A Cry, But For a Good, Swift Kick

The latest horses**t from the Big Orange:

Speaking to reporters in North Hollywood, Villaraigosa said he agreed with the principal of the Santee Education Complex, Vince Carbino, that the vandalism earlier this week appeared to be a "cry for help" by a troubled youth. Given that, he said, "I'm willing to mentor him personally."

But, following up remarks he made the day before, Villaraigosa added: "When you break the law, there's got to be consequences."

On Tuesday, the mayor had said he thought the 15-year-old sophomore should do some form of community service — ideally scrubbing graffiti off buses. Because he is a juvenile, the student has not been identified publicly.

Carbino sounded less than bowled over by the mayor's offer. A former police officer who is a licensed counselor, the principal said in an interview that the South Los Angeles school already has a comprehensive team of people ready to help the boy, including three psychiatric social workers, one full-time and one part-time psychologist, two intensive intervention counselors and six regular school counselors.

"This child is in very good hands," Carbino said. "I think what he needs the most is to be surrounded by people who are going to be — let's say — nonjudgmental and to follow the caveat that we have good students who sometimes make bad decisions."

Singaporeans might say that he's crying out for a few strokes of the cane. That's excessive, to our way of thinking, but this "cry for help" thing is crap. He probably needs a father who cares enough about him to model decent behavior.

Not every stupid or wicked act, folks, is a cry for help. Sometimes a stupid or wicked act is a stupid or wicked act.

I don't begrudge any kid who does stupid things a bit of counseling but gimme a break--"three psychiatric social workers, one full-time and one part-time psychologist, two intensive intervention counselors and six regular school counselors"?

I wouldn't begrudge him a good, swift kick in the arse, either. After all, there's no such thing as a good boy.