Sunday Morning Blog

July 25, 2005

The Local Hangout

[mood | shocked]

The Boardwalk in Sandwich was always the place to hang out when I was a kid. We always went there to cool off on hot summer days by jumping off the bridge. Swimming, floating and jumping its many creeks could entertain us for days on end. As we grew older, the boardwalk remained a safe place to hang out, to take your girlfriend, or meet for a cold beer (not legally of course). Fortunately, aside from the occasional mud fight and the illegal drinking, the Boardwalk was a safe and serene place to visit.

I can't say I was surprised when people in the barber shop started talking about young kids flashing guns at the Boardwalk the other day. Kids seem to have taken the mentality of the Grand Theft Auto games and other violent entertainment and adopted it as part of their active lives. It is sad, however, that a place like Sandwich and the Boardwalk has to fall victim to this spreading epidemic of teenage crime and ignorance. The Town Beach at the opposite side of the Boardwalk was where I asked my love to marry me last week. It would be a shame if it gets to the point where we no longer have these safe places to venture.

Just so no one makes the mistake, I am complaining about the kids and their behavior – not about the guns. Guns are not to blame, the people who use them are. Just as earlier generations probably complained about my loud music and partying, I am complaining about the ignorance of much of this younger crowd. I am bemoaning their acceptance of violence as a way of life and their lack of any sort of ethics (in their work or lives). Television and video games are destroying our nation's youth, and we are not doing enough about it. It is all about fundamental family values and this starts at home. Unfortunately, that is not the answer in most of these cases... that is the problem. Most of these kids don't know “home” or values as we were taught growing up. Unfortunately, there are no simple answers. They are slipping away, and we will all be paying the price later.

Posted by capecodcyclist at July 25, 2005 06:50 AM