Barbarians Inside The Gates

Children and barbarians have clear ideas of justice due to them, but no idea at all of justice due from them.

-Murray Leinster, Med Ship

How long until our society ceases to function, brought down like the Roman Empire by barbarians within? These little monsters even have some of the the same names: Diarmaid and Brianna, Liam and Caitlin.

I ask this question after working three Summer Reading Program events in the past week: When did people stop beating their children... and why?

Oh, the beatings I took when I was a kid - belts, hairbrushs, shoes, the switch - and I was a good kid! Now I don't quote the Bible very often, but this is some good stuff:

The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

- Proverbs 29:15

Man, they don't call them proverbs for nothing:

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction will drive it far from him.

- Proverbs 22:15

That last one really cuts to the heart of the problem with these kids. Their parents think that they can be reasoned with - that if you ask Cody nicely to stop screaming he will listen. Kids respond to one thing - fear. And a few beatings are just the thing to put the fear in him.

Be sure to tune in for my upcoming posts "Things Cost More Than They Used To" and "You Call That Music?"

Marc