[QUOTE=norinew]
Oh, man, that whole situation sucks donkey balls! I think you are handling it with grace and aplomb (I think one must be a retired SEAL to handle aplomb properly and safely
).
I do agree, though, that the kids who are doing this crap now are likely to move to really bad shit as they get older. Therefore, you need to do what you can to stop them (or at least get them out of your neighborhood). Consider calling the media and see if you can get a “human interest” story out of it.
BTW, I’m of the humble opinion that a lot of young adult criminal activity could be headed off at the pass if the freakin’ system would treat childhood criminal activity seriously. My oldest daughter is 20, and she’s a mess! She had three different run-ins with the law before she turned 18. Each time, I begged them to throw the book at her as hard as they could, in hopes she would learn something. They wouldn’t do it because she was “a minor”. :rolleyes: I still wonder if things might have been better for her by now if they had bothered then. Not that I’m blaming them for her being a mess, but I think it’s a factor.
details available on request, but trust me, you probably don’t want to know.
[/QUOTE]
I agree wholeheartedly!
When the guy-next-door and I were talking about this last night, he made the comment
" it’s a shame, but those kids are already a lost cause. In a few years, we will be paying for their room and board in a cell". He’s undoubtedly correct. Back in my day, if a kid got out of line, damn near -any- adult would step in. now, everyone is afraid to, what with lawsuits and the permissive culture. What I mean is.. well.. here’s an example from my own youth, way back when:
I was about seven or so, and shoplifted a twinkie ( back in those days they came in single packages). The store clerk caught me, and boxed my ears, then called the cops, whom turned me over to the nuns. They had me kneeling on split peas for hours.. THEN I had to work at the store to pay for the Twinkie ) that I never even got, mind you! ) Thus ended my career as a criminal.
contrast that to what would happen today.
( ok.. a piss poor example, but hopefully you get what I am saying )
The guy next door , I discovered last night, caught the oldest boy attempting to give his Chocolate Lab some hamburger with ground glass in it last year. Police were called. The net result was the little bastard had to write an apology letter, and work for 15 hours at the animal shelter during 90 days of probation. That’s it. Hardly what I would call a deterrent, especially considering this was, according to guy-next-door, the kid’s FOURTH criminal charge at least one involving cruelty to animals (seems he also poured kerosene on some stray cat and lit it on fire ) . ( I had no idea about any of this until last night )
Mrs. Justanoldvet , being the kind soul she is, actually feels sorry for the kid(s). Her opinion is that they act out in these ways as a cry for help. Help they are all too clearly NOT getting. Personally, I have no sympathy in my soul for anyone that would hurt my dog(s) ( whom we view as four legged children ). Had I caught anyone, I don’t give a damn how old, attempting to feed them ground glass, THEY would have eaten it. No, I am not joking. I am a cruel, pitiless, merciless son of a bitch under some circumstances: I figure anyone that does that is unworthy of sympathy, and should, frankly, be removed from the herd.
( I’m not wishing anything against you child. Obviously I don’t know the specifics, nor are such my business. Nor am I judging you or her in any way: I’m saying in THIS SPECIFIC situation, I find it beyond my ability to feel sorry for the kids. I can understand the wife’s “cry for help” theory.. but there are limits. They have crossed them in torturing animals, in my opinion. )
You can BET we are being EXTREMELY careful with Max and Phantom