Dangerous Boys

Living the Grand Life ^ | June 19, 2007 | Gene Kinsey

[fgoodwin]

Dangerous Boys

http://livingthegrandlife.blogspot.com/2007/06/dangerous-boys.html
http://tinyurl.com/yrbdac

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

You have read the stories in the news. (car fires & more)

Police are seeking information about a spate of vehicle fires north and west of Lincoln Park early Sunday morning.

Eleven vehicles and a Dumpster were set ablaze between 4 and 6:10 a.m

I’ll make a prediction. When they catch the culprits it will turn out to be an informal gang of unsupervised boys looking for trouble. Even if I’m wrong in this instance, we’ve seen this kind of thing before. Windows broken or mailboxes randomly destroyed for “the fun of it.”

There are no quick fixes. Building a rec center won’t keep this from happening.

At the same time I was reading about the fires, I received a notice from Amazon that they were shipping a book I had ordered. The book is titled, The Dangerous Book for Boys.

The book has had a bit of play on different websites. It promises politically incorrect humor and adventure. It even includes a section on "How to hunt and cook a rabbit".

I plan to read it and pass it on to my nephew and his three sons. I also plan on passing on my treasured 1959 copy of the Boy Scout Handbook. It teaches boys how to use a knife and build a fire. It even has advertisements for rifles and shotguns.

If you are still with me you are probably wondering how these topics fit together.

Boys, like puppies, are driven to explore their world. It is easy for them to get into trouble. When I worked for the Division of Youth Corrections, I dealt with a lot of boys in trouble. Some had started fires, boys like fire. No one had ever taught then to build a fire safely. Boys are fascinated with guns, but no one had taught them firearm safety. The first time some of them had fired a gun was at another person. Never having instruction or experience they had no idea what would happen. Schools have zero tolerance for knifes and a Swiss army knife will earn the boot. Yet, I've carried a knife since I was eight. My grandfather gave me a pocket knife (and instruction). He said, "A man should always have knife". I still think so.

I think our experiment in changing the nature of boys hasn’t worked too well. Boys need a little danger. They need to learn to build a fire even if they sustain a little burn. They need to learn how to use a knife and an ax, even if they cut themselves.

And they need to learn it in a context of responsibility. The Boy Scout Handbook isn’t just about dangerous things. It is also full of honor and duty to God and Country, to self and others. Reading parts of the book again I am surprised at how little schools and society talk about such things now.

We have tried zero tolerance and wishful thinking. It may be politically incorrect, but I think every boy should own a knife, know how to shoot a gun, build a fire and learn the concepts of duty and honor.

Posted by Gene Kinsey at 6:03 AM

[Hegemony Cricket]

“A man should always have knife”

Amen to that. A knife is a tool. Boys (and girls, too) should be taught to use knives and many other tools in the proper way.

[Paisan]

I also plan on passing on my treasured 1959 copy of the Boy Scout Handbook

Mine is from 1961. Still in mint condition, but well read. Probably the most valuable “how-to” manual any kid could want.