8 Reasons Young Americans Don't Fight Back: How the US Crushed Youth Resistance

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

My son is 23...

Bought a house when he was 21 - nothing huge but under 10 years old, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage - typical starter home. I was intitially against this but when the price drops from the original sales price (165,000) to 85,000.. what can you say?

The Government gave him 8,000 for buying the house (it was so nice to be a new home owner a couple of years back) which he stuck in the bank and has not touched since.. Saving it waiting for the current car he is driving (my old car) to grind to a halt... He doesn't take care of it, I don't think he has ever even put oil in it.

He works part time in a Lawyers office (full time in the summer) and takes way to few classes at the University each semester.

His girlfriend moved in, she is also 23, works at a local call center and also takes way to few classes at the university.

His house is what you think a house owned by a 20-something male would look like: grass is half dead, sparse furniture, a huge screen television, and computers hooked up to a minimum of three monitors. On weekends the house is filled with young 20-somethings each with their own computer and Ethernet cable strewn about the place. They do these dance-dance revolution parties with the big metal stomp machines and uuf! the place smells. He charges each of them five bucks to offset what must be unfun power bills.

So.. he has a house, a girl, no debt.. not much leftover money and slowly making his way through school. I wish he would hurry it up a bit but he does what he wants. He doesn't "fight back" because he is happy and would not what who he is supposed to be fighting.. When we talk he generally only rails against what he considers stupid game programmers, or what stupid thing Sony did this week... He is utterly convinced that when he does decide to go out there and make a million dollars that he will succeed but he is in no hurry - he has a couple of websites that make about 100 a month (and man he brags about them a lot. I hope he does make a million when that big idea hits - if not then maybe that is when he will start getting upset at the world.

Reading articles like this - I am not looking forward to the next year leading up to the election.. Both sides will looking to create as much fear and gloom/doom as possible.. I wonder how many thousands of people have been hired or volunteered to do nothing more than create accounts on random forums and post political garbage from random left/right weblogs?

Sorry for the double post....

Edited August 17, 2011 by OnMyWayID

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

There's also the fact that most kids now days haven't been given a reason to dislike/hate authority.

They are coddled by their parents, kept indoors because of the 'fear' that the media has instilled that the child will be raped/abducted. The parents are also acting a lot more like 'friends' than parents in this day. It's easier to shut your child up with a happy meal than it is to say 'no' to them when necessary.

We spend so much time on anti-bullying campaigns, not allowing kids to play tag, hide and seek, rough sports with each other, etc. that we've turned the younger generations into a bunch of wusses. A bunch of pansies who if you sneeze on they'll cry about it to their mommy who then marches up to the school and yells at the staff because someone said something 'mean' to her child.

There is plenty wrong with the psychology of today's youth.

and yes, it makes things DAMN EASY for authoritarians to take control of things, be them on the right or the left. People don't pay attention to things though until it's way too late. It's easier for people to blow someone off with the whole "well, if you have nothing to hide, then all is ok" argument versus actually looking at how authoritarian/totalitarian societies become a reality.

Paul, do you have kids? Are they like this? If so, who's fault is that?

Coddled? There are guns in every room of this house and the kids are not afraid to go outside, even walk home from work at 1am, it is the safest place in the country for kids because good people have guns. They are far more likely to be struck nby lightening and if where I lived was not safe for my children I would move.

Anti-bullying? The best anti-bully tactic is an immediate, unconditional punch in the nose without warning. Works every time. Your kids do not have to be the toughest kid in school, only tougher than another victim. Such action should be only in defense and they should understand they will probably be punished for it, but at least then it is over. A swift punch in the nose followed by a brief detention is lots better than weeks and months of terror.

We believe in this house that parents are much better than friends. we have no trouble saying no and assigning plenty to do and demanding their best in what they have to do. We also will be there for them when they need us. There seems to be no problem with this concept.

If you allow someone else's morals and ideas to guide your kids, you will get what someone else thinks is best. Grab the knobs and twist. Control it yourself, you do not need anyone's permission or approval.

The problem is that so many parents have abdicated their responsibilities to government/schools and now they gripe about the result. I mean, how else could you arrive at the ridiculous concept that schools "need" to feed children? #######!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????

[The_Dude 1,142]

Paul, do you have kids? Are they like this? If so, who's fault is that?

Coddled? There are guns in every room of this house and the kids are not afraid to go outside, even walk home from work at 1am, it is the safest place in the country for kids because good people have guns. They are far more likely to be struck nby lightening and if where I lived was not safe for my children I would move.

