The YouTube Generation
[Guest post by DRJ]
Two Dallas area teens may face criminal charges for vandalism that came to light because they posted it on YouTube:
“They call it the “Christmas Massacre.” Two teenaged boys videotaped themselves as they drove around smashing Christmas displays with a baseball bat. They yanked holiday lights off trees and bushes and mooned shoppers at Southlake Town Square.
Last night, a sheriff in Massachusetts saw the video on YouTube and called Southlake Police, who were quickly able to identify the boys thanks to information they included in their video. The parents of the 16-year-old boy who posted the video say their son is usually a good boy, and they are devastated.
The Knowltons live in the same Keller neighborhood as the boys. They spent $1,000 and eight hours on their Christmas display. They say they can’t imagine someone taking aim at their family tradition. “I think they think that it’s all in fun, and someday they’ll look back and hopefully feel bad about it,” said homeowner Laura Knowlton.
Police don’t know when the video was recorded, but residents say they heard several reports of a crime like this a couple of years ago.
Southlake police confirm that they have launched a criminal investigation into a video. They are still trying to figure out who all of the victims are, but they do know part of the video was recoded at Southlake Town Square. Officers say if they can prove the damage totals more than $1,500, the boys could face criminal mischief charges.”
I worry about the intelligence quotient of kids and adults who seem to think the internet and YouTube is like Las Vegas. What happens here doesn’t stay here.
— DRJ
It’s the internet Darwin corollary. May they get what they deserve.
Charlie (72b728) — 12/6/2007 @ 2:03 pmA couple of kids that should get a lump of coal for x-mas.
Then after they can assist the neighborhood in dismantling and packing up all of the displays with law enforcement supervision.
TC (1cf350) — 12/6/2007 @ 2:19 pmWho cares? There’s way too much tacky Christmas shit these days. If it’s a decoration big enough to hit with a baseball bat, then it probably should be hit with a baseball bat.
Pulling down lights is jacked up, though. Little ambiguity on my end.
Leviticus (b987b0) — 12/6/2007 @ 4:21 pmWe know what Joe Horn would have done. too bad they didn’t pick his yard right?
voiceofreason (928cc9) — 12/6/2007 @ 4:36 pmI don’t get all those girls posting pictures of themselves in their underwear and stuff on MySpace. They’d FREAK if they saw some guy looking in their window, but they post stuff like that for the world to see on the Internet?
I don’t get it.
Steve B (8db3ee) — 12/6/2007 @ 4:36 pmI wish Joe Horn had been on this bus.
nk (19e0fd) — 12/6/2007 @ 4:46 pmI think we should put together a petition for a state holiday in his honor.
voiceofreason (64b2b4) — 12/6/2007 @ 4:58 pmStupid kids; throw the book at them.
Still, this was pretty shocking too:
They spent $1,000 and eight hours on their Christmas display. (emphasis added)
Matthew 6:9-21. That’s all.
no one you know (1ebbb1) — 12/6/2007 @ 5:18 pmUm, Matthew 19-21.
no one you know (1ebbb1) — 12/6/2007 @ 5:18 pmMatthew 6:19-21, and it must be my bedtime. 🙁
no one you know (1ebbb1) — 12/6/2007 @ 5:19 pmAnother tale from the Dumb Crooks File!
Another Drew (8018ee) — 12/6/2007 @ 6:07 pmNK,
That was a shocking story – middle schoolers in the middle of the day. Crime is upsetting enough. It’s much more depressing when the perpetrators are teenagers.
DRJ (a6fcd2) — 12/6/2007 @ 6:25 pmSouthlake, TX is one of the richest cities in the DFW area, so $1000 on a Christmas display there is like the rest of us spending $50.
Stupid teens.
Stormy70 (3302d3) — 12/7/2007 @ 4:00 amConfirms my thesis that only 2% (maybe less) of the population are evolved sufficiently to understand basic moral principles. Idiots all!
Sue (3ff0af) — 12/7/2007 @ 7:43 amThese two blithering teenage dunderheeds will undoubtedly face the wrath of our area’s Metroport Teen Court system, where punishments always far exceed what would normally be meted out in juvenile court. Believe me, the rate of recitivism is practically nil. This is a case of idiocy and vandalism, and is in no way comparable to the hatred and thuggery exhibited in Baltimore.
I predict at least 50 hours of laborous community service for each of these teens, likely picking up garbage and emptying garbage cans around Southlake’s Town Square in full public view, helping our local relief agency (GRACE) organize and distribute food, clothing and children’s toys this holiday season, working in the local public libraries shelving books, and washing all those police cars. Then the two will also have to serve as jurors to fellow teens who screw up later in simiar fashion.
Metroport Teen Court
EHeavenlyGads (17aca7) — 12/7/2007 @ 8:32 am