# 12 year old killed by gator, humans respond **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 20, 2003, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138 "2003-06-20T12:34:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/21 "2003-06-20T13:18:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Now many alligators must die because of some dumbass kid who wouldn’t be told. Cry me a fucking river. But there’s a flip side to that, too: so seven fucking lizards, members of a species of which there is no shortage, have been killed. Cry me a fucking river. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/22 "2003-06-20T13:18:08Z")
Hey, wasn’t exactly a simulpost, but ya gotta appreciate the identical capitalization! Way to go, **ratty**! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/23 "2003-06-20T13:19:07Z")
Yeah, but did the boy give consent to being violated by the alligator ? Like are you saying that the woman who visited Tyson in his hotel room is responsible for the rape? ---
**Author:** ![Aries28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Aries28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aries28)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/24 "2003-06-20T13:19:32Z")
I completely understand why the community feels like the gators should be killed or moved since they pose a threat. If my son was so careless as to place his life in danger after being warned numerous times to get out of the water I would beat his little ass up one side and down the other. Unfortunately, in this case, Bryan’s mom won’t have that opportunity. Maybe he was showing off in front of his older friends? Maybe he never thought the gator would swim up that close? Maybe he just wasn’t thinking at all. The sad thing is that it cost him his life. Killing the gators won’t bring him back but maybe it will make it a little safer for the next dumb kid who takes a chance like that? ---
**Author:** ![ratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ccd318/32.png) [@ratty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratty)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/25 "2003-06-20T13:22:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Manda JO \* > \*\*But there’s a flip side to that, too: so seven fucking lizards, members of a species of which there is no shortage, have been killed. Cry me a fucking river. \*\* **Manda Jo** , you know I love you deeply, but I must disagree. 1. Alligators are not lizards; and 2. You can’t explain to an alligator that it shouldn’t eat people. You _can_ explain to a 12-year-old to stay the hell out of the water when there are gators around. Responsibility for this tragedy rests solely with the kid. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/26 "2003-06-20T13:23:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by In Conceivable \* > \*\*They aren’t being killed for revenge. They are being killed to protected other children. \*\* The point being that there is no way to protect a child that does such a dumb thing, except erradicating aligators. Anyway it seems rather indiscriminated. I could understand if there was a huge man-eating crocodile preying people. I can also understand if the chance of another attack by the same gator is very high. I don’t know that. ---
**Author:** ![Ben\_Hicks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@Ben\_Hicks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ben_Hicks)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/27 "2003-06-20T13:23:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Now many alligators must die because of some dumbass kid who wouldn’t be told. Cry me a fucking river. Oh you’re all fucking heart. A little boy dies a hideous death which has torn his entire fucking community apart and you’re concerned about the Goddam alligators?!? Who gives a fuck how many of these verminous reptiles we slaughter? The less of them there are in this world the better. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/28 "2003-06-20T13:24:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dinsdale \* > \*\*Do individual alligators become maneaters/childkillers? > > \*\* I have been looking for a study on that but haven’t found one yet. I have found plenty of places that say alligators are naturally shy of humans and avoid them if possible. It is obvious that these gators were no longer shy of humans. That in and of itself makes them more dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/29 "2003-06-20T13:24:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ivylass \* > \*\* > But this boy showed incredible lack of wit, one by swimming in the gator’s habitat, and then refusing to get out when they came closer. \*\* He certainly did. Of course I wasn’t killed all those times I was his age and showed an incredible lack of wit. On the other hand I never jumped into a river after my pals actually saw an alligator. > [@](#): > > \*\* > In other words, the boy was the trespasser, not the gators. There are consequences to actions, and although I am sorry this boy is dead, if he’d taken a little more care he’d be playing his Nintendo right now. \*\* How can the boy trespass? Either we’re a part of nature or we’re not. I agree that there are consequences to actions and the consequences of swimming with gators is being bitten. The consequences of biting a human child is getting you and a couple of your gator pals killed. Just like the consequences of being a viper, a mole, or a rabbit anywhere near my garden is a death sentence. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Triss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Triss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triss)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/30 "2003-06-20T13:24:51Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by ratty_ > You know what? I’m not sorry this kid’s dead. This kid was stupid. And sometimes being stupid gets you killed. Sad, but necessary > > … > > Now many alligators must die because of some dumbass kid who wouldn’t be told. Cry me a fucking river. Uh huh. Very nice. You’d be singing a different tune if it was your kid. In that case, if you could, you’d kill it yourself and make a nice pair of boots out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/31 "2003-06-20T13:27:24Z")
I agree with ratty, except for not being sorry. Too many humans, too few gators. ---
