VANDALISM Can Be Eliminated

"TEENAGE vandalism has always been considered an expression of disrespect for and hostility toward adults and their standards,"  explain  authors Jane Norman and Myron W. Harris.  While many youths believe that nothing can be done to change the situation, "one out of 3 thinks that teenage vandalism could be curbed if parents paid more attention to their children, and if teenagers weren't so bored,"  The authors reported.  While keeping young people occupied and giving them better parental control may reduce vandalism, would that in itself get at the root causes?  (I don't think  so, when I was a teenager, I listened to music and drew and found other things to keep me busy around the house. My dad was strict, so I could go just anywhere anytime. ) The thing is today, if parents do show control, some teenagers take offense to that as well. I did  a little, but I had enough respect to know that my parents knew more than I did and did things for my own good.

When alone, many young people are not troublemakers, yet in a group or in pairs, they may try to get attention, doing foolish and nasty things.  That was the case with Nelson, who under the influence of drugs or  alcohol often expressed his anger and discontent by acts of vandalism.  ( note: Kids, who have better sense or are taught right,  know better and has the good sense to stay out of trouble, despite what their peers may do. They know right from wrong. There is no excuse! Not in my book or God's.)  Jose', stirred up by sermons in the Catholic Church about land reform and labor rights, felt that he should take part in strikes and organized vandalism as a means of protest.  However,  both Nelson and Jose' found something far better than riots or vandalism. 

Next time: Some Deeper Causes of Vandalism

The Watchtower, 1999