Total Parental Fail

They were bored?

Let's see, was there a library accessible? Was there a track or a park they could have gone to and, I don't know, learned how to run long distance, work out? Learn some Kung Fu (which is good for developing discipline and impulse control)?

How about reading? Anyone thought that reading would be a good way to pass time?

Like music? Anybody thought of making some music? Spoken word?

I can think of all kinds of shit to do other than find a gun and pick someone minding their own business to shoot in the back

And really...really....what kind of fucked up parenting has been done by the parents of these kids where upon hearing the suggestion of "hey lets find someone to shoot!" The immediateresponse is "You're fucked in the head. I'm out of here?"

No, seriously.

I was a 15 year old. I was a latch key kid. I was raised by a single parent. No way no how I was going to be hanging around with ANYONE that seriously contemplated shooting someone. Why? Because it was made clear to me from before I could remember that "thou shalt not kill." (which is actually an admonishment against murder and not to all killing, but that's beyond the scope of this post). While I no longer ascribe to the specific religion that I got that message from, the one I do subscribe to is also quite clear on that.

15, 16 and 17 year old's know that killing is wrong. They're old enough for that. The acceptance of such a plot is a failure of imparting morals and the value of life by the parents and by extension the community in which they lived.

Here's a clue for parents with kids sitting on their asses at home during vacations and breaks:

Book reports. If you have no plans for your child to be supervised during the summer while you are at work (a bad idea), then you should have weekly book reading and reporting assignments for them. No kid who has work to do is going to be bored enough to consider the fun of killing a random person on the street. Side benefit is the educational value of reading and writing. I have a nice list of books that will keep your child well occupied.

Math problems: Your child should be given hard ass math problems to do which are required to be done by day's end. Not so much that the entire day would be taken up by it, but enough so that there is not enough time to contemplate whether shooting a man in the back is a good idea. Side benefit: better math grades next semester.

Home chores: These little rug rats have nothing to do? Time to learn how to earn their keep. They should be cooking dinner for when YOU the parent comes home. There is no sitting on your ass all day while I work then come home and cook for some able bodied teenager. No. warming up previously prepared food should be their job along with vacuuming/sweeping and perhaps laundry. Earn their keep. If you have a vehicle, it's their job to clean and hoover it every weekend.

Bored 15 year old thinking driving up on a man and shooting him in the back....total parental fail.