WOW. Kids are not really smart

[JacksonDean]

It's not a tragedy? Let me guess, you don't have kids.

Actually, I do.

And you know what? I've taught her that her actions have consequences.

[Bengal]

Great, I hope she never falls victim to this kind of horrible accident. Kids will do things they know is harmful to them. For numerous reasons.

[fett]

I know. I looked accident up. Look at it this way. You guys have the kids. Do you have kids that will talk other kids into doing a scene like this or kids that will stand up and stop it? I'm glad we had this little discussion.:ROTF:

[Bengal]

I know. I looked accident up. Look at it this way. You guys have the kids. Do you have kids that will talk other kids into doing a scene like this or kids that will stand up and stop it? I'm glad we had this little discussion.:ROTF:

I would answer that the parent really never knows until faced with the situation. You can tell your kids that this and that is harmful and this and that will kill you but you never really know what they will do when they are away from you and faced with a situation like this.

[JacksonDean]

I would answer that the parent really never knows until faced with the situation. You can tell your kids that this and that is harmful and this and that will kill you but you never really know what they will do when they are away from you and faced with a situation like this.

Oh, of course, that absolves them of all responsibility.

[Bengal]

Oh, of course, that absolves them of all responsibility.

Well they are little humans with their own motivations and desires and whatnot.

I'm not looking to place blame here. I get that you are. Fine, blame away. Back to the "fuck it" mentality. Have to blame someone and make them the monster. Sometimes bad things happen. We as a society use to know that. Now we don't so we look for someone to blame and someone to sue. Everyone is a victim. This kid is a victim of his own parents. I get where you're coming from. But I find it very, very wrong.

You playing the Blame Game is really no different than if the parents want to play the Blame Game with the cartoon.

[fett]

Bengal. Get some balls. Fuk the babble. Just teach your children the right stuff and stop making excuses for them. I'm sorry. This story just hit me.

[Bengal]

Bengal. Get some balls. Fuk the babble. Just teach your children the right stuff and stop making excuses for them. I'm sorry. This story just hit me.

fett,
Babble? I think you've had too much Natural Ice.

You smoke, right? Did your parents teach you it was bad for you? They probably didn't since we are talking about the 1800's but it's the same kind of thing here. You can tell your kids that this is wrong but you never really know what they will do with that information. You can just hope for the best when they go out and do what they do.

If I can't say anything about how you raise your kid, back the fuck out of my face about it.

Show me where I made an excuse for my kids? You act like you know more about this story then you do. Where did you read that the parents didn't tell the kid he couldn't breathe under sand? Show me where the TV was used as a babysitter. Quit making generalizations about a story you really know nothing about.

[åron]

I'm not saying the station is responsible. I'm saying that if the station is willing to pay off the parents instead of going to trial, you can't blame the parents for taking them up on it.

You might say you don't believe in the "fuck him, he deserves to die" mentality but your post sure reads like it.

I'll gladly blame the parents for being sue happy dimwits if it came to that. I know I have some unconventional view on families and life in general. My parents didn't have a very hands on or protective approach to raising us, but then again, they got rid of the TV from the time I was 3 until I was 12. People use the TV so they don't have to interact with their kids.

Don't mistake dark humor for true evil.

[JacksonDean]

Well they are little humans with their own motivations and desires and whatnot.

I'm not looking to place blame here. I get that you are. Fine, blame away. Back to the "fuck it" mentality. Have to blame someone and make them the monster. Sometimes bad things happen. We as a society use to know that. Now we don't so we look for someone to blame and someone to sue. Everyone is a victim. This kid is a victim of his own parents. I get where you're coming from. But I find it very, very wrong.

You playing the Blame Game is really no different than if the parents want to play the Blame Game with the cartoon.

I fail to see how I'm playing your blame game.
I'm a firm believer in taking responsibility for your own actions. Even as a little kid, I had to do that.

You're the one enabling blame game; "oh it's the cartoon's fault, the media's fault" (I don't even agree with Fett on that one); and you just said he's a victim of his own parents, which also isn't true, which contradicts what you said about their own motivations.

The "blame" as in the cause of this accident -- I'll use your word for it -- lies squarely on the shoulders of the kid (as Fett rightly points out):

I didn't mean they intended to do the kid harm. Give me a break. However, they thought this out. They did everything. The kid talked them into it. The others did what he asked. Just how can that be defined as an accident?

Oh, and if that's not enough for you, let me go back to the article:

The boy, Codey Porter, told playmates to bury his head in sand.

(Emphasis mine).

That's deliberate. Look that one up in the dictionary.

This is a typical kid reaction because a kid may not recognize the severity of a situation. Fortunately, some did before the kid died.

At some point, he began thrashing around, but the children apparently thought he was playing.

I know you can't protect kids from everything that's going to happen or everything that might happen. But you can teach them to use their heads and think through a situation and ascertain the likely outcomes.

[Bengal]

Blame away if that's what makes you guys feel better.

Fuckin' victim mentality. I'm damn sick of it because it's gotten us nowhere.

[Bengal]

JacksonDean,
I feel you (not "you" you but you as in people) play the blame game if your saying it's the parents fault the kid did this. First of all, We don't know the whole story. How do we know the kids parents didn't do the right thing? Show me in the article where it says, "The childs parents never told the kid he could drown in sand". Show me that part.

Taking responsibility for your actions is a good thing. I never said it was the medias fault, find that one again and refresh my memory. But if he thought the action wouldn't result in his death, how can he take responsibility for that?

Listen people, it's a sad fuckin' story. End of sentence. Find a scapegoat, that's what we do as Americans now. I'll say it again, sometimes bad things happen and no blame need be placed. Well, that's how I see it anyway.

[fett]

"Your kids" was a general statement and not directed at you. Bengal I have known since 1964 that fags will kill you. I firmly believe that parents can influence kids as well as peers and the media. But, I am certain that anyone over the age of 5 knows exactly what they are doing. I know all about how the brain developes and that is what scares me. So what can a parent do? Train those little pups to think. Rant and rave. Make them grow up with values and common sense as much as they fight it. Trust your child from day 1. Let them see you as you are. No pretences. They see right through that. Kids really are smart. We just don't let them be.

[Bengal]

But, I am certain that anyone over the age of 5 knows exactly what they are doing.

No offense fett but that proves right there that you are either very sheltered in your trailer park or you really have no clue what life is like right now.

[JacksonDean]

JacksonDean,
I feel you (not "you" you but you as in people) play the blame game if your saying it's the parents fault the kid did this. First of all, We don't know the whole story. How do we know the kids parents didn't do the right thing? Show me in the article where it says, "The childs parents never told the kid he could drown in sand". Show me that part.

Taking responsibility for your actions is a good thing. I never said it was the medias fault, find that one again and refresh my memory. But if he thought the action wouldn't result in his death, how can he take responsibility for that?

Listen people, it's a sad fuckin' story. End of sentence. Find a scapegoat, that's what we do as Americans now. I'll say it again, sometimes bad things happen and no blame need be placed. Well, that's how I see it anyway.

Right, gotcha, general you. No problem. I don't always -- well, rarely would probably be a good way to put it -- agree with you (that one's specific to you, Bengal).

I'm saying that parents shouldn't be upset that their kid is hurting. What I am saying is that he wouldn't be hurting if he had exercised some common sense. I'm not looking for a scapegoat at all; a scapegoat is someone who gets blamed but isn't guilty. (1.a person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place. From dictionary.com ).

If I'm wrong about your subtextual implications, then I apologize, Bengal. What I was getting from your posts is that it's not the kid's fault.