Hardly a day goes by that I don't rejoice the fact that I live in New Hampshire, not Massachusetts, and have recent moved farther away from the Bay State. And two stories in the news recently have affirmed my despair that not only are things getting worse down there, but there isn't much to indicate that it's ever going to get better.
First up, we have the tale of a boy who gave out all kinds of warning signs that he was troubled. For months, he terrorized his school with threats and outbursts of violence. But no one could be troubled to intervene and stop him while he continually escalated his deeds, until he finally reached the ultimate -- and murdered a schoolmate.
And in Lawrence, Massachusetts, a teacher who did a favor for a student has learned the old saying that "no good deed goes unpunished" -- and two young men are facing major charges.
It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a whole culture to screw them up this badly.
Massachusetts, this is your future. You made it, now embrace it.
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Comments (8)
" before choosing a random ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by D-Hoggs | March 8, 2007 11:20 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
" before choosing a random victim to execute a murder fantasy ripped from a Stephen King series, a prosecutor said yesterday. "
Uhh, wasn't a moon-bat poster jawing yesterday about how only the left has such creative people as Stephen King?! Where's the outrage people?! For the children!!
1. Posted by D-Hoggs | March 8, 2007 11:20 AM |
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Posted on March 8, 2007 11:20
2. Posted by Synova | March 8, 2007 12:16 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Was it ever really any different?
Really?
Egill Skallagrímsson murdered another boy with an ax when he was seven which was probably somewhere around 900 AD.
Not that it isn't horrible. Not that it makes it okay. It's just that mourning some spiraling down into darkness really does need the perspective of reality rather than an idealized belief about some golden age when young men never made violent and potentially fatal mistakes, never thought it would be fun to be a gangsta or a bandito or a pirate, never turned to crime or violence, never had something broken inside.
2. Posted by Synova | March 8, 2007 12:16 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2007 12:16
3. Posted by Peter F. | March 8, 2007 1:02 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Off topic:
OK, what goes in mind the instant I open Wizbang and see this headline? Oh yeah, this song.
Thanks, Jay. Thanks a lot. Here's hoping get Whitney Houston's version of "I Will Always Love You" in your head today.
;-)
3. Posted by Peter F. | March 8, 2007 1:02 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2007 13:02
4. Posted by astigafa | March 8, 2007 1:29 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hardly a day goes by that I don't rejoice the fact that I live in New Hampshire, not Massachusetts
No shit. Tell me more, Jay; I'm sure I speak for the world at large when I say that I just can't get enough of your Massachusetts blather.
4. Posted by astigafa | March 8, 2007 1:29 PM |
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Posted on March 8, 2007 13:29
5. Posted by John Irving | March 8, 2007 1:33 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
astigafa, have a hearty STFU&GBTW
5. Posted by John Irving | March 8, 2007 1:33 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2007 13:33
6. Posted by Jo | March 8, 2007 1:51 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I'll translate for astigafa:
"Massachusetts is a liberal state and please quit telling us how it's falling apart, because it's embarrassing to my party."
6. Posted by Jo | March 8, 2007 1:51 PM |
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Posted on March 8, 2007 13:51
7. Posted by Mitchell | March 8, 2007 4:24 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It's troubling because of their past--time with parents who are themselves morally childish and friviolous.
We have a group a parents at the local high school who keep tolerating un-chaperoned parties, after the 3rd fatal car accident involving drunk driving at the school in 2 years.
Look at the parents for all the clues you need.
7. Posted by Mitchell | March 8, 2007 4:24 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2007 16:24
8. Posted by wavemaker | March 8, 2007 5:12 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Jay, I certainly understand your inclination to look at the Lincoln-Sudbury tragedy with a jaundiced eye, but I would encourage you to have some circumspection in that case. The "perp" in that case suffers from the same psych disability as my son, and so I have an keen and deep understanding of what was going on there (there is no starker instance to which I can employ the old addage, "there but for the grace of God go I") -- and I also know for a certainty that this boy's parents have been as engaged, aggressive, supportive, protective, etc etc as you could expect any parents to be -- which makes this tragedy all the more difficult. It is just not fair or appropriate to include this incident in the roster of Massachusetts Horror Stories, any more than it is fair for Howie Carr to launch his annual assault in New Hampshire's hunting afficionados.
Mitchell, your reference to "morally childish and frivolous" parents really does not fit here. Frequently elsewhere, for sure, but for a certainty not here.
8. Posted by wavemaker | March 8, 2007 5:12 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 8, 2007 17:12