take the life of another because of a text while driving. As to the OP post I didn’t watch it. As to First responders, they don’t even have to witness these things personally. They can just be exposed to the details by a pouring out of emotions of a co-worker. When it’s that raw it is difficult to not absorb it. Not that I personally know anything about it. Sorry for the hijack...
 
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But we let them drive at 16, vote and sign up for the military at 18, and drink and buy any guns they want at 21 . . .

I'm not trying to be controversial, but it's worth considering that it might be time to change the age on some things.


It’s part of growing up and increasing responsibilities.

I will agree with one age change. If you are old enough to die for your country, you should be able to enjoy all of its bounty. In my tenure I saw the most problems when liberties were withheld and young Soldiers binged when it was briefly allowed. Foreign Militaries allow drinking responsibly and hell even some of them have Coed housing. Their problems were far less than ours. We as a society have made normal things Taboo. The rebel in us wants to explore this world and we get in trouble. If was a normal everyday liberty that thrill of getting away with it is gone, so are most of the problems.
 
It’s part of growing up and increasing responsibilities.

I will agree with one age change. If you are old enough to die for your country, you should be able to enjoy all of its bounty. In my tenure I saw the most problems when liberties were withheld and young Soldiers binged when it was briefly allowed. Foreign Militaries allow drinking responsibly and hell even some of them have Coed housing. Their problems were far less than ours. We as a society have made normal things Taboo. The rebel in us wants to explore this world and we get in trouble. If was a normal everyday liberty that thrill of getting away with it is gone, so are most of the problems.

What about raising the age to enlist to 21? I'll be honest I'm not even sure what is considered taboo anymore.
 
What about raising the age to enlist to 21? I'll be honest I'm not even sure what is considered taboo anymore.

You would loose 2/3 of your enlistment pipeline. The military needs 18-20 year olds. It can not operate without them. Old guys like me would be getting out way more than they could back fill us. In a few years the military would be decimated.

I was a recruiter for 3 years, I have first hand experience with this. They need them.
 
Boys will be boys, until they kill your kid.

Certainly, law enforcement should reach out to these kids and try to give them support. Often these are cries for help.

I also have no problem with the idea that you can throw you life away at 15 with one bad decision.

@DouglasR people who don't wear seat-belts put extra financial and emotion strain on an already stress medical and emergency system, their injuries and deaths are easily prevented. No different than the thousands of other health and safety rules we have. One of my buddies in anchorage past last year because he wasn't wearing a seat belt... just buckle up man you have way too many cool hunts and experiences to have to waste them on not wearing a piece of plastic.
 
You would loose 2/3 of your enlistment pipeline. The military needs 18-20 year olds. It can not operate without them. Old guys like me would be getting out way more than they could back fill us. In a few years the military would be decimated.

I was a recruiter for 3 years, I have first hand experience with this. They need them.

I believe you, I'm just wondering what makes the most sense in consideration of your prior comment about brain development. I don't have an answer, it just makes me wish we knew more back when we set some of these "rules" in place. If the enlistment age had always been 21 or the driving age had always been 18, I wonder what would be different.
 
I believe you, I'm just wondering what makes the most sense in consideration of your prior comment about brain development. I don't have an answer, it just makes me wish we knew more back when we set some of these "rules" in place. If the enlistment age had always been 21 or the driving age had always been 18, I wonder what would be different.


Likely the 25 age would be extended to 27-28. We need those growth moments in life. You can’t learn lessons and grow if your not allowed to. I’m no physiologist so there are folks better educated than me on the subject.

All I know is what I’ve seen and learned. Some of the most tattooed trouble making privates turned out to be the best NCOs and mentors I have ever worked with. They learned thru the school of hard Knox and had street smarts. Kids these days need that, they don’t necessarily need a Felony on their record at 15.

If I would of gone to jail when I was out joyriding in a car that I had “stole” and gotten a felony for grand Larceny this conversation would of never happened. I wouldn’t of changed the lives of all the kids I enlisted. I wouldn’t of ever met my wife and had our kids. I would of never been on this forum because I wouldn’t be able to own a rifle to hunt with.
 
Likely the 25 age would be extended to 27-28. We need those growth moments in life. You can’t learn lessons and grow if your not allowed to. I’m no physiologist so there are folks better educated than me on the subject.

All I know is what I’ve seen and learned. Some of the most tattooed trouble making privates turned out to be the best NCOs and mentors I have ever worked with. They learned thru the school of hard Knox and had street smarts. Kids these days need that, they don’t necessarily need a Felony on their record at 15.

If I would of gone to jail when I was out joyriding in a car that I had “stole” and gotten a felony for grand Larceny this conversation would of never happened. I wouldn’t of changed the lives of all the kids I enlisted. I wouldn’t of ever met my wife and had our kids. I would of never been on this forum because I wouldn’t be able to own a rifle to hunt with.

I hear you. I guess the trouble becomes how do you vet which kids grow up to great NCO's and which kids end up dishonorably discharged for wrecking a car while DUI? What if you had gone joyriding one more time and killed yourself or someone else?

It's a tough balancing act and please understand that I'm not trying to pick a fight with you. I appreciate your responses and these discussions.

I think what a lot of people are missing, which has already been alluded to, is a good tongue lashing and/or visit from daddy's belt/momma's shoe/(insert your culturally appropriate comment here)/etc. You didn't get a felony (and I'm guessing this kid won't either) but you learned a lesson. If you get off scott free where is the lesson learned? That is the part that scares me now because I don't see the (any?) consequences being rolled down to teach the lesson.

