We’re not all bad, say ‘stereotyped’ teens
Friday 16th October 2009, 1:00PM BST.
Sunken gardens users (left to right) Magenta Corbin and Lee Mahy, both 16, Leanne Le Cross, 18, and Gary Naftel, 17. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0855613)
DO NOT stereotype us, say a group of young people who meet at the sunken gardens.
The 100-strong gang have come under fire for littering the area near the top of Smith Street and using bad language.
Islanders and visitors have complained about their antisocial behaviour to the Guernsey Press, but the youngsters say they are ‘just doing what teenagers do’.
Magenta Corbin, 16, who works part-time, said she meets her friends in the garden from noon most days.
She said there were many young people who used the garden as a meeting place and all were being blamed for dropped litter and damage, which was down to a minority.
‘We have never made abusive comments to anyone. We stay away from members of the public if they come down here and we try to keep our language down,’ she said.
Miss Corbin said they were not aggressive but did playfight, which could be misconstrued.
The youngsters said they wanted to go down to the gardens and ‘chill out with their friends’. The group had been moved on from several places around Town including the Crown Pier and bathing pools because of complaints of intimidating behaviour, something they deny.
Leanne Le Cross, 18, who is unemployed and almost six months pregnant, said they had a bad reputation. ‘This place is near to all our houses and the shops. We are out of the way of the public and not causing any trouble,’ she said.
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Lets not be stereo-typical about the people that are mentioned above but….18 years old, 6 months pregnant and unemployed. Do we need to say anymore on this subject?!
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There are definitely stereotypes placed on young people, especially by those who associate certain dress codes with behavioural patterns e.g. hoodies. Young people aren’t alone in this though – other groups such as bikers have fallen foul of stereotyping by dress code. I suppose the lesson is don’t judge people by their outward appearance whatever their age.
The issue of “intimidating behaviour” isn’t surprising either. A significant proportion of people find large groups of young people hanging around intimidating irrespective of their behaviour – their mere presence is enough. It’s almost as if people have been conditioned into thinking that groups of youth automatically means trouble. I’m not naive – I know they’re not all little angels but one shouldn’t assume that a group of youth will cause trouble by default. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? I’ve found at times when walking past groups of youth, a simple “alright lads” diffuses any sense of intimidation – and is often met by surprise that an “older person” would actually say hello.
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ds;
Don’t be so cynical; these youngsters are not all alike, and a little more thought and help from the older generation would help quite a lot.
We have all been teenagers once, unfortunately I didn’t enjoy mine as they do today-
But by heck I can see a lot of good in the young-.uns of today.
Give them a break, continuing to verbally abuse them does not help one little bit.
I think we should think twice before condemning, and close our eyes, look back in memory lane and ask our selves if we remember when we were angels? Oh yes how many were?
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Well written Eric. A very cynical attitude ds. The article wasn’t about lifestyle choices – it was about antisocial behaviour.
I may not agree with the lifestyle choices of the young lady interviewed but just because someone is 18 years old, pregnant and unemployed, does that automatically make them a criminal or likely to be antisocial?
If society sets low expectations of young people, don’t be suprised when they meet them.
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The press printed that she was ‘unemployed and almost six months pregnant’ in order to provoke a reaction and ds took the bait.
@Paul Le Page
I like how you refer to ‘lifestyle choices’, I doubt Miss Le Cross chose to become pregnant.
“just because someone is 18 years old, pregnant and unemployed, does that automatically make them a criminal or likely to be antisocial?”
Answer: No, but there is a considerable chance the child will.
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Hi Dean – good to lock horns with you again! :-)
I agree completely with your first observation that the report and ds’ response was the journalistic equivalent of “caught hook line and sinker.” Nevertheless, when a response was as cynical as I believe ds’ was, I think it still warrants comment although I imagine it will have little effect.
In response to your second point, I wasn’t emphasising the young lady’s pregnancy any more than her employment situation however I stand by what I wrote regardless and I’ll explain why:
Although she didn’t choose to get pregnant, unless something terrible happened (which I sincerely hope wasn’t the case) she chose to become sexually active resulting eventually in her pregnancy. Of course sex is perfectly natural but so is what happens afterwards and I won’t insult the lady’s intelligence by suggesting she wasn’t aware that sex makes babies. She would therefore have known that there was the possibility (however remote) that she might get pregnant once she chose to become sexually active. No matter what precautions you take there is always that chance as no contraception is 100% effective apart from celibacy or the “Paulo Wanchope” (or female equivalent) – providing of course the surgeon knows what he’s doing!!
