Comments for SpectreWriter http://www.spectrewriter.com Writing Services, SEO and more! Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:29:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on As An Adult by JT http://www.spectrewriter.com/?p=216&cpage=1#comment-7 JT Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:29:36 +0000 http://www.spectrewriter.com/?p=216#comment-7 At 14, you may have known Right from Wrong, but you still couldn't conceptualize death completely, nor comprehend the serious nature of your punishment (and that's often how children recognize how big a transgression something is. In a world where kids pay at killing things (which re-appear over and over again) it may not be quite so clean a distinction. To address your point/question, it seems obvious that each must be decided individually. The 18 year old Jeremiah Dowling, with a 70 IQ and some mental issues, who was new to town, driving the company truck for the first time, in an area of high commercial construction, was not acting or thinking as an adult when he lost control of the truck, run a lady over, and then fled the scene. Just 4 months into his 18th year on earth, I could readily argue that his 18 years were nowhere near so comprehensive as a normal kids might have been. All 18 year olds are not created equal.... and should not be treated, judged or sentenced equally. When we're talking about an 11 year old with some issues, it's clear to me that the father who gives the kid a shotgun and then lets him have access to it, he's the one who ought to be on trial for manslaughter, not the 11 year old kid. At 14, you may have known Right from Wrong, but you still couldn’t conceptualize death completely, nor comprehend the serious nature of your punishment (and that’s often how children recognize how big a transgression something is. In a world where kids pay at killing things (which re-appear over and over again) it may not be quite so clean a distinction.

To address your point/question, it seems obvious that each must be decided individually. The 18 year old Jeremiah Dowling, with a 70 IQ and some mental issues, who was new to town, driving the company truck for the first time, in an area of high commercial construction, was not acting or thinking as an adult when he lost control of the truck, run a lady over, and then fled the scene. Just 4 months into his 18th year on earth, I could readily argue that his 18 years were nowhere near so comprehensive as a normal kids might have been. All 18 year olds are not created equal…. and should not be treated, judged or sentenced equally.

When we’re talking about an 11 year old with some issues, it’s clear to me that the father who gives the kid a shotgun and then lets him have access to it, he’s the one who ought to be on trial for manslaughter, not the 11 year old kid.

]]> Comment on As An Adult by jdove http://www.spectrewriter.com/?p=216&cpage=1#comment-6 jdove Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:31:00 +0000 http://www.spectrewriter.com/?p=216#comment-6 While I don't necessarily disagree with what you are saying, I would propose the following question: "At what age, for the purposes of this argument, does a human being become an adult." I have always been a bit irritated at how we blanket our society with arbitrary rules. At age 18, you suddenly become 'responsible enough to vote.' At 21, you are 'capable' of understanding the consequences of drinking alcohol. At 25, you are statistically a 'safer' driver and now deserve less expensive auto insurance rates. So what is the magic number for being 'responsible' enough to wield a firearm? I am not suggesting that I know the answer to this question, but it is indeed an important one. Did the 11 year old really know what he was doing and was aware of the consequences and implications? What about the 14 year old? To some extent, I believe that each case must be analyzed on its own merit. I know when I was 14, I sure as hell would have known the difference. Still, an interesting question ... While I don’t necessarily disagree with what you are saying, I would propose the following question: “At what age, for the purposes of this argument, does a human being become an adult.” I have always been a bit irritated at how we blanket our society with arbitrary rules. At age 18, you suddenly become ‘responsible enough to vote.’ At 21, you are ‘capable’ of understanding the consequences of drinking alcohol. At 25, you are statistically a ‘safer’ driver and now deserve less expensive auto insurance rates. So what is the magic number for being ‘responsible’ enough to wield a firearm? I am not suggesting that I know the answer to this question, but it is indeed an important one. Did the 11 year old really know what he was doing and was aware of the consequences and implications? What about the 14 year old? To some extent, I believe that each case must be analyzed on its own merit. I know when I was 14, I sure as hell would have known the difference. Still, an interesting question …

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