Kid in Jail for Senior Prank

[Dr. Cheese]

Tyell Morton: High School Student Facing 8 Years in Prison for Prank

This is a Root article which means there will be links to the original story.

I've got to think the charges will eventually be reduced to a misdemeanor for this kid.

[sneha1965]

A little harsh if you ask me. If they need the money repaid it's not going to happen while he's in prison.

[Mark Latimour]

They really need to employ better writers. That would have been a far more effective piece if they had simply pointed out how harshly the boy was being treated in absolute terms rather than turning it into a "look how much easier this random white guy had it" piece. Its fairly clear that the boy has copped the rough end of the pinapple for a "prank". Why the need to bring up the unrelated story?

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

They really need to employ better writers. That would have been a far more effective piece if they had simply pointed out how harshly the boy was being treated in absolute terms rather than turning it into a "look how much easier this random white guy had it" piece. Its fairly clear that the boy has copped the rough end of the pinapple for a "prank". Why the need to bring up the unrelated story?

We know what you think of the Root writers. What do you think about the actual story?

[Absentia]

Poor kid

[Mark Latimour]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

We know what you think of the Root writers. What do you think about the actual story?

I thought that was clear from my post. In terms of what happened to be boy, he was treated harshly in absolute terms (ie it would be harsh whatever the colour of his skin). In terms of the story as written (rather than the one they are purporting to report), its a shame the Root would rather spend their efforts driving a racial wedge than investigate whey the boy was jailed and point readers to where they could help support him.

[Phalex]

That's messed up! I count myself lucky that they didn't have video surveillance back when I was a lad. I'd probably be getting out of prison about now.......

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

I thought that was clear from my post. The boy was treated harshly in absolute terms (ie it would be harsh whatever the colour of his skin).

Mark, I did not make an issue of the kid's race. Over reaction is getting pretty close to colorblind these days. In my OP, I made of point of mentioning links to the original story because we all know how The Root articles are.

[SteveC]

I'm all for punishing kids that pull **** at school or anywhere else. I don't like that they can hide behind the "juvenile" thing, but even I think that 8 years is a little harsh in this case. However, speaking as someone who spends a great deal of time at public schools, you have to assume the worst with your initial actions in these situations. The kids needs a serious sentence, but probably not 8 years.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by SteveC

I'm all for punishing kids that pull **** at school or anywhere else. I don't like that they can hide behind the "juvenile" thing, but even I think that 8 years is a little harsh in this case. However, speaking as someone who spends a great deal of time at public schools, you have to assume the worst with your initial actions in these situations. The kids needs a serious sentence, but probably not 8 years.

A serious sentence? I definitely do not think he should have a felony conviction. Making him a felon will just ruin his life, and then he might really become a criminal.

I am more in favor of a misdemeanor plea and some serious community service with restitution.

[Mark Latimour]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Mark, I did not make an issue of the kid's race. Over reaction is getting pretty close to colorblind these days. In my OP, I made of point of mentioning links to the original story because we all know how The Root articles are.

The OP is very brief and simply links to an article that is clearly designed to be racially inflamatory. If you didn't want this thread to be about race, you could have either extracted the part you wanted discussed (ie a selection of the early part of the Root article) or linked to the original story. To say that you didn't bring up race is disengenous when all you did is link to an article which is beyond a shadow of the doubt a comarative piece on race, with no colour on it (excuse the pun) in the OP. Put another way, if you didn't want this thread to be about race, you would have taken the steps to remove any ambiguity in the OP by taking an extract or finding a better source. You didnt, you linked to an article you knew would cause a reaction and are now trying to claim: "I didn't mention race". Its pretty transparent.

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I am more in favor of a misdemeanor plea and some serious community service with restitution.

I even think that's too harsh! Give the kid a rubber chicken and send him on his way! I don't think the prank itself was all that funny, but I don't find it the least bit malicious either.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

The OP is very brief and simply links to an article that is clearly designed to be racially inflamatory. If you didn't want this thread to be about race, you could have either extracted the part you wanted discussed (ie a selection of the early part of the Root article) or linked to the original story. To say that you didn't bring up race is disengenous when all you did is link to an article which is beyond a shadow of the doubt a comarative piece on race. Put another way, if you didn't want this thread to be about race, you would have taken the steps to remove any ambiguity. You didnt, you linked to an article you knew would cause a reaction and are now trying to claim: "I didn't mention race". Its pretty transparent.

