The Ovine File

By Mack & Tosh

Hey kids! Why don't you go out and play.  I'm sure your parents have a weapon laying around the house for you to use.  You know where it is.  Just take it out and do a little target practice.  Hey, it's their own damn fault for having one in the house in the first place.
"What about crime," you say.  Why not take away the incentives for crime.
Why do people feel the need to steal--to get something for nothing (no, there are no "chicks for free"). Is it to feed a variety of human needs: addiction, hunger, ego.
Addiction. Why are we addicted to whatever?  Does it allow us to become something that we're not?  Does it give us a sense of control that may not otherwise be present.  Is it because we've given up on life as a futile endeavor?  Is it because of uncertainty about who we really are?
Hunger: What are we really hungry for? Are we hungry for food?, power?, sex?, love? respect? hope? happiness?
Ego: Why about us needs to be stroked?  Why do we we feel inadequate? What reinforcement didn't we have that we are compensating for as adults? Who pissed us off so badly that vengeance is an option?  Why is our self-esteem so fragile?
Theft occurs in so many different forms than monetary.  Unfortunately it grabs all the media (baa!) attention.  When you claim to "hate" an individual are you not in fact robbing that person of their dignity? When you spread rumor or gossip are you not stealing a reputation?
When we lie to cover our ass, our we not stealing the truth?  Sure, compared to a VCR or your SUV, I guess these items have little value in the big picture.
I guess your right, the picture of the strung-out junkie walking off with a TV is a pretty valid representation of the different types of theft that happens in "the real world".
Kids, I guess that's why Daddy keeps the gun in the house, in case you try and steal some of his dignity.
Maybe that's why teen suicide is such a big problem.
I certainly do not mean to make light of a critical problem in our culture of success, but how often do we try to avoid these petty crimes that occur every day.  How often do we try to take a bite out of crime in our own lives.  Are we innocent of any of the above larceny?
If yes, please explain to me what it feels like when you're walking on water?
To eradicate crime requires a conscious effort to recognize the needs of our society (not merely financial) and try to determine what must be done to align these needs with the resources at our disposal.
Lip service and more prisons are not a solution.  If someone is sealing to put food on the table, we give them a jail term of free room and board.  There is no worry of  how to provide.
Explain to me where the role of deterrence is in this picture.
We are failing at home and in school.  Are we being honest and frank with our children about the realities of life?  Why are children forcing themselves into bed with each other?  What needs are not being met. Do we communicate with them about the realities of adulthood and our need to work?  Do we use our job as an excuse to avoid our family?

Wolves Have Descended Upon The Flock

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