Lately, there was a big news story about a wealthy man who was accused of putting young girls into prostitution. He apparently took young women and girls, some as young as 14 years of age, and offered them to his men friends for their sexual pleasure.
It was a gruesome story. The man was arrested and died prison after a very short stay.
Apparently these young women were taken to an island and to some nice homes here in America where they spent time with rich and famous men who were friends of the man in charge.
When the case broke, the national news jumped on the story, as well they should have. They dug up everything the man had done. They reported the man’s wealth and his friendship with famous and wealthy people.
The press also profiled the men who took advantage of the situation, many of whom were regular participants in this behavior.
As this story was front page, everything about it seemed to be examined except for one thing. Where were the parents of these young women?
Everyone was given blame, but no mention of the parents.
I have to ask, why would you allow your teenaged daughter to have an association with this man, as apparently they knew what he was doing with these young women. Where does the personal responsibility lie with the parents?
But there are many other cases about a lack of responsibility that don’t get the attention of the press.
Why are parents not looking out for their kids who are using dope and who are vaping? I think I would know if my child was using these products which are often so destructible. Where do children get the money to finance these activities?
Don’t parents look out for their children who run with the wrong crowd or hang out most of the night on some street corner? Many of these kids are destined to get into all kinds of trouble or are destined to be injured or killed.
How about school? Don’t parents want their children to attend school, and shouldn’t they know when the child is not in school? Where are the kids all day? Where are their books and their homework assignments? Why are there no activities such as ball games, open houses, or special events that parents are invited to so they can see their children’s efforts and meet their teachers.
I realized that not everyone lives in Mayberry and is the ideal family, but all people, regardless of their place in life, must be responsible for their family and they must be a guardian of their family’s life and well being.
Poverty is not always the reason. Many so-called rich kids have equally bad parents who turn their backs on their kids like the young women in the prostitution case and in the college cheating cases.
Just between you and me, I think there is no excuse for this lack of responsibility.
(Kay Hively is a historian, author, and former editor, reporter and columnist for the Neosho Daily News and Neosho Post.)
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