Kevin Marshall's America
Spring has sprung, and so has the offensive behavior…and sex offenses.
Yesterday I went to visit my oldest sister (a mother of four including a brand new baby boy every bit as handsome as his Uncle Kevin). Yesterday, her and my brother-in-law observed two young men at least in their twenties shouting at an underage girl. Their language was far beyond suggestive and described by my sister as lewd and lascivious. My brother-in-law, having daughters near and around the age as the young girl being harassed, got angrier than my sister had ever seen him get.
Then this morning, Kristi relayed a frightening encounter she had with a man exhibiting lewd and suspicious behavior on a bike path, a situation that occurs with shameful frequency. It’s one of those stories that make me thankful I’m a male who doesn’t have to deal with that sort of thing.
As I was reading Kristi’s post I received an instant message directing me to a TimesUnion.com story on the arrest of a man in Troy for masturbating nude on a hill overseeing a school while taking pictures. He “didn’t think anyone could see” him on the hilltop, as if that matters.
It’s not made clear that his behavior involved observation of the children, but either way it’s an alarming story for any parent. More alarming to some, however, is that the man despite being caught in the act was released without bail. What are the guidelines when it comes to this sort of thing? Are sexual offenses normally given this sort of treatment, where bail isn’t even set?
What in the world is going on in our area?
It appears that with the onset of beautiful, enjoyable weather we’re also subjected to the more openly heinous behaviors of deviants and predators. I’ll grant that the last instance is a bit more bizarre and an isolated incident, but encounters like Kristi’s and the behaviors my sister observed are far more common an occurence than they should be.
Kids keep acting the fool and making me feel like a crotchety old man. If this keeps up, I'm growing this moustache.
I’m never one to wax nostalgic of days gone by when it comes to society. I’m living a better life today, both personally and culturally, than I was ten years ago or would have been twenty, thirty, or even forty years ago. Folks will see upticks in certain crimes that make it seem more prevalent, though more likely it is just more often reported in a day and age where communication occurs at break-neck speed in ways people couldn’t have even imagined in decades past. Folks have good times in their life and often extrapolate that to infer that times overall were better, when that may not have necessarily been the case.
There is something to be said, however, for people feeling far too comfortable in exhibiting and practicing abhorrent sexual behavior and advances in public.
It does seem as if there’s little shame, decency, and discretion these days. People seem to routinely say and do things that people their age wouldn’t have dreamt of doing in times past. And as offended as I am, I’m even more upset that these young jerks are making me feel like an old man. I hate being the guy who says “people these days,” but man! People these days! No respect. Am I right?!
Also, those damn kids keep skateboarding on my front sidewalk!
BONUS! Rob Madeo confirms what I’ve suspected for years: Wilford Brimley is a diva.
Share it!
11 Responses to Spring Has Sprung, and So Has the Abhorrent Behavior
Leave a Reply
STALK ME
Damn that Wilford Brimley!
hmmm… frat boys shouting lewdness at a young girl, crazy sexual perverts jerking off in public… doesn’t really seem all that different from where/when i grew up. maybe you just never took notice before.
Yeah, but all in the span of litterally less than 24 hours? And a naked guy on a hill? And frat boys doing it to a girl that isn’t even a teenager?
perhaps i’m a little desensitized to it at this point. “all in 24 hours” <– is what the media is reporting on / talking about today. yes, these are disgusting acts, and not excusable in the least. but i'm sure they happen every day regardless of if there is a blogger there to see it, or if someone gets arrested for it. quite honestly, i'm more disheartened by the lack of concern regarding this story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/16/AR2010031603082.html
This is why they need to re-build the Petit Cine 1-2. At least then all the creeps have a place to congregate, away from cemeteries and public parks and the like.
It does seem like things are more out of hand now, but I’m not sure if that’s because I’m a mom now and more paranoid than ever before, or if we’re constantly hearing about things because of the interwebs.
I can tell you that I would wait for the school bus outside my house growing up and never worry about anything… but today when I wait for my son’s school bus to drop him off every time an unmarked white van drives by I think it’s a potential kidnapper (of me). I could just need therapy though.
I have to say it’s disgusting that this happened, and I feel sorry for any kids involved. But, in my opinion, it’s not exactly a sign of the times. The instant broadcast and media fury over these events is more of a phenomenon. It’s actually a phenomenon that makes me at least as nervous, because it increases panic and fear. I’ve seen some gross things living downtown my whole life. If you haven’t been exposed to some sort of lewd public acts, you’re probably living in a bubble, oblivious, or maybe just downright lucky.
we should never become “desensitized” to this type of behavior, i think thats why it has become so much worse. i think we need to do more to protect our children from these freaks and if that includes a media phenomenon,so be it. these men shouting a frank, sexual request/suggestion to a girl, just barely into her teens, turned my stomach. I have witnessed lewd public acts in my lifetime. The housing project i grew up in was no bubble. Your right on the mark with this one, Kev.
Not to stray too far from the topic, but …. yesterday evening while driving home from work up Western Ave in Albany I kept having to slow down. Seems most of the cars ahead of me were males slowing down to get an eyefull of the young pretty jogger. When I got my turn I could see why they slowed down. She was very attractive and apparently had a problem keeping her brests contained in her tiny shirt and felt she needed to keep her arm across her brests while jogging. Her other hand was free …. I wondered why she wasn’t concerned about the fact that her buttocks were also exposed. It’s Spring and time for abreviated clothing which will arouse all sorts of behavior.
sure, blame the women for their clothing, its just so easy. heres a thought, maybe men should learn some self control. that seems to be missing these days. where have all the gentlemen gone??
It’s a whole combination of things that make it seem that much worse now one of which being that information travels so very fast and everyone is connected. I’m actually kind of surprised no one came forward with video or photos of any of the incidents…