|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Back To All Blogs | Blog 72 of 170 | Prev Next |
|
FLOORED IN THE FAST FOOD LINE
Published On 10-05-2008 , 11:53 AM
'GOT what she deserved," was the consensus of the group."
"Well," said a quiet lady who was sitting on the sideline and who hadn't ventured to join in the conversation until things were all summed up.
"I don't know about all of that," she continued slowly and thoughtfully. Finally she ventured to question the judgment of the two men and three women who said the teenager who was knocked to the floor at a fast-food restaurant by a male customer needed to learn a lesson.
"Seems his actions were plain ol' illegal. You can't just walk around punching people in the face," the quiet lady finally said.
But there was no turning around the judgment of the group.
One of the men said, "A punch is a natural reaction for dissing someone."
Another man said, "Teenagers nowadays are completely out of hand."
Witnesses at the scene of the punch reported the 16-year-old had "cussed" the man who walked into the restaurant while she stood in line with friends.
Then there's the opinion of the seasoned high school teacher who deals with belligerent teens on an hourly basis. She failed to see the "hooray the girl had it coming" point of view.
"Violence is violence, no matter how it gets packaged," the teacher said while trying hard to figure out how any adult would act in such a manner and she was further trying to understand a point of view that said "cussing" someone meant getting floored.
The surveillance video was on the news this past week as the cameras caught most of the this amazing action at the fast-food place. But will the Los Angeles police be able to catch the suspect?
Witnesses, it is said, described what he was wearing but that was as far as they went. "Hey, folks on Crenshaw Boulevard (the street where it happened) don't remember seeing anything when somebody gets shot dead so who's gonna speak up when some smart-mouth teenager gets what her momma should a been giving her all this time?" said a man from the group.
There's more going on in this story than meets the eye of those cheering and claiming the teenager may now have learned a needed lesson.
Yes, her momma shoulda been teaching her not to disrespect anyone. But what, let us ask, should the man's momma have been teaching him?
One piece of this pie that seemed not to have all the ingredients in it when the group chewed on it, was the two young boys who came into the place with the suspect and who he quickly escorted out when he left.
Can't help but wonder about all the abuse the young kids have in life. Not a good story.
Me? In truth, I wasn't too sorry the girl had been floored and that's because, like the group, I'm pretty damn sick of surly, rude, disrespectful teenagers wearing clothes that are too tight, or hanging off their butts, talking all kind of trash and thinking no one has the right to corral them - including parents, teachers, police and probation officers.
Unfortunately, as a reasonable person, I have to agree with the high school teacher and the woman who wouldn't go along with the "she deserved it" group.
But somehow deep down I can't help but know that in some kind of way something has to be done to put today's marauding, undisciplined teenagers in check with their "can't touch this" attitude that's prevalent whether they are in line, riding the bus, standing on the street corner or walking through their parent's homes.
Where's Bill Cosby? He knows how to give 'em hell!
This blog can be found in our column section where it can be printed and/or emailed to a friend
| |
| |
Comment
| | 1. | I believe I am the mentioned high school teacher. Yes, undeniably teens are out of hand. Unfortunately putting them on the floor doesn't get them back in hand. As "adults" if we can't figure out more effective approaches, it happens that we become part of the problem.
Phoenix
- by phxsays, 10-06-2008, 7:10 AM
|
|
|
|
|
|