Right Gary, it's the guns that keep crime rates down in Vermont. Nevermind the fact that there is not a single metro area in Vermont or even a population density that would place in the top 100 in a more populous state. Now I'll expect you to blather on about Vermont being more safe than Quebec, and not comprehend how or why you can't compare the two seriously.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

"Skyler, I know this bully is pushing you around, but let's explore non-confrontational verbal resolutions." My dad and grandad would've kicked my butt for even considering a phrase like that but now it seems to be the norm.

The wussification of America. They're not playing that BS in China right now.

My instructions were simple. If someone bullies you, once, punch them directly in the nose immediately as hard as you can. Only 1 of my sons had to do it, he was held after school that day but the bully never bothered him again. He was jacking up kids for their lunch money. My kid brought his own lunch from home (imagine you can actually do that) and was told that he better bring some lunch money tomorrow. The next day he straightaway punched the little would-be hoodlum in the nose. "You got the mon.." WHAM! The bully started crying and my kid was nabbed and taken to the principals office. I got a call and said "Good for him, punish him as you will" The little sh*t stopped bothering other kids too. That punch in the nose was probably the best thing for both of them.

I also strongly recommend some form of martial arts instruction starting at a young age. These people rarely have to use their skills to defend themselves.

Right Gary, it's the guns that keep crime rates down in Vermont. Nevermind the fact that there is not a single metro area in Vermont or even a population density that would place in the top 100 in a more populous state. Now I'll expect you to blather on about Vermont being more safe than Quebec, and not comprehend how or why you can't compare the two seriously.

My kids walk home safely from work at 1am.

[The_Dude 1,142]

My kids walk home safely from work at 1am.

Thats great for you, your family, and your community. What is sad is that you don't grasp why. Or, you are simply deluding yourself into thinking that your cache of guns is what keeps Vermont crime free.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

My instructions were simple. If someone bullies you, once, punch them directly in the nose immediately as hard as you can. Only 1 of my sons had to do it, he was held after school that day but the bully never bothered him again. He was jacking up kids for their lunch money. My kid brought his own lunch from home (imagine you can actually do that) and was told that he better bring some lunch money tomorrow. The next day he straightaway punched the little would-be hoodlum in the nose. "You got the mon.." WHAM! The bully started crying and my kid was nabbed and taken to the principals office. I got a call and said "Good for him, punish him as you will" The little sh*t stopped bothering other kids too. That punch in the nose was probably the best thing for both of them.

I also strongly recommend some form of martial arts instruction starting at a young age. These people rarely have to use their skills to defend themselves.

My kids walk home safely from work at 1am.

I did this, though I was suspended twice. (although I always had the lesser time)

Parents let me have fun on those days off.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

My kids walk home safely from work at 1am.

I can walk around this city safely at 1am too.

Fear of guns has nothing to do with it.

[slim 1,533]

When I walk around at 1:00 AM I carry my gun.

[The_Dude 1,142]

When I walk around at 1:00 AM I carry my gun.

Do the appropriate officials know about this? Is this a violation?

[slim 1,533]

Do the appropriate officials know about this? Is this a violation?

I have a concealed handgun license. Didn't you know that?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Do the appropriate officials know about this? Is this a violation?

what business is it of the 'appropriate officials' if he's carrying around a gun or not?

[The_Dude 1,142]

I have a concealed handgun license. Didn't you know that?

So the state of Ohio allows people who have previously been convicted of a criminal weapon charge to get a concealed weapon permit? Wow, and I thought Tejas had some fvcked up gun laws.

what business is it of the 'appropriate officials' if he's carrying around a gun or not?

I am always worried about ex-convicted criminals staying within the parameters of their release agreement, also known as parole.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

So the state of Ohio allows people who have previously been convicted of a criminal weapon charge to get a concealed weapon permit? Wow, and I thought Tejas had some fvcked up gun laws.

I am always worried about ex-convicted criminals staying within the parameters of their release agreement, also known as parole.

the last time i checked constitutional rights could not be suspended. Otherwise they would not be rights.

If you are incarcerated it's one thing, but then there's no reason why you should not be afforded your rights once you have paid your debt to society.

[The_Dude 1,142]

the last time i checked constitutional rights could not be suspended. Otherwise they would not be rights.

If you are incarcerated it's one thing, but then there's no reason why you should not be afforded your rights once you have paid your debt to society.

Wrong Paul. Your 2nd amendment rights can and will be suspended if you are incarcerated. In some states, that suspension extends beyond incarceration until the deviant can show to be a normal member of society. The safety of the public at large outweighs your bloodlust for guns.

Edited August 17, 2011 by Master Baiter

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Wrong Paul. Your 2nd amendment rights can and will be suspended if you are incarcerated. In some states, that suspension extends beyond incarceration until the deviant can show to be a normal member of society. The safety of the public at large outweighs your bloodlust for guns.

Right. So now we're picking and choosing what 'rights' are available to people.

Edited August 17, 2011 by DJ Kyo