So although I accept she didn’t choose to get pregnant she did chose to become sexually active, thus putting herself in a position where that was possible. It was therefore a lifestyle choice; now I have my views on when it’s right for people to become sexually active however unlike other people it seems I’m not here to condemn the young lady or pass judgement – far from it actually. The point of my argument was that she shouldn’t be unfairly stereotyped or vilified because of her choices, regardless of whether I (or anyone else) agrees with them or not.
As a final response to your comments I wouldn’t call an 18 year old a child – when someone reaches 18 they are legally an adult. Personally I think teenagers should be classified (and treated) as young adults well before that. It’s not surprising that many teenagers are irresponsible when they’re treated like children. It must be so confusing when someone that is reaching physical maturity is still treated like a child whilst physically becoming an adult. I’m not saying we shouldn’t maintain good boundaries (e.g. driving age, drinking age, smoking age, school ages, age of consent etc.) however surely if we treat teenagers like naughty, ignorant children we can’t really be too surprised when they act like them!
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I imagine they are at fault for the litter there, and most probably the anti-socialble behaviour, drinking etc.
I agree with ds.
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Dean;
I personally think that is a very nasty remark, the fact is you seem to wish that on the girl.
As was said, it is doubtful she wished to be Pregnant; However that is life.
I’ll wager that she will be a good mother if she keeps the child,
My thoughts go out to her; I do not condemn, having seen quite a bit of life in different places, and as always; the critics come out.
Please Dean think it over; do not cause more pain, it is so unnecessary, I’m sure you didn’t mean it as is written.
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A comment from ds is cynical but how many readers of the GP picked up the paper and said the same thing. And if we think about it how many of us could have been in the same situation, ask yourself that question.
What is so upsetting is these kids are unemployed, what is going wrong there? Are there really no jobs at all for them or is it that they do not want to work,or are they unemployable? And they are bored, has anyone asked them what they want, has anyone encouraged them and listened to them, or are they just being teenagers and we are all becoming grumpy old people. We have all been teenagers and given our parents grief, but that is part of growing up. I have turned out all right in my adult years and am proud of what I have achieved, but as a teenager I could have behaved better and there were certainly not the dangers around like there is now. They are teenagers growing up, give them a break and lets try to provide a listening ear.
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There is nothing new under the sun. In the early 80s I remember the punks being singled out as town trouble makers, a similiar public outcry, and similiar press interviews.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned “bring back the birch” and “put them in stocks”.
Teenagers are teenagers – they’ll move on.
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They could always set an example & pick up the litter. That would be a great PR coup for them!
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well; to usually…
to me that sounds like a bribe; I’m old fashioned enough to believe if you and others could perhaps curtail your thoughts to yourself, if they are not of a progressive nature; then leave it out.
You are not dealing with little children, these teenagers learn for what we try to assume we are, that is adult.
Yet many a written word is so infantile; that even others may think it is a child writing.
Give them a break- harping on won’t do as harps do– bring out angels.
treat them like humans as I hope you were treated. They can take it.
But the incessant ‘write-ups’ is like lighting a fuse. Try being reasonable.
I for one remember how I was as a teenager..
the perfect one (YEAH Right)
Go back and think-
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Eric
Can’t quite work you whether you are serious in your comments?
If so, all I am trying to say is, if ” those who are not to blame” want to show how adult they can be and / or how much of a social concience they have, then picking up the litter that “others” have caused there would go a long way towards it.
I don’t really care if that’s a progressive idea ( whatever that means?)or not.
I was a bad bad boy in my teens & early twenties but you can be bad / troublesome / rebellious and still have a social concience
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usuallyacynic – let’s take your reasoning for a moment and apply it on a larger scale.
Why don’t those “respectable” people complaining about the teens pick up the litter themselves and show how adult and responsible they are?
The answer most likely is because they didn’t make the mess so don’t see it as their responsibility to clean it up. Incidentally, that’s probably exactly the same reason the other teens don’t clean up the litter either.
