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Lock Up the Parents by Tony DeCarvalho
My opinion of the John Walker Lind case is simple: the parents are culpable for their son's actions. After all, they did pay for their son's trip to Yemen. I wonder if John's parents love their son or -- for that matter -- America. To me, sending John Lind to Yemen is the equivalent of having a son during World War II and sending him to Austria, or Poland. I can imagine the dialogue: Son: Yeah, I want to check out the whole "Hitler Youth" thing. I think it would be a great learning experience. I know what I would've said.... Dad: No. Now go to your room! I might've pulled out the ole' belt and delivered a well-deserved spanking ... I don't know. The point is ... if it was my son and he wanted to go to Yemen, he would've had to save his own money, wait until he was of age, and then he could've done whatever the heck he wanted. Of course, if John Lind had to work to earn his trip, he might've changed his mind about going ... or the work experience might've matured him, and he wouldn't have fallen prey to terrorist propaganda and influence. Guess we'll never know. I'm sure there's an alternate reality where John Lind is not the American Taliban -- a reality where his parents raised him right, and didn't just ship him to Yemen. |