I realize society needs to grow and keep moving forward.
I’m all for equality. For (some) things being all politically correct. I have no issues with age, color, creed, sexual orientation or anything like that. Seriously. People are people. Let them be who they are.
But, sometimes, things are getting downright stupid.
Did you hear the one about the 9-year-old boy who was suspended for two days at a school in North Carolina?
I’m sure if someone told you that on the street, you’d have common thoughts. A fight. Arguing. Being mean. Bullying. Something.
Nope.
How about sexual harassment?
Look, I get why sexual harassment is such a topic in the current day. But it’s getting out of hand. It seems like anything somebody does can be construed as it. And when that happens, you risk really screwing with somebody’s life. This isn’t a joke. This is real. When you place that tag on someone, you can flat-out ruin somebody.
Don’t get me wrong, we don’t need to go back to the 50s. I’m not looking for it to be like Leave it to Beaver where June stays home cleaning and cooking all day waiting for Ward to come home.
And this isn’t like the old black and white flicks where “dame” and “broad” were normal and accepted terms.
But seriously, folks.
Let me relay the story of this 9-year-old kid, which I read about the other day.
See, he was having a private chat with a friend. Nothing serious or anything. Just the two talking. This boy didn’t grope anyone or touch someone inappropriately. He was talking to a friend.
And what happened?
He told his friend that a teacher was cute.
That’s it.
Further, he didn’t even say it to the teacher. It was in the private conversation. He didn’t yell it. He was talking to a friend. A substitute teacher overheard the conversation and reported the child. A substitute.
Then the kid got suspended. For two days.
Sorry, folks, but this is ridiculous. What’s next? A 14-year-old asks a pretty girl out on a date or to “go steady” and she slaps him with a lawsuit? I know several teachers who have been asked to proms over the year. Will this soon be sexual harassment?
Where does it end?
Look, I don’t think inappropriate behavior should be tolerated — by men or women toward each other (remember, sexual harassment isn’t always male to female). Especially in the workplace or things like that. But there has to be a level of what is defined as inappropriate.
Telling someone they are cute or pretty is not sexual harassment. Why should it be a crime for a co-worker to tell someone they look nice on a particular day. Has our society become such a bunch of drones that we can’t compliment one another? Has society become so ridiculous that a 9-year-old boy can’t think a teacher is cute? Heck, I know for a fact I had several crushes on teachers when I was in elementary school. It’s part of growing up!
We need to really evaluate ourselves as a society when things like this are happening.
***
So a 12-year-old boy in Florida killed his 2-year-old brother.
I’m not defending this action, by any means. But how’s this for what’s coming?
He’s being charged with first-degree murder — as an adult. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in jail.
As a 12-year-old.
Believe me, I’m not condoning what happened. The defense has rejected a plea deal that would lock up this child until 21. But he would admit to murder and the final three years of his sentence would likely be in an adult prison.
According to reports, Cristian Fernandez allegedly shoved his brother into a bookshelf, fracturing his skull and giving the tot internal bleeding to the brain.
The boy should be punished, for sure. But life in prison? They are saying this is premeditated? Can a 12-year-old boy really premeditate murder? I think Florida should re-evaluate itself here. Again, the boy killed someone. But did he plan it? Did he want to do it? Or are there other issues here we are not seeing.
There are so many crimes and such out there that people commit and get second chances. But this kid could be facing life in prison? Are we sure, as society, that he can’t be fixed to become a good member in society?
The trial is scheduled for February. I’ll be interested to see how this all comes out.
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