By my reckoning that means the “respectable” people have no more social conscience than the teens they are criticising.
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Valeite
I wondered how long it would take before someone trotted out the old “bored, what would they like to do, nothing to do at the moment” load of old tripe.
Seriously? If you lived in a pokey little village in England with one pub and one corner shop, 20 miles from the nearest town/footie park/concert hall with a bus that runs only 2 times a day, then I’d accept that argument.
Not here. Not here. With virtually every (and I can only think of things like slalom canoeing/race rowing etc) sport thinkable available on the island, with endless drama/music, with parks and beaches, there is absolutely NO NO NO excuse for “boredom”.
This is one that I will argue until the end of days!
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A friend of mine who works at the OGH informed me the other day that he’s witnessed some of the group of teens who gather in the Sunken Gardens not only using the most eye watering language at the top of their voices but also accosting OGH clients and shouting abuse at them.
I’m totally live and let live, was a pretty wild teen, I guess, and yes, I agree, they do need somewhere to get together… HOWEVER, does ANYONE have the right to verbally assault ordinary citizens simply going about their business?
I genuinely thought there was a law against that, but now I know there isn’t – woohoo! Next time I’m feeling a bit wound up, I think I’ll pop down there and join them for a spot of people baiting. Call it stress relief.
…I might just watch myself when Mr Inder strolls past with his children, tho, for as much as he is very libertarian, I guess there is the chance he could forget that momentarily, and draw on his less p.c. punk days for a suitable response to getting a mouthful of four letter abuse hurled at them as they walk past.
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Hi Paul Le Page!
With regards to the ‘lifestyle choice’ thing, I think you are slightly clutching a straws with your arguments there, so I will just leave that alone. Also when I mentioned the the child, I wasn’t referring to Miss Le Cross.
@Eric
I was simply pointing out that statistically the children of un-married young mothers are extremely likely to be involved in crime/antisocial behaviour.
I won’t bother to pick apart the rest of your silly post.
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Hi Dean
It’s very easy to tell someone they are wrong or “clutching at straws” without providing any reasoning to support that claim. Never mind – we’ll just agree to disagree on this occasion….perhaps if I see you in a pub you can tell me why over a pint – I’ll buy. :-)
Point taken on the second “child or adult” bit.
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Nice One Paul le P!
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Through out the ages when a reply doesn’t fit the criteria of another, then it either stupid or not worth reading.
No one is always absolutely right; however I do not think that smearing it on others clears anything;
Yet perhaps some answers can have a smug affect on the one who answers.
So dean I’m sorry you didn’t follow the meaning of my posting, it was in no way trying to humble you. in short it was a hope you would realise that younger people are feeling their feet; why always this criticism of them.
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Billythefish
Where did I say that I agreed with them and where did I say there was nothing for them to do, its people like you that charge in and dont give them a chance. I agree with you I think there is plenty to do over here, so why are they not doing it, ask yourself that question? And to get the answer you can only ask them.
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Phew!! Thanks Guernsey Press for running this article, I totally slept through Jeremy Kyle this morning and feared I wouldn’t have my daily dose of outraged Daily Mail readers being disgusted with the youth of today.
The simple fact is that yoofs like to hang out and be anti-social. It’s that whole ‘teen rebellion’ phase thing. In a few years all these louts will be employed in finance and complaining about teenagers on online local news forums.
In the meantime, the only solution is to herd them to a less public area – like, I dunno, a skatepark behind Beau Sejour – where they can drink white lightning and continue shouting abuse at the occasional passer-by.
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Wats da trubble. wees goes darn dere knot to do no dissin blud.
dere aint nuffin four us to doo – nah wot i mene.
Da skoool waz baddass man – sow we do dis two bee wid hour brudders butt no dissin,
eyez darn der coz ma mum iz inn da pub wid ma stepp dad – day is drunk man; and on der soshall
eyez gott a babie threw an aksidentt wid a bouy hoo iz lik me@ Iz on da soshall two
but we aint dissin
Chelsee
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Scarlett
In a scenario such as you describe I would approach them and ask them to tone it down. I accept however that it takes a certain amount of confidence to do that and you would need to gauge the situation.
Regards
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Mr Inder, I agree.
