Our society has nurtured the most rash and reckless of youths. Teens bend and break the rules, yet there is no harsh punishment. If we keep concealing the incidents, we will only be making a society that is in poorer health than it currently stands.
How can we let a child be taken to court for playing a harmless game of kissing tag, yet let a teenager get away with underage drinking and illegal drug use? By letting the youths exploit parents, teachers and acquaintances, we are getting away with a worse crime then they are. We are letting them make mistakes that will cost them, and others, a lifetime of anguish.
We cannot let the leaders of tomorrow ruin today. We need to implement the rules and penalties that our grandparents had. We are making young adults believe there is no harm in threats and no pain in violence. If we let this activity continue, our society will crash and burn. But if we make punishment harder to evade, we will be giving tomorrow's future a fighting chance.
Amanda Edwards
West Jordan