Posted on 07/06/2009 8:26:32 PM PDT by greatdefender
On sunny afternoons, having collected the kids from school, I am sometimes coerced into making a minor detour through a nondescript North London park. The equipment is meagre and battered; there are so many stone steps and steep drops that the place resembles a game of Tomb Raider and, as nothing overlooks the playground, it is both a doggy convenience and a youth hangout.
Today, there are eight or more teenagers, mostly in hoodies, being noisy on the swings. Two women from a local action group are bravely asking the youths how the park could be improved. Then, politely, I ask one of these interviewees to move so that my five-year-old daughter can use a swing. He ignores me, so I walk up and ask again. He stands there for a moment, staring into my eyes with tedious insolence, before slowly moving back a step.
Most of the gang leave but this youth and his mate linger. The interviewers, oblivious to the rising tension, ask what improvements I would like to see as a father. Ignoring the leering elephant in the room (the park would be improved immensely if the yobs would go elsewhere), and louder than necessary (to show how down with the “yoot” I am), I express a wish that there were more facilities for older kids, so they didn’t have to hang around the playground.
As usual, my two-year-old son heads unerringly towards a steep drop and I charge after him. Suddenly, my daughter starts crying loudly. She points at the two youths, dangling inanely on the swings: “Those boys said something horrible to me!” I look at the two hoodies.
(Excerpt) Read more at women.timesonline.co.uk ...
...Blair also dismisses my crisis of masculinity as nonsense. As she points out, women are just as capable of reacting when their children are threatened. Yet deep down, some immature part of me is glad that I did something to show those youths they can’t push me around.Having said all that, I haven’t returned to the park since.
A generation of men raised by women...
When “everyone” turns the other cheek in fear, there are no public spaces left that do not then belong to the thugs.
That “man’s” ‘crisis of masculinity’ was a joke. The thugs at my local park better be eyeing me for the telltale bulge that portends 230 grains of jacketed hollowpoint death headed their way if the try me with baleful stares and their punk weapons.
Should have taken an air horn with him to the park, and played them a concert. That would clear out the hoodies. Non-violent, doncha know.
“An armed society is a polite society”
RA Heinlein
and vice versa
Most popular first name for newborns in Britain - Neville. Most popular middle name - Chamberlain. Alternate middle name choice - sweetums.
Agree totally, but remember, this is England we’re talking about...jolly ole England
Guarantee that this is one of those immaculate-conception boys who grew up without a father in the house.
For boys raised without a father, even the simplest social interaction is a challenge to manhood. When you bump into one of them on the street, they are literally ready to kill you.
Sometimes American solutions are the best. I have found this to be true, anyrate.
For the problem of youth hooliganism and crime in general, the Antidote is the Guardian Angels.
One Patrol occurring at that park regularly would have that “Yoot” problem solved.
>> “By walking away you would have been protecting them and also providing a role model for the future.
Too right you would have been providing them a role model. A bad one. How to be a War Wimp.
>> “In this sort of situation you need to breathe in, hold it, then let the air out of your mouth. Ask yourself: is my child in immediate danger? If the answer is no, walk away. If they are in danger, you will do the right thing every time to protect your DNA, to preserve your own genetic material.”
Not without training you won’t. Just as likely you will Adrenaline Dump and place yourself in mortal danger.
I think his actions spoke much louder to his daughter than his son. His son wasn’t even aware of any situation.
He showed his little girl that she is worth a great deal. She will remember this when she herself is confronted by bullies (or rapists) and she will be empowered to defend herself.
In my day, a good hiding would have been been administered and would have been enough.
Can’t do that anymore, of course.
It’s not about self defence is illegal. Self defence is legal in Britain. The problem is that there’s no longer anything you can do short of a clear self defence situation and most of the time, these kids - informed as they are of their ‘rights’ contantly - don’t push things far enough.
When I was a kid, if you gave an adult serious aggravation then even if they didn’t think they were under any threat at all, they felt able to deal with that. A clip around the ear was the standard response, just to begin with. Now they know if they try that, the likely result is an assault charge directed against them with the possibility of lifelong consequences.
Parents reading this should think about this - how would you react if your child came home and told you that some complete stranger had hit them at the local park? My generation - how parents would have assumed (and been right 95% of the time) that we’d done something wrong and that we deserved what we got. Today’s parents, generally assume their child is blameless - or even if they accept the possibility that that might not be the case are still likely to believe their child shouldn’t have been treated that way.
It’s a huge change in attitude and it is affecting kids. Even if they are lucky enough to still have decent parents who do believe in dealing with their behaviour where appropriate, unless the parents are actually there, it doesn’t make a lot of difference.
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