tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12218227.post113569884766760325..comments2024-02-12T05:46:36.595-05:00Comments on talk talk talk: Yonge-Dundas Shootings: Back to the 1970stalk talk talk / Shireenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10453931641034885060noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12218227.post-1135733716491333322005-12-27T20:35:00.000-05:002005-12-27T20:35:00.000-05:00This is an old argument -- about licensing parents...This is an old argument -- about licensing parents -- around for at least the decades I've been here. That's never going to happen; at least we have parenting classes today and perhaps they should become mandatory for all high school students. And as for parents only birthing as long as they can afford them, that's an old chestnut too, albeit with a twist today. Whereas people in the past used to just make do without, today we're inundated with the material things we "need" and people have a much harder time getting the idea that making do without can be a good thing. In Canada, yes, it's true one income is worth much less than a generation ago (we are in fact going backwards in that regard) but the material things we want (as opposed to truly need) aren't all that necessary for a good life. My parents went into shock when they had me cause they couldn't afford me, but I ain't no thug and even at our poorest I never felt deprived.<BR/><BR/>I agree the government has no business bringing up our children, which is why I prefer Harper's "child care" policy (see post of December 7th), but your analysis is far too simplistic. The shootings yesterday did not happen strictly because the thugs' parents both work, and they grew up in daycare. I bet you dollars to doughnuts, most of them are fatherless for one thing. Other factors contribute too: lack of employment, lack of good mentors in the community, the way children are raised in the Caribbean by relatives (or is it only Jamaica?) and then suddenly shipped off to a cold climate to live with a parent they barely know who works most of the time. Then there's the whole policing issue, which has gotten ridiculous, and it's time both the Police Chief and Police Board put a stop to it and get the officers back living in the city for one thing. They can afford it on their salaries. And then there's the politicians who've changed the conditions of living in the city, from the economics of their policies to transit underfunding to the zero tolerance of the education system, which even the best of us are getting fed up with, and the worst off are hit the hardest.<BR/><BR/>This is a multi-faceted problem, requiring thoughtful analysis, not glib speeches and simplistic answers.talk talk talk / Shireenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10453931641034885060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12218227.post-1135714720958374322005-12-27T15:18:00.000-05:002005-12-27T15:18:00.000-05:00I would vehemently disagree with your take on this...I would vehemently disagree with your take on this 'problem'. The problem is with today's parents. Young people want all the advantages of having children, but they don't want any of the work involved in raising them. Each of the 'parents' wants to have their own careers and leave the kids in the hands of government employed daycare workers. What we need are more 'responsible' parents where one of them will stay at home and raise the child properly. Our government has no business or experience in raising children. And to those who complain that modern wages won't allow enough to bring up children, I have one thing to say to them: DON'T HAVE CHILDREN THEN, IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD THEM.<BR/><BR/>And on the same token, our society regulates and licenses almost everything you can think of, except the one most import function: parenthood. Any two kids can go out and make babies without the faintest idea of what they are doing or the consequences. Let’s start getting our priorities straight.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com