Problem is, if I were a young mum or elderly grandparent with a couple of youngsters in tow, I probably wouldn’t risk them or I facing more abuse (or who knows what) by doing that, and possibly feel so intimidated that I would rather avoid that part of town for a couple of years, or until the teen’s concerned decided to move on/grow up.
We all have rights, the teens to enjoy the sunken gardens, and the rest of us to walk where we wish without having our ears and sensibilities assaulted.
I am sounding like an old dear, but when I was young, I lived secure in the knowledge that if my parents EVER found out that my behaviour was less than civil, I would have to face not only their shame, but being grounded until I was at least 25.
As the parents appear missing in action on this occasion (wonder if they enjoyed sharing that newspaper article with their friends and colleagues?) I would have thought that it was the police’s responsibility to step in and sort it out, yet they do nothing except make pathetic excuses….
come to think of it, maybe that explains why some of the ‘Garden Gang’ have got no respect for authority!
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Not so long ago I was driving up Cornet Street and in front of me was 3 young girls they were walking in the road so I waited patiently (as I could see they were not going to move until they wanted to they moved out of the way and I parked my car outside the Income Tax window, one of them asked me what my problem was as I had given her a death stare and came right up to my face as I got out of my car, I was taken aback and said I was sorry if she felt that but it certainly wasn’t intentional (I didn’t even know what that mean’t) When I got home and asked my daughter she described it to me as a dirty look. These girls then started shouting at me “just because I had a 3 digit number on my car I thought I owned the place and who the ****888 hell did I think I was”. At the time there was no one around and believe me I was scared, in fact I walked up High Street shaking and had to go home because I thought they may be waiting for me when I came back. My question is why do they behave like that towards innocent people,they have no respect for people,as a child I would never have behaved like that because my parents taught me to respect others. Where are the parents and do the parents know any better themselves, I think not.Unfortunately that is how society has changed and little old me or you ain’t going to change it.These girls were no more than 12 years old. And I know they are in the minority, most of our kids are good kids.
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This is becoming all too common. These youths are from mainly single parent families that really could not care less. Mummy probably even drops some of them off at the the monument on her way into town to look for step daddy number whatever.
The authorities desperately need to change the mindset of individuals as to the responsibilities and qualities required to start a loving family.
The words family and loving is a rare combination in many social circles nowadays. It is these lower social classes that the schools need to work most on. It seems to be kids having kids that are at the heart of this matter and it would appear that one of this gang at the gardens is the first to back this trend.
Maybe once the baby is delivered the other girls may wish to have their own dolly and the race will be on.
Why aren’t her parents supporting her. Probably because they care more about alcohol and themselves than they do about her.
There is a youth club just up the road at Brock Road. Can’t a youth worker be sent down to at least try and convince them that there is alternative options if they at least would wish to give them a chance.
I feel that the biggest magnet for the choice of location is the fact that the NCH youth hostel is a stones throw away.
The gardens have always attracted people that some may consider undesirables. Not so long ago it used to be a favourite for the town drunks after they had been kicked out of St Julians Hostel.
With the colder months kicking in it might be the perfect time for these kids to be shown there is more constructive things for them to spend there time on.
Everybody gathers in groups at some stage in their lives for whatever reason.
Complete boredom is what these kids need to be taken away from. Any responsible adult that objects to colourful language will enlighten these youths because it is this reaction that breaks them away from the boredom cycle.
I am sure they will disperse as the temperature drops and the wet weather kicks in. It is the services that need to do more for them in my opinion.
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@ Student Bob:
Excellent post! I quite agree, there’s little this gang are doing that we didn’t do when we were younger. And I recall, amongst my wider group of peers at that age, there were the ones who would step on to the wrong side of the law. That did not, by any means, make us all guilty of their crimes. In fact, far from it, we would seek to distance ourselves from gaining the same reputation just as these are in this report.
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@ Paul…
I think you have epitomised up the demise of society in your post:
“The authorities desperately need to change the mindset of individuals as to the responsibilities and qualities required to start a loving family.”
“It is the services that need to do more for them in my opinion.”
Society now has a culture of disowning, and failing to take responsibility for it’s problems. You think the authorities and services should do something, many think the police should do something. In fact, this is our society’s problem as a whole.
