Assessing blame when a kid kills a cop

Commentary

After the parents of 16-year-old Nicholas Lindsey turned him in for the murder of Officer David Crawford, the first question many asked was, "Where did this kid get a gun?" A better question might have been, "Where were his parents when he got one, and why was their son out on the streets at 10:30 p.m.?"

Outside of hunting, possessing a gun while under the age of 18 is already illegal. Therefore, common-sense gun laws wouldn't have helped avert this particular tragedy. But a good mom and dad could have certainly helped avert it.

When parents teach a reverence for laws and life, the availability of firearms doesn't make one bit of difference.

Let's look at Lindsey's parents.

Deneen Sweat said her son was in bed by 9 p.m. that Monday. She left the apartment and didn't see him take off and return later that night. Sweat also had no idea her son brought a gun into her home and has no clue where he got the $140 to pay for it.

When Lindsey's father appeared in court, crying and remorseful, many felt awful for him. Parents of violent children, even those who mean well, are a major factor in these tragedies, and our sympathy doesn't do them, their kids or their kids' victims any good.

St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster met with Lindsey earlier this year. Yet his attention wasn't even enough to encourage a change within this child. Foster scratched his head and wondered what he could have said or done differently, saying that Lindsey's mug shot was a different face than the one he saw a few months ago.

With all due respect to Foster, Lindsey's face didn't change. His circumstances didn't either, which is precisely the problem.

What happens in the home is the most powerful force on Earth. It shapes us, for good or bad, and alters the way we look at the world. Yet we still turn to government officials, rock stars or athletes to provide a worthy example and then act surprised when kids continue on the same path.

Sweat claimed she asked for help when Lindsey started middle school and lamented on several news programs that "the only thing he has on his record is grand theft." A 16-year-old should never have grand theft on his record.

We must not tolerate a mom displaying trophies and tears when her son commits a crime. We cannot accept her simply saying, "I tried." We should demand more from people who choose to have children without the skills to raise them properly.

Lindsey confessed to this crime, according to police, and might very well spend his life behind bars, but he deserved better during his first 16 years on the planet.

Community leaders said that we, as a society, failed him. They point fingers at Pinellas County schools or the person who sold him the gun. But I would argue that his parents are the ones who failed him.

Why aren't we demanding more from moms and dads? Is it easier to march and lobby for gun laws rather than parenting trends?

Bad parenting is difficult to tackle because bad parenting is rampant. And getting worse every day.

Politicians don't want to lose votes. They might feel ridiculous lecturing others while their own sons and daughters have problems of their own. Pundits would rather discuss what to do when your kid commits a crime instead of tackling how to prevent it in the first place.

If we do not start a discussion, if we do not ask some serious questions, then we are most certainly doomed.