In "defence" of the "Bad Guys".

[Grognard Gunny]

On the other hand, there ARE times when an aspirant Bad Guy IS the direct result of the "parenting" (or lack thereof) received throughout his youth.

How does that old saying go? "I have not yet met a "bad boy", but I have met many a bad parent." (Like all general rules, however, there are exceptions.)

GG

 

[localgirl]

Since I'm the resident almost-liberal, I guess I'll weigh in. I do tend to feel sympathy for all parties involved when I read such things. I wonder how that bad guy got to be a bad guy, and figure in most cases it was just a series of bad choices and bad circumstances. I feel a lot of sympathy for someone who is so desperate that they end up threatening or killing someone. But parenting has a lot to do with it, as well. I know my mother would have whooped my butt for major infractions of my childhood. That, and the fear of disappointing her kept me in line.

Then again, there are also some bad seeds out there. There are just some people who have no sense of empathy or social norms. Sociopaths are likely born that way, and no amount of parenting can set them straight.

We've all made mistakes. I'd wager that half of us on this forum are walking around free when we ought to have been charged or imprisoned for some infraction, however small.

But we all make choices in life, and when you do wrong you risk getting caught, and when you get caught you have to face the consequences.

 

[Grognard Gunny]

You called THAT right. My last "serious" counter social behavior was when I was 19. Wised up when a couple of my fellow trouble makers, without me for that little escapade, (WHEW!), got court martialed and did some hard time at Levenworth for attempting to steal military weapons. Had this sneaking suspicion that was NOT a road I wanted to "explore", been on the moral, ethical and straight and narrow "high road" ever since. (Just like my parents always wanted, and preached.)

Then, again, I always WAS a bit rebellious and reluctant to take anyone's advice on things. (Like MOST youngsters!) Gotta explore life on one's own terms.... even if it means learning some things the hard way.

Some folks need a 2 by 4 right between the running lights to get the picture! So much for "wild and crazy" youth. Adulthood becons. LOL! Toss in two tours in a combat zone and you have, generally, a most serious citizen resultant.

GG

 

[Nightmare45]

I have extreme sympathy for the parents of the 16 year old girl raped and killed by the illegal, and he is claiming he should not be given the death penalty as Mexico does not have the death penalty, he should have stayed in Mexico, if he wants to break two or more US laws he should be given the US version of justice. Hang him and send his body home to Mexico so his loving family can bury the SOB, end of my sympathy. Now if you want to give me the argument that the Mexicans were in Texas before the rest of us I agree, and the Inca and Myan were in Mexico before the Spanish, end of story.

 

[Ghost Rider]

I don`t feel the least bit sorry for the kid that got killed, if your going to go out and break into peoples homes the potential for being shot and killed is a real posibility, and for this kid that posibility came true. When something bad like this happens there is always going to be someone that will admonish us to remember that the deceased was someone`s son, and all i can say to that is wear in the hell were the parents when he was growing up ?. Maybe if he had a little more parental guidense he would have grown up to be a more responsible law abiding person.

 

[FN1910]

Since I'm the resident almost-liberal, I guess I'll weigh in. I do tend to feel sympathy for all parties involved when I read such things. I wonder how that bad guy got to be a bad guy, and figure in most cases it was just a series of bad choices and bad circumstances. I feel a lot of sympathy for someone who is so desperate that they end up threatening or killing someone. But parenting has a lot to do with it, as well. I know my mother would have whooped my butt for major infractions of my childhood. That, and the fear of disappointing her kept me in line.

Then again, there are also some bad seeds out there. There are just some people who have no sense of empathy or social norms. Sociopaths are likely born that way, and no amount of parenting can set them straight.

We've all made mistakes. I'd wager that half of us on this forum are walking around free when we ought to have been charged or imprisoned for some infraction, however small.

But we all make choices in life, and when you do wrong you risk getting caught, and when you get caught you have to face the consequences.

I read a great article not too long ago on the difference between sociopaths and psychopaths and can't keep straight which is which. But the realization is starting to appear that there are some people born without the ability to feel remorse or sorrow for anything they do. Some studies have shown that to be apparent in children as young as 3. To put it in another sense they have the same or less ability to feel emotions as Data in Star Trek TNG. Many times these people wind up being very successful in business or some other areas. For instance I cannot help but think that Benard Madoff is a prime example and Hillary Clinton one but a little different.

On the other hand some people lose their sense of ability to feel remorse due to some life event and just turn bad. Usually but not always these are the ones that will rob, kill or whatever. Many times it is handed down from parents or learned in the school yard. To me one that happened to escape the life of violent crime but could be classified into this group is Bill Clinton. I would be flad to discuss all of this privately but is too complicated for the forum.

Either category has to be held accountable for their actions no matter what the cause but I do wonder at times what led them to turn out the way they did. Wondering why is not the same as excusing them and feeling sympathy sometimes for what they went through that made them do it is not the same as having sympathy for them being punished for their actions. If ever you want a good example of this thought look up Susan Smith who killed her two young sons hoping that would help he with her boyfriend. She is serving time but she isn't the only one that should be in jail as several others were almost as guilty as her.