@wllm1313 "Boys will be boys, until they kill your kid" that's a tough line to read or think about too hard.
 
I hear you. I guess the trouble becomes how do you vet which kids grow up to great NCO's and which kids end up dishonorably discharged for wrecking a car while DUI? What if you had gone joyriding one more time and killed yourself or someone else?

It's a tough balancing act and please understand that I'm not trying to pick a fight with you. I appreciate your responses and these discussions.

I think what a lot of people are missing, which has already been alluded to, is a good tongue lashing and/or visit from daddy's belt/momma's shoe/(insert your culturally appropriate comment here)/etc. You didn't get a felony (and I'm guessing this kid won't either) but you learned a lesson. If you get off scott free where is the lesson learned? That is the part that scares me now because I don't see the (any?) consequences being rolled down to teach the lesson.

@wllm1313 "Boys will be boys, until they kill your kid" that's a tough line to read or think about too hard.

100% agree. I'm so glad I'm not a judge.

Probably some folks out there who killed people on accident DUI or otherwise that turned there life around and did something for society that saved/help a lot of people... probably some that got of with a slap on the wrist and killed someone else...
 
100% agree. I'm so glad I'm not a judge.

Probably some folks out there who killed people on accident DUI or otherwise that turned there life around and did something for society that saved/help a lot of people... probably some that got of with a slap on the wrist and killed someone else...

X2.

With the caveat to this whole thread: changing a age law, creating a new one, or treating a teen like a terrorist is not going to be the answer.

I’ve seen terrorist, I’ve looked in there eyes. Just one look in there eye shows how much they hated us. They would do anything to kill me to include killing themselves if they got free. While a post on a forum like this kids needs to be fully investigated and adjudicated. He doesn’t necessarily need the rest of his life ruined for one adolescent dumb moment.
 
Boys will be boys, until they kill your kid.

Certainly, law enforcement should reach out to these kids and try to give them support. Often these are cries for help.

I also have no problem with the idea that you can throw you life away at 15 with one bad decision.

@DouglasR people who don't wear seat-belts put extra financial and emotion strain on an already stress medical and emergency system, their injuries and deaths are easily prevented. No different than the thousands of other health and safety rules we have. One of my buddies in anchorage past last year because he wasn't wearing a seat belt... just buckle up man you have way too many cool hunts and experiences to have to waste them on not wearing a piece of plastic.

I wear my seatbelt.
Not educated enough to come up with a worthy response to this.
I would hate to see some 15yo kid ran through the courts because he said “I’m gonna kill you” while being bullied and the wrong helicopter mom overheard and called the FBI.

Sorry to hear about your friend.

Sorry I derailed the op.

Follow me on Twitter

@douglasjones #seatbeltwars
 
I am retiring from the military in the next few months after a very successful career. I believe in God and try my best to raise my children right. I would like to think I am a decent human being.

With that said I was a hellish child. I skipped school, lied to my parents, went joy riding in someone’s car when I was 15 twice. I even drank and drove. My parents did the best the could and I was spanked and grounded frequently.

Kids don’t reach mental maturity until around age 25. Even with the best parents kids will still get in trouble. That doesn’t automatically make them indecent humans. Judging a book by the first chapter can leave you missing the rest of the story.

There are always exceptions to every rule, and I'm glad you turned out great and had a successful career! However, your parents sound like they paid a little more attention to their kid's antics than some of the the other checked-out parents we see on the news, and I bet if they knew you were driving drunk they would have taken the keys...
 
There are always exceptions to every rule, and I'm glad you turned out great and had a successful career! However, your parents sound like they paid a little more attention to their kid's antics than some of the the other checked-out parents we see on the news, and I bet if they knew you were driving drunk they would have taken the keys...


Agreed, my parents were engaged in correcting my stupidity. I had a police officer see what I was doing and made it a point to scare me straight, not arrest me. He let Dad be the judge, jury, and executioner.

I believe the bad kids we see on the news are the exception, not the ones who turn out good. Given the US population it’s more likely 99 kids out of 100 are good wholesome kids who parents are raising them right. The issue is that you will never hear about them. Kids that turn out good don’t make the news. No in media wants to air a success story over a almost statistically nonexistent act of violence.
 
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Agreed, my parents were engaged in correcting my stupidity. I had a police officer see what I was doing and made it a point to scare me straight, not arrest me. He let Dad be the judge, jury, and executioner.

I believe the bad kids we see on the news are the exception, not the ones who turn out good. Given the US population it’s more likely 99 kids out of 100 are good wholesome kids who parents are raising them right. The issue is that you will never hear about them. Kids that turn out good don’t make the news. No in media wants to air a success story over a almost statistically nonexistent act of violence.


I said amen!
Pave the roads and leave me alone.
Blow up your television
 
This thread hits home to me. My co-worker is living through the hell of boys will be boys until they kill your son.
Weed with friends... cops caught him with enough to give him a record. They hired a good lawyer to avoid loosing his rights as a felon and got him off with deferred penalties as long as he stayed out of trouble. Things were fine for a while till he hung out with the wrong couple of guys. Harder chemicals, joyriding a stolen rig not knowing the owner had his loaded.45 under the seat. When the cops rolled them up at gunpoint three of them wisely hit the ground and surrendered. My co-worker’s son freaked out and tried to escape by swimming the river. He drowned. Seventeen years old, 3.6 GPA, football team, looking forward to college.... boys will be boys....
 
The "little kid" is 15 years old. I guarantee you if the cops showed her texts from a 15 year old black kid threatening to kill her son at school she wouldn't have said that about the black kid.
 
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