A Media Outlet Talking About Responsibility?

Surely it’s a sign of the end times. Or something. Austin Weekly News: Parents of kids who commit crimes. (And don’t be fooled. In this case Austin isn’t a city in Texas, it’s a neighborhood in Chicago.)

This relates to the recent case in Illinois where a bunch of kids from Chicago decided to travel north to Lake County to steal cars. During a confrontation with a homeowner, 2 teens “approached him,” one of them was armed with a knife, and he defended himself. One teen is dead, 5 are in jail, held on $1 million bond, each.

Jaquan’s mother has spoken to the media and she puts the blame for her son’s death solely on the 75-year-old homeowner. But where is her accountability for her young teen son being with his older teen cousins whom she knew had a propensity to steal cars?

The columnist, Arlene Jones, also covers the reactions of the other mothers to the idea that their children may go to prison for 20 years. No one, except Ms. Jones, seems to be talking about responsibility. And everyone is upset by the fact that in Lake County, Illinois – unlike Cook County – there are serious consequences for committing serious crimes.

In another column, she has a few words to say about the uproar over the use of felony murder charges by the Lake County State’s Attorney. It seems a lot of people are calling for the law to be changed. Ms. Jones thinks the law should be made a bit stronger, to include the irresponsible parents.

And I agree. That law should be amended to add in wayward parents and make them as culpable for the crime as their wayward minor children. When a parent admits she knows her nephews steal cars, and she doesn’t have a problem with sending her 14-year-old son off to be with them, that is a serious issue.

Must be sign of end times.