QFAC: The Youth of Today

There is an old saying that ”The Children are our future.” but in present days it seems as though children are becoming more alienated from society. I ask the candidates several questions in relation to the Youth of Today.[1]

1: With the rise in youth related crime, what will you as a candidate do to stop this?
2: Why do you believe that Youth Related crime has increased over the last few decades?
3: A recent study by the BBC showed that in the U.K. many parents do not understand the problems facing their children. I do believe similar problems exist in the United States of America – what would you do to help parents to bridge the problems they are having?


[1] Youth meaning those under 21 years of age.

My answers.

1: I myself believe that young people need something to do. I believe that the Government should fund programs that are ran after school, but that do what children and young people want to do. There’s no legitimate reason as to why, 13, 14, 15 and 16 year olds can not go to controlled nightclubs as long as substances such as alcohol are not allowed to be consumed by them. This would remove a large portion of children off of the streets at night, which would remove the fact many people feel as though these children could do them harm. The same can go for older youth, bowling alleys that run a “free night” or youth clubs would all help to remove young people off of the street. There is a reason as to why poor children are more likely to commit crime and it is down to their inability to do many things but I will go into the next question.

2: I believe a lot of Youth Crime is down to the fact that they have nothing to do. Take for example weeknights, things such as the cinema (movies) bowling alleys, etcetera call cost money. Parents cannot afford for their children to do something every night and this allows them to become more frustrated. Teenagers worry about not getting good enough grades, about failing their education and without anything to take their mind off of this than the problems grow, they become more frustrated and turn to alternative sources of relief which include drug use, hanging around in places such as parks and so on and so fourth.

3: I believe that we need to create a system where first time parents go to classes, free classes on parenting. The amount of times I have seen parents, screaming, shouting, etcetera at young children has worried me. I also believe the Government, as part of its healthcare should offer things such as counselling for parents, along with a network of support groups and other alternatives and in the worse case take children off of “bad parents” at an early age. There should also be more funding going into such networks to monitor parents because bad parents will ruin the future of society.

[1] Youth meaning those under 21 years of age.

The voting age in the US is at age 18, adult criminal prosecution is at age 18 and induction in the military is permitted at age 18. Age 21 is an arbitrary age selected to create a youth crime problem that doesn't really exist.

1: With the rise in youth related crime, what will you as a candidate do to stop this?

Eliminating victimless crimes would reduce crime in all age groups.

2: Why do you believe that Youth Related crime has increased over the last few decades?

I do not agree that youth related crimes have increased.

3: A recent study by the BBC showed that in the U.K. many parents do not understand the problems facing their children. I do believe similar problems exist in the United States of America – what would you do to help parents to bridge the problems they are having?

Get government the hell out of the way.

Originally posted by Odium
1: With the rise in youth related crime, what will you as a candidate do to stop this?

Well, since there is no one reason for the increase, I would create a
panel to look into what the main causes for it are, and would create
ideas and legislation to be put to the congress to vote on based on the
findings of the panel, and my own ideas.

2: Why do you believe that Youth Related crime has increased over the last few decades?

I don't calim to know all the reasons, but I think some of the big reasons
for it are economic siuations, the current education system and the rise
in popular culture/media glamourizing a violent lifestyle, couple with the
fact that a small, but possibly growing minority of the youth of the upper
middlce class seem to see people of the lower class as sub-human, and
you get the increase in youth violence.

3: A recent study by the BBC showed that in the U.K. many parents do not understand the problems facing their children. I do believe similar problems exist in the United States of America – what would you do to help parents to bridge the problems they are having?

I think it's more much that they both don't understand and in many
cases may not want to understand.

I'm honestly not sure there is alot that I could do.

1: With the rise in youth related crime, what will you as a candidate do to stop this?

Education is the key to preventing youth crime. I do not think that any child should be allowed to drop out of school. I think that with better education the crime level would drop naturally.

2: Why do you believe that Youth Related crime has increased over the last few decades?

I believe that both parents and school officials are to blame for this. Our children need guidance and if they do not receive it from authority figures such as parents and teachers they will find it amongst themselves and that is where gangs become a problem.

3: A recent study by the BBC showed that in the U.K. many parents do not understand the problems facing their children. I do believe similar problems exist in the United States of America – what would you do to help parents to bridge the problems they are having?

I think that parents should be encouraged to take a parenting class when they first learn they are about to become parents. We as parents are our children's first authority figure. We as parents need to focus on our children more than our individual lives. When we become parents we have to sacrafice for them. It is not only our lives now it is our children's lives.

Originally posted by Odium
1: With the rise in youth related crime, what will you as a candidate do to stop this?

I would focus my time on making the children understand that just because their parents are gone working all of the time, that they still can have someone to guide them through life. They should be guided to utilize their elders, as they are most likely retired, and can help raise them for at least a few years. Plus, the elders, like grandparents, have a vested interest in the welfare of the children they are guiding; they're their own flesh and blood.

2: Why do you believe that Youth Related crime has increased over the last few decades?

Children are being left at home alone with no parental guidance. Mommy and Daddy both work full-time jobs during the day, and sleep all night, leaving no time for the little ones. They grow up alienated from their own parents, and they act out because they don't know any other way to act. No one's told them anything about that. At least not anyone of any respectable stature.

3: A recent study by the BBC showed that in the U.K. many parents do not understand the problems facing their children. I do believe similar problems exist in the United States of America – what would you do to help parents to bridge the problems they are having?

