flogging

[the dude abides]

With all these knife killings, and kids running amok on the streets, and that awful awful devilish torture and murder of the two french lads in London.....is it time to bring back flogging.

I don't approve of capital punishment.  But I sure as hell would like to see those who enjoy tormenting others, getting a damn good judicial flogging. 

[Jim B]

The first argument against that will be when there's a case of mistaken identity. But people who use that excuse go quiet when you suggest the rule be applied only where there's unshakeable proof.

[the dude abides]

The first argument against that will be when there's a case of mistaken identity. But people who use that excuse go quiet when you suggest the rule be applied only where there's unshakeable proof.

true, Jim.

The burden of proof also doesn't necessarily need to be quite as high (as for capital punishment). 

As I said, I do not approve of capital punishment, but I do think judicial flogging could prove an extremely useful measure.  Happy snappers, gangs of rampant knife wielding youths, etc could all learn a valuable lesson. 

I also think that these kids, often in their mid and late teens, are too young/immature to have thought out their evil deeds on their own.  I think a lot of the shi-t in their brains has came from the media.  The likes of Quinton Ferentino (Pulp Fiction director), or whatever his name is, have a helluva lot to answer for. 

When I grew up, I was as much a fan of movies like Dirty Harry, Sweeney, Kojak, etc, as the next person.  But any violence was there to serve a purpose.  There were good guys and bay guys.  But in the last 10 or 15 years, I see our media full of uncalled for aggression and violence.  And the violence is devilishly extreme.  Modern movies, and the media, glorify violence.  It was never like that when I was growing up.

Basically, something is polluting the minds of the young and the weak.  And something needs to be done about it.

[Jim B]

One point you've hit on there is the younger ones not realising the impact of their actions. It's not necessarily the more serious crimes either, sometimes it's the "lesser" crimes like smashing bus stops or throwing supermarket trollies into ponds.

As a kid I know my biggest fear was always that my parents might find out what I'd done, that was the deterrent for me. Not that they'd have actually done much to me anyway, except ground me perhaps, but the fear of them finding out I was up to no good was what kept me out of trouble, usually.

Even at school, the best way to keep me well-behaved was to tell me that if I did that again they'd be sending a letter home. Nowadays, and I know teachers who've told me this, that kind of approach doesn't wash, and before you've even sent the letter home you might get the parents coming in to have a go at you! I'll always stand up for my kids, but they also know that if they've done wrong they have to accept the punishment (as long as it's reasonable).

[the dude abides]

yes, same here Jim.  I daren't have come home from school and been heard to have been misbehaving.  I'd have been told off.  Others I know would have been in for much worse chastisement.

And that sums up the problem in modern times.  In the past, parents curbed their kids improper actions.  These days, if a teacher or a member of the public as much as says BOO to their kid, they get a mouthful of abuse from both kid and parent.

Here's an example.  I live in a very good area and go out for a long walk, with a friend, a couple of evenings per week.  Last night, there was a group of well dressed posh looking kids on the far side of the street (quiet no cars street).  I'd guess they were maybe between 10 and 14 years old, girls and boys. They were on the opposite side of the avenue/street.  My friend and I heard them say hello over at us.  One of the girls was the main vocalist.  That hello was only the pre-cursor to ever worsening abuse.....'hey, nice looking shoes', etc....lots of sarcastic abuse and jeering, at us.   We ignored them from the outset and made no eye contact after their initial hello.  But it sure left a nasty taste.  Here were well-to-do kids, out looking for aggravation, and aiming their barbs at passers-by.   

It may seem harmless, but it just takes one nutter in their group to push it further and attack a victim.....and then animal-like reaction of a group can quickly take over.

I thought today about what could be done about last night's situation.  And I came up with nothing.  Cops wouldn't take a blind bit of notice.  And parents, if they could be found, would chase you (from their posh drive ways). 

Society takes the side of the vulgar aggressive animals that patrol our streets.  And by the time he/she has been assaulted, it is then too late for society to save the innocent bystander from his/her fate.

If parents refuse to control their offspring, then they should be called to account.