**Author:** ![ratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ccd318/32.png) [@ratty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratty)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/32 "2003-06-20T13:29:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ben Hicks \* > \*\*Oh you’re all fucking heart. A little boy dies a hideous death which has torn his entire fucking community apart and you’re concerned about the Goddam alligators?!? Who gives a fuck how many of these verminous reptiles we slaughter? The less of them there are in this world the better. \*\* Interesting. Try replacing “boy” with “alligator” and “reptiles” with “mammals”. Fun how there are always two sides to every argument. To whoever brought up Mike Tyson, this is a poor analogy. As I said, humans have moral responsibility. Mike Tyson should know better than to rape someone. This kid should know better than to swim in gator territory, especially after repeated warnings. I’m tired of no one accepting responsibilty for their actions, of every time something goes wrong, the blame must be spread or re-directed. Yes, someone is dead, and that is sad. But it does not change the fact that they are dead solely through their own recklessness. ---
**Author:** ![Aries28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Aries28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aries28)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/33 "2003-06-20T13:33:15Z")
\*\* Ratty \*\* do you have any children? If you do, then I can’t imagine if this stupd 12 year old kid was yours that you wouldn’t feel differently. If you don’t, then I guess I can see why an alligator would mean more to you than a child. Once you know what a parent’s love feels like I bet you would change your stance… ---
**Author:** ![Aries28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Aries28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aries28)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/34 "2003-06-20T13:35:04Z")
Okay…let’s try “stupid”… Sorry about that! ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/35 "2003-06-20T13:35:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pedro \* > \*\*I agree with ratty, except for not being sorry. Too many humans, too few gators. \*\* To few gators? There are over one million gators in FL and there is even a trapping season for them. Ask someone who lives on a lake in FL how few alligators there are. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/36 "2003-06-20T13:38:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aries28 \* > \*\*\*\* Ratty \*\* do you have any children? > > If you do, then I can’t imagine if this stupd 12 year old kid was yours that you wouldn’t feel differently. > > If you don’t, then I guess I can see why an alligator would mean more to you than a child. > > Once you know what a parent’s love feels like I bet you would change your stance… \*\* A parent would naturally be blinded by grief and pain over the loss of a child, and it would be unbelievably cruel and callous to in any way attempt to diminish their suffering by a logical analysis of the situation. No grieving parent is going to say, “Yup, my kid did something incredibly stupid, so he definitely brought his death upon himself.” But looked at dispassionately, in this case the gators were merely acting as Darwin’s elves. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/37 "2003-06-20T13:39:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Triss \* > \*\*Uh huh. Very nice. > > You’d be singing a different tune if it was your kid. In that case, if you could, you’d kill it yourself and make a nice pair of boots out of it. \*\* That’s revenge and it doesn’t accomplish anything. What’s the point of blaming an alligator for being an alligator? If I could save the kid I would do it myself, otherwise I don’t see a point really. > [@](#): > > If you don’t, then I guess I can see why an alligator would mean more to you than a child. A child does mean more than an alligator. But the alligator doesn’t know better and the child should. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/38 "2003-06-20T13:40:49Z")
What does it say about us that we don’t consider death to be a fact of life, but a problem to be rectified? Whenever anyone dies for _any reason whatsoever_, especially if they’re a child, something is considered to have gone horribly wrong, and everybody’s out to “fix” the problem. In some cases this is a good thing, like when it drives people to find cures for deadly diseases. But sometimes it gets out of hand. Sometimes you have to accept that tragic things happen, it’s nobody’s fault and there’s nothing you can do about it. The same thing happens every time there’s a shark attack at a beach, even though they’re very, _very_ rare. Somebody’s always calling for increased funding for anti-shark initiatives, somebody else is suing the lifeguards, the State of Florida, the sharks, and the Atlantic Ocean. Still somebody else is calling for the eradication of the entire species _sharkus biteyourassicus_. _Not every injury has a remedy, dammit!_ If these alligators truly represent a danger to residents - by which I mean residents who _follow the rules designes to protect them from the 'gators_ - then I suppose it can’t be avoided. But if this is just revenge slaughter, then it’s stupid and pointless cruelty. ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/39 "2003-06-20T13:43:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ben Hicks \* > Oh you’re all fucking heart. A little boy dies a hideous death which has torn his entire fucking community apart and you’re concerned about the Goddam alligators?!? Who gives a fuck how many of these verminous reptiles we slaughter? \*\*]The less of them there are in this world the better. \*\* Bolding mine. I could say much the same of stupid children who haven’t even the sense or self-preservation to get out of the water when his friends TELL him there’s gators closing in on him, and jumps back in the water after having been dragged out by said friends. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138/40 "2003-06-20T13:43:23Z")
To clarify the last quote on my last post is by **Aries28**. “I don’t see why human beings in general are more important. Not in my book they aren’t.” This statement was refering to the species in general. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-year-old-killed-by-gator-humans-respond/183138.md?page=3)