From: Steve Grammont (islander@midmaine.com)
Date: Fri Sep 19 2003 - 12:45:03 PDT
>>Where's the problem - the kids or the locks.
>
>To me it's the locks. Kids will be kids. What's funny is that these
>kids often times know more about these systems than the law
>enforcement types do.
I don't agree. This is the logic that the gun control and anti-MV lobby
(hey! on topic again <g>) use. It's the gun's fault that little Billy
blew away his schoolmates. It's the MV's fault that some domestic
terrorists like them (but to my knowledge not use them in crimes, but
that is besides the point!). Faulty logic doesn't solve problems... it
creates more of them.
No, the problem is absolutely, without any question, the kids and their
parents. Kids need to be taught right from wrong and understand the
consequences of their actions BEFORE they screw up. Yeah, I got in my
fair share of screwups as a kid, but I was very concious about harm to
others and to their property even when I was a very young tot. I'm not
saying I never screwed up and damaged something or caused someone grief
by accident, but my actions were such that such damage and grief was
limited to one or two people and a handful of dollars. Not millions and
billions.
A kid could pick that lock and break into a Dairy Queen, but could he
pick the locks of the Pentagon and screw up that place? Could a kid send
out enough stamped envelopes in one afternoon to crush the ability for
the mail services around the world to deliver mail? The lock analogy
doesn't work because there are better locks available and a kid can only
pick so many locks before he gets caught.
The problem is that computer hacking, viruses, and other acts can cause
hundreds of millions of dollars in damages with a few intelligent
keystrokes. Their ability to cause harm is out of all proportion to
anything in history. And at the same time (on the whole) the parents
governing them are the least involved, least competent, and least
informed mentors I think this society has ever had the displeasure of
seeing raise its youth.
The problem starts at home. Always has, always will.
Steve
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