Saturday, August 4, 2012

Reality, The Best Medicine

I have wasted the entire day watching a Campus PD marathon. It's like COPS, but for college kids. Oh, how I love to watch these youngsters get their just desserts. See them learn what life is like in the real world, without their mommies and daddies shielding them from their own stupidity.

Like when a kid is about to get a citation for underage drinking, which carries a fine of $150, and some fool off camera screams at him not to sign the paperwork. "I'm pre-law! You can't be arrested if you don't sign!" So he wavers. Asks the officer to explain what happens if he doesn't sign. And is told that he will have to go to the police station, where he will be issued a new date to appear with the citation he will still receive. So he starts to sign it again. And the pre-law genius screams not to sign. So he asks for the explanation once more. I guess drunk minors are a bit lacking in the short-term memory department. The officer was more patient than I would have been. On the third refusal to sign, and request for an explanation, he handcuffed Count Drunkula Jr. and put him in the car for a trip downtown.

Or the girl who hosted a house party full of underage drinkers, then berated the cop when issued a peace disturbance citation (not her first). She declared that two streets over, people were robbing and raping and drugging. That the cop should spend his time chasing THEM instead of bothering her loud underage drinkers. The cop replied that he agreed with her. But he couldn't. Because he had to answer the complaint about her party. He had to break it up so the underage drinkers did not become victims of crime as they staggered home. The gal went on to say that the cop knew she and her people were better than the robbers, rapers, and druggers. A higher class. And they didn't bother anybody. So he should just go arrest those lower class people. Hee hee! And the cop said, wow, that was the most discriminatory thing he had ever heard. And the gal agreed! "I know! I am suffering from that discrimination all the time!"

And the sister whose house was hosting a loud party, who refused to come out and talk to the officer, told her brother to call Dad, and screamed that the cop could not touch her when he took her by the arm and steered her to the sidewalk. Brother wouldn't keep his trap shut, hollered that Dad was a federal agent, and kept creeping up to berate the cop, telling him that he was nothing, he was down low and Dad was up high, and he would be sorry. Of course he ended up in handcuffs for obstructing. And when Dad drove up, he did not even get out of the car, no doubt embarrassed by his mouthy offspring.

It is so refreshing to see them realize that the time for coddling has ended. That they can't get out of a jam by apologizing and promising never to do it again. That the rules are enforced. And consequences stick.

4 comments:

Sioux Roslawski said...

It's nice that you overdosed on watching college kids face a harsh reality, because when you go back to work, you'll be sailing down the river Denial if you think those kids of yours won't think and act like they are the exception.

Because they ARE, you know. The rules apply to everyone but them...

Kathy's Klothesline said...

Oh, to be young and know everything! Reminds me of the time my youngest was pulled over for speeding ..... in a work zone. Her mouth earned her a ticket and earned the entire family a rate increase on auto insurance. One should never reply "whatever, I am in a hurry" to the officer. Just like her big sister told her ..... you cry and act dumb!!!

knancy said...

A lot of this stems back to parents not enforcing their rules. Don't just threaten, act on what you, as a parent, have proclaimed. I have heard parents threaten but never take action. That does no good whatsoever. First time - you didn't know; second time - a mistake; third time - your ass is mine! Luckily, my son knew the death ray look from my eyes when we were out and about. Plus, I always had gobs of reading books and coloring books, etc. so he had something to do if we were caught in a waiting situation. Now I see parents just feeding their kids to keep them occupied. Shameful. Last time I attended college, I was much older thsn the general population. They whined more in college than some of the high schoolers I remember that we called remedial! Uh oh! Gotta go and start weaving handbaskets again!

Hillbilly Mom said...

Sioux,
Oh, a select few will try to get my goat (if only that was literal, I would gladly give one away each day until my goat supply was depleted) on a regular basis. HOWEVER...those are the juniors, and I am blessed with every freshman in the entire building. So, the odds are in my favor until around April, when they all go crazy.

I have no doubt that many of our graduates will cop this attitude in college. But we are fortunate to have a mostly-malleable student body. The substitutes list us as their first choice of schools in the area, and share battle stories with us at lunch.

**************
Kathy,
If only she could have been on TV! I feel your monetary pain, but I would have enjoyed seeing her receiver her comeuppance.

***************
knancy,
It only took two times of abandoning my Devil's Playground cart in the middle of the aisle, and walking out to the van for a spanking to teach my problem child that I meant business. Yes. I spanked my kids. Is that even allowed these days?

Imagine the horror if I had not. The battle would rage over much more than sandwiches and laundry and curfew.