1957 - 2007. What's the difference?

[Pete]

Jack pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack.
1957 - Vice Principal comes over, takes a look at Jack's rifle, goes to his car and gets his rifle to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lockdown. FBI and Homeland security called, Jack hauled off to jail never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends.
2007 - Police called. SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Both charged with assault, both expelled.

Jeffrey won't sit still in class, disrupts other students.
1957 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a paddling by principal. despite sore bottom, sits still in class.
2007 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Cindy has a headache and takes headache medicine to school.
1957 - Cindy shares headache medicine with principal out on smoking dock.
2007 - Police and DEA called. Cindy expelled for drug policy violations. Car impounded and searched for weapons.

Billy breaks a window in his Father's car and his dad gives him a whipping.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. Billy's sister is convinced by psychologist that she was abused herself and dad goes to prison.

Pedro fails high school English.
1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.
2007 - Newspaper article appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against school system and Pedro's teacher. Pedro given diploma anyway but job options limited by poor English.

Johhny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up an anthill.
1957 - Ants die.
2007 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism. FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated. Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed on a commercial flight again.

Rose falls while running during recess and scrapes her knee She is found crying by her teacher, Fred. Fred hugs her to comfort her.
1957 - In a short time Rose feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Fred is accused of being a sexual predator and loses his job. He now faces three years in state prison.

Anyone have any more?



Thanks to Phil Proctor.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[CopperKnight]

Wish I did have more. Those are good. They really point out a change, don't they?

[Pete]

They really point out a change, don't they?

Yes, that in one lifetime our whole society has turned into a litigious mess that is scared of it's own shadows.

Maybe we'll have a backlash and return to common sense values?

[limatunes]

Bobby and Suzie start dating.
1957 - Bobby and Suzie get married and start a family. They have their rough spots but they stick it out no matter what, showing their children what commitment and love is really like.
2007 - Bobby and Suzie get pregnant and begrudgingly get married and divorce upon the first hint of trouble. Their child bounces from home to home and soon becomes confused over his father-figure with so many guys coming through Suzie's life.

[CopperKnight]

Maybe we'll have a backlash and return to common sense values?

One could hope, but I'm certainly not holding my breath. You ever checked out the yellow pages for attorneys? The section is huge! And they are all looking for income. I'm not bashing lawyers, we are all looking to make a living.

[ccw9mm]

1957 - 2007. What's the difference?

Self respect. Personal responsibility. Honor.

[PapaScout]

My Dad has told me stories about taking his squirrel gun to school and having it sitting in the corner of the classroom so he could go hunting on his way walking home.

My generation wasn't even supposed to carry a pocket knife to school.

Nowadays the rulers don't have metal edges and the compasses don't have sharp points.

[pgrass101]

Maybe we'll have a backlash and return to common sense values?

The question is how, Restricting lawsuits? Not sure I'm for that, maybe we need judges more willing to dismiss lawsuites.

How do we do this? Can we teach "Common Sense" in schools or has that been outlawed by the ACLU?

[Pete]

I was thinking more an evolutionary sea change, not a mandated one.

But it is true that most progress we make these days involves a backwards and downwards trajectory.

[pgrass101]

I would love to see a change in attitude take place. Back to personal responibilty.

I believe that the well meaning policies of the Feel Good 60's led to our culture of "It's not my fault, society owes me more" John Kennedy's ideas of a nation of Minutemen and people serving their country is a long way off.

[limatunes]

My brother and cousins used to take guns into school for show-and-tell or oral reports (we went to a private school). That all changed when some idiot kid brought in a knife and threatened one of the students. Then they had to right up a weapons policy and ruined the opportunity for kids to show other kids guns and safe handling.

[rodc13]

Not all change is bad.

Nine African-American students attempt to attend Little Rock Central High School.

1957 -- Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus calls out his state's National Guard to block black students' entry.
2007 -- The U.S. Mint will release a commemorative coin marking the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School.

Rosa Parks rides the bus to work.

1955 -- Rosa Parks refuses to surrender her seat to make room for an expanded white-only bus section. Arrested and tried on charges of disorderly conduct and violating a local ordinance. The trial lasted 30 minutes. Parks was found guilty and fined $10, plus $4 in court costs
2005 -- City officials in Montgomery announce on October 27 that the front seats of their city buses would be reserved with black ribbons in honor of Parks until her funeral.

[Stetson]

If we could skip the social experiment of LBJ the greatest waste of taxpayers money ever we would not be facing financial issues we are now!

Hindsight is priceless and just like what if ?

[TN_Mike]

Wow, that really puts it in perspective doesn't it?

[buckeye .45]

Hmm, I wasn't alive in 57, but it sounds like a better time to grow up in.

Plus then you had all the cars of the 50's, 60's and early 70's with really cheap gasoline.