I've been thinking about the Florida homeless beatings...

[Archae]

One news network actually caught up with one of the spoiled brats accused, (and he acted the part too,) all he wanted was to call his friend on the reporter's cell phone.

:wtf:

What is it that produces slime like this?

[randr]

1. The systemic disregard for humanity expressed from the chief

executives in the white house to the lowest minions at faux news.

[Child_Of_Isis]

6. I really believe this.

As above, so below.

[William769]

2. Spoil the brat & spare the rod

That pretty much sums it up.

[Triana]

3. What is it that produces slime like this?

People who should never breed. They crap out babies like taking a dump in the loo, then just unleash them - uncontrolled except by TV and TiVo, upon the world.

Honestly, I think people should have to prove they're financially stable, and mentally and emotionally stable, and they should have to undergo evaluation of same and take training in sociology and family planning and management, and then subsequent tests and get licensed before they can have kids. Like get a 'driver's license' for parenthood - only much more stringent. That would prevent "things" like this.

[iamahaingttta]

9. Triana, if you want to live like that...

You should move to China. Seriously!

That is exactly the kind of attitude we need to combat here.
State control of who can and cannot have children.
That is EXACTLY what the coming theocracy wants!

No... I think a better solution is education.

[Triana]

13. Education of the parents would help (n/t)

[sui generis]

4. 1. bad parenting

own it.

That and developmental psychology and physiology of the post-pubescent brain means that for some periods your teenagers swing in extremes from being unable to empathize to being unable not to empathize while their brains figures out how best to self-titer to fit what they perceive of reality. Hooyababa crazy some days, pretty rational the next.

It's also why the army likes to hire them young and dumb.

[Archae]

7. That's just it, is it bad parents?

I knew a couple growing up, they were decent people, they had a decent kid too. (The younger one.)

The older boy though grew up to be a thug.
To put it mildly.

[sui generis]

10. no - I said it was a couple of things

but primarily and in most cases, bad parenting.

I'm sure there are exceptions, but as a general rule the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, either way.

[orion9941]

12. I agree!

We have failed as a society and we have failed as parents. As a society we no longer teach the importance of empathy. Such a small idea as teaching empathy can reward with a huge impact.

[Vinnie From Indy]

5. Mom & Dad must be real works of art

These kids didn't get this way without help. I hope the victims can at least score some money from the juvenile perps parents in civil court.

[insane_cratic_gal]

8. Didn't these beatings happen right after that article was

released?

About the top 20 meanest cities to homeless people.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10823343/

Sarasota, Fla. was number 1

Perhaps intolerance for the homeless or the poor is a bigger prejudice Maybe it's just an older one, that is tolerated and encouraged over race, sex, and preference.

It's very sad no matter what caused it. I wonder what this kids parent's have to say about it?

[Zambero]

11. Unbridled hate crimes courtesy of fundamentalists and bigots

One doesn't need to go back to days of lynch mobs in order to cite recent incidents reflective of a "license to kill" mentality, in regard to those individuals that are perceived by the extreme right to be outside the "mainstream" of society.

Matthew Shepard's beating death at the hands of Wyoming homophobes. Rev. Phelps thought the guy had it coming.

The dragging death inflicted on James Byrd Jr. in Texas. The crime: being a black man.

Abortion clinic and Atlanta Olympic events ("multi-culturalism run rampant") bombings by religious fanatic Eric Rudolph.

And just about anything that comes out of Pat Robertson's mouth these days explaining why so-and-so was smote by a displeased vengeful God (or will soon be smitten). Scientists and political leaders such as Sharon who have the nerve to pursue peaceful solutions are now fair game for the next raving lunatic empowered by Robertson's absurd rantings.

[ComerPerro]

14. Years of society's dehumanizing the homeless

[porphyrian]

15. These are the spawn of Florida republicans.

Basically, that's the attitude - me first, do unto others before they do unto you, some people are better than others and are entitled to better things and that's me, anyone who doesn't support my ascension is a threat, anyone who is poor and/or homeless either chooses or deserves to be. They're cliquish, often racist, definitely classist, and all believe that they are the exception to the rules. If they aren't rich, they aspire to be, and tend to exhibit what they perceive as rich behaviors even more voraciously that those who are rich in order to prove something. Despite the diversity of Florida, they live in exclusive communities, often go to private schools, and probably have very little positive interaction with those outside of their class and race. Etc.

This phenomenon can also be measured by the popularity of the Bum Fights videos, where a group of young men go around filming fights of either similarly-aged boys or of wasted homeless guys they convince to fight on film. In another segment, a kid acts like the Crocodile Hunter guy and wrestles with homeless people trying to sleep in vacant lots and such.

While I think the videos themselves are harmless, the fact that the attitude towards the homeless expressed in them is so widely accepted and shared by young people in America is what worries me.

[thefloyd]

16. Very disgusting

I would love to take these two specimens and let them talk with my 89 year old grandmother.
She would make them feel like pitiful little pansies and then punch em!!!

[johnfunk]

17. Products of a Republican household, no doubt

The culture of GOP permissiveness

[f-bush]

18. Let's take a look at where are priorities are

We can spend billions and billions to destroy people a half a world away, but just a pittance to house the poor and marginalized. In Christian parlance: one of these days Jesus is going to come back and drive the money changers from the temple" and it won't be a moment too soon.