To start, I'd have the parents take more of an interest in their children's upbringing. Take some time, even if it's a mere 5 minutes a day, to focus ALL of your attention on one child, and let them know that you're always there for them. That one act will solidify a relationship between the parent and the child that no separation can put asunder.

TheBorg

P.S. When all else fails, "spare the rod, spoil the child." In other words, whip their behinds so hard they turn red. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE needs an occasional kick in the pants every now and then. It's a great motivator.

Originally posted by Odium
There is an old saying that ”The Children are our future.” but in present days it seems as though children are becoming more alienated from society. I ask the candidates several questions in relation to the Youth of Today.[1]

1: I feel as though in order to stop integrated crime among teenagers and the youths we need to organize summer camps and we need to allow people of other ethnicity to be harbored in a certain neighborhood so that they can feel free to communicate with anyone they want to. I say that they need camps and the freedom of living in a free racial environment because lots of crimes are organized because they don't have organized activities to keep themselves busy and they also will be living in a racial free environment which means that there won't be as many crimes based on race, as there are today.


2: They happen because teens are depressed, and that's why teenagers go to juvenile prisons. What they do there is that they serve there sentence and they go there and then they go back. I think it's fair. I believe that the teachers in school systems should be teaching kids laws because they don't and since they don't teach them laws in public schools they feel as though they can get away with anything.

The teachers just teach kids how to learn and what to do, they don't teach them what to do with the knowledge.

3: Of course they don't know how to deal with their kids. There should be a program in place to get kids to listen to their parents and if not their parents there should be programs so that they can meet their role models. So that they can have a blast and have a blast without drugs. Also they need better equipment in parks and neighborhoods, so they won't feel like they can't do anything at the park, or like they can't do anything. Lots of kids feel bored at times, trust me, I am am not a kid not yet an adult, but I know how many kids feel.

Originally posted by Odium

1: With the rise in youth related crime, what will you as a candidate do to stop this?
2: Why do you believe that Youth Related crime has increased over the last few decades?
3: A recent study by the BBC showed that in the U.K. many parents do not understand the problems facing their children. I do believe similar problems exist in the United States of America – what would you do to help parents to bridge the problems they are having?

1. I too personally think that much of the crime that goes on is due to a boredom. However, I also think at a deeper level it is due to the fact that the U.S government has basically taken parents' rights to discipline their children away. The first thing that I would do is reform our laws concerning child abuse and what constitutes child abuse.

2. Why has youth crime increased? Well, it would be naive to say that the media doesn't play a role in it, but, it also is important to realize that parent's aren't directing children as they did 20 or 30 years ago. I think until we make it economically feasible for one of the parents to be at home when children get home from school, we are going to continue having problems from our children. Children raising themselves obviously does not work.

3. It is hard growing up in today's society. I realize that. For a person who is 30 and over to understand exactly what is taking place within the "youth culture" today is like asking a 85 year old man to understand the "peace movement." They have no frame of reference to compare it to.

I'm with Odium on this.. well spoken friend.

Borg, it would do you well to remember, motivation is not physical violence.

We will not tolerate abuse.



[edit on 11/4/07 by SteveR]

Originally posted by SteveR
Borg, it would do you well to remember, motivation is not physical violence.

We will not tolerate abuse.

[edit on 11/4/07 by SteveR]

I was merely speaking in terms of a last resort type of situation. I would NEVER condone violently harming someone, unless ALL other options had been previously tried and exhausted, and only then because that would be the last thing that we could do before institutionalizing them.

And even though I don't support a violent response, like I said, sometimes it's necessary. There are times that you are left with no choice BUT to fight. What do you do then?

TheBorg

Originally posted by TheBorg
And even though I don't support a violent response, like I said, sometimes it's necessary. There are times that you are left with no choice BUT to fight. What do you do then?

Thankyou for the clarification. In my understanding of this discussion, we are not talking about self-defense, which I have no qualms about. We were refering to guiding individuals who are still learning about themselves and the world. Thus, we will have to agree to disagree that motivation is not physical violence.

[edit on 12/4/07 by SteveR]

Well, I still think I may not have made myself clear. I'm speaking about when children will not listen to what their parents say, no matter what they do, short of physical violence. Do you think there's a point that any parent will reach when they will cease to tolerate not being heard, and take action? If so, what should that action be, if not a violent one?

TheBorg

Speaking as candidate. It is not my policy to dictate what a parent should do. As stated, I am fully in support of Odium's initiatives as discussed in his 'answers' post. I defer you to article #3.

Thanks.

So it's your opinion that the parents are 100% responsible for how their children behave? What happens if the kids are just set on disobeying you're every command? What do you do then?

I don't want you to think that I'm just making the worst possible case here; I'm just trying to figure out how you would have parents always be the ones that get punished for the actions of a child. Maybe the child truly acted independently. Some develop faster than others. What are we to do with them if we establish standards for everyone? Just a few questions to keep ya busy, .

TheBorg

No. I never stated parents should get punished for the actions of a child.

Parents are 100% responsible for how parents behave. That's it.

That is the logic, as it applies to everything outside of parenting, too.

Naturally, the hardest job in the world is not for everyone.

My biggest problem is with would-be parents not taking the prospect seriously enough. It is a whole lot more than an expression of a relationship. Ofcourse, that issue is veering off topic.

Hope I answered your questions. Returning to your scheduled thread, there are other candidates who need to get their position in.

double post

[edit on 12/4/07 by SteveR]