Parents, kids can blame themselves for B-MAC incident

I am writing this concerning the recent Friday night incident at the Brick Municipal Alliance Committee Dance. As usual, when a town tries to do something good for teens, they seem to think anything goes. After forming a "mosh pit" and getting out of control, they were told to stop. They did not. As a parent of three teenagers, I will be the first to say kids are not always saints.

As parents, it is our responsibility to teach our kids respect for authority. It seems these days that many parents want to be their kids’ friends, not parents.

When the kids are disciplined in school, it is the teacher’s fault. When they are arrested for mouthing off at the authority of police officers, it is the police officer’s fault. When police have to control their kids so innocent people don’t get pushed, shoved or kicked by teens who think anything goes, it’s the police’s fault.

Most of these people are the same parents whom, if the police had done nothing and their little angels got hurt, they would be suing the establishment and anyone else they could possible sue, saying, "Where were the police when this was going on?"

I know what I would have done to my child if he had yelled "pigs" at the police. They would not have had to arrest him. I would not be blaming the police.

After this incident occurred, two of my kids who were at the show called home to tell us where they were and why. They were at the police station to show support to the friends of theirs who had been arrested. When they told us they would not come home until their friends were released, I drove down to the station and picked them up. I made them come home and explained to them that we do not support people when they are wrong. Their friends chose to do the wrong thing. Their actions landed them a permanent record.

When you are in a show with over 200 teenagers, and the crowd gets out of hand, often, innocent people get hurt. Our police officers could have been hurt as well.

Moreover, to all parents who try to be your child’s best friend, and think your kids are perfect angels, remember your attitudes when your kids have no place to go to watch or participate in shows like those. Blame yourselves instead of the police. I’m sure when you need help and you call the Brick Police Department, they will come and give you more support than some of you gave them.

Joseph W. Beverly

Brick