Mark, I'm sorry you don't believe me. I started to not offer The Root link at all because I knew it could be seen that way, but I did mention that other links to the story could be found. If you think I want to make a race issue out of this, I can't control your mind. As I said before, I see this as more a sign of the times than a black/white issue.

In my OP, I said this is a "root article, which mean there will be links to the original story." I think that is a pretty clear suggestion that I did not want to dwell on the Root version.

[Mark Latimour]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Mark, I'm sorry you don't believe me. I started to not offer The Root link at all because I knew it could be seen that way, but I did mention that other links to the story could be found. If you think I want to make a race issue out of this, I can't control your mind. As I said before, I see this as more a sign of the times than a black/white issue.

In my OP, I said this is a "root article, which mean there will be links to the original story." I think that is a pretty clear suggestion that I did not want to dwell on the Root version.

Given your posting history, I think the onus is on you to make the effort to use less racially charged articles in your OP if you don't want a post to be mistakenly taken to be about race. I find it hard to believe that you are not aware of this. For me to believe that this was an innocent mistake on your part would require me to lower my view on your intelligence below what I would be comfortable doing. IOW, you're a really smart guy, for me to believe you would require me to think you are a fool. I don't.

[fleabee]

Eight years is more than a sentence for murder nowadays. Give him public service up the wazoo and pay the fines..

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Given your posting history, I think the onus is on you to make the effort to use less racially charged articles in your OP if you don't want a post to be mistakenly taken to be about race. I find it hard to believe that you are not aware of this. For me to believe that this was an innocent mistake on your part would require me to lower my view on your intelligence below what I would be comfortable doing. IOW, you're a really smart guy, for me to believe you would require me to think you are a fool. I don't.

Mark, no one else has mentioned race except for you in this thread. Has it occured to you that you are bringing baggage as well as me?

[Mark Latimour]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Mark, no one else has mentioned race except for you in this thread. Has it occured to you that you are bringing baggage as well as me?

I was merely commenting on the article that you posted a link to. You're OP doesn't say which aspects of the article I should and should not be commenting on in your thread. How was I supposed to know from yoru OP what part of the article you wanted me to comment on? If you wanted to avoid people commenting on the racial aspects of the article you choose to link to, the onus was on you to take steps to do that. You didnt. Don't try and shift blame.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

I was merely commenting on the article that you posted a link to. You're OP doesn't say which aspects of the article I should and should not be commenting on in your thread. How was I supposed to know from yoru OP what part of the article you wanted me to comment on? If you wanted to avoid people commenting on the racial aspects of the article you choose to link to, the onus was on you to take steps to do that. You didnt. Don't try and shift blame.

How I am I too blame for how you choose to process what you read? I titled the thread "Kid in Jail for Senior Prank." The only sentence beyond mentioning links to the original story was that I thought the kid would eventually be tried for a midemeanor. I said nothing about race.

[Mark Latimour]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

How I am I too blame for how you choose to process what you read? I titled the thread "Kid in Jail for Senior Prank." The only sentence beyond mentioning links to the original story was that I thought the kid would eventually be tried for a midemeanor. I said nothing about race.

You're not to blame for how I process what I read. I never suggested you were. You're to blame for not being mindful of your posting history when posting an article that is cleary a racially charged article if you don't want a discussion to focus about race. To put it simply, if you link to an article that is clearly about race in an OP that says, effectively, nothing more than "what do you think about this?", you can't be surprised when someone comments about any or every aspect of that article. If you wanted to limit discussion to the non-racial elements of the article, the onus was on you to do that in the OP. You didn't and that's what you are to blame for (and saying that, there's nothing wrong with this thread being about race). I just find it disengenuous for you to play the "I didn't mention race" card after linking to that article without clarifying what you did and did not want people to comment on.

[sneha1965]

I have gum stuck on my shoe.