If we, the public think we’re entitled to sit in the gardens more than the youths are then we should go and do exactly that. En-mass daily. But people don’t want to do they? Why? Because people don’t want to take responsibility for playing a part in the repair of damaged societies.
Leave it to the States to sort out, and then, when it goes wrong or they don’t succeed we can moan at them… again, while we sit in our arm chairs moaning and failing to play our part.
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DS
What appears to have happened is that the pointy end of the spear of society is getting blamed when its actually the shaft that’s got a bit twisted.
It’s unfair to lay the blame for societal problems(percieved or otherwise) at the door of law enforcement when the problems are a mmore fundamental than that.
In psychological terms it’s called ‘projection’.
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@ Paul = This is becoming all too common. These youths are from mainly single parent families that really could not care less. Mummy probably even drops some of them off at the the monument on her way into town to look for step daddy number whatever.
EXCUSE ME!!! My mother was a single parent and she done an excellent job with me, I am 26, own my house, work in an office and have done since leaving school with 9 GCSE’s so dont you dare blame single parents! If i had grown up with 2 parents maybe i might be just as i am now or maybe i would be living in a states house, with 4 kids and not working! so please do not blame single parents!
Every generation has teenagers that might not want to work or like to swear, its part of life. do you have children? do you think they dont swear? think back to when you were younger, did you not ever once swear and someone hear you!?
now i’m not saying all teenagers are angels because no one is an angel, but its life and it happens everywhere in the world!
what shall we do, lock them up?!
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Vee
I was not saying all people that are brought up in single parent families turn out bad. Generally kids are disadvantaged when they are though.
It was not such a long time ago when I myself was a teenager. I know only too well all the emotions that come with going through this difficult time in ones life. For the record I was not brought up in a single parent family.
I was no angel and hung around in a gathering with like minded individuals. It is a scary time in their lives but one that could be helped by others doing what they can to find an area of interest where these youngsters feel they can fit into and make a go of a future that is productive and take them into adulthood.
These youngsters probably feel as though the world hates them and they feel the same way and are rebelling against this.
The point I was making is the fact that many of these youngsters feel unloved and uncared for. The dangers that come with this is that they may want to experience these emotions through sex and recreation. Also drugs and alcohol.
This cycle of single parenthood is not the best start for either the parent or the children and it is this that needs to be addressed.
These kids need to be given things to do that interest them and help them through the difficult times that they are experiencing. The devil makes work for idle hands.
As for those that have been mentioned in the article I have no bad thoughts towards any of them. No worse and maybe even better than what I was like at there ages.
I speak with a voice of reason due to the fact that I know some of their situations personally. Second hand through family connections.
I cannot get personal or individual due to the fact that it is not fair and also the site administrator would not allow it to be posted. Rightly so.
I stick by what I stated. The fact that the parents could do a lot more and where they fail the authorities, not the police to make hate authority even more, should have a safety net to catch them before they get into any real serious trouble.
Every human being is good for many things. Individuals excel in many different areas. There is a desperate need for some one to step in and help these youngsters find whatever it is that interests them and help put them on a path that leads them somewhere productive for themselves and society.
Kids feeling bored, abandoned and forgotten about as though they have no worth will always look for reactions and mainly these are negative.
It is very difficult for many of them with jobs thin on the ground in these difficult economic downturns.
Now more than ever is a time for the youth leaders on the island to catch them and steer them away from petty pointlessness and steer them towards a life of quality and value.
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Neil Inder:
Quite right. Different words, but we make the same point. It’s a shame so many people are happy to disown their responsibility to the community.
I’m not sure if it’s projection in psychological terms though is it? Am I right in thinking projection is more to do with posting your failings on others in a bid to divert the attention?
I’m not sure that is what is happening in society – I think it’s more a case of people completely failing to observe that they have a role to play, and not so much a case of trying to point the finger in the hope no one looks at the other end of the arm.
In other words I think it’s ignorance rather than a diversionary tactic.
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Having been a teenager on this Island I know there is nowhere to just hang out with your mates (other than the beach in the summer). I have a teen of my own and see the problems they face. All the people complaning should think about re using their energy on fighting for a teen cafe or a hang out club where everyone is happy. Also being a single mother has nothing to do with anything you are all moaning about I have 2 very levelled, clever happy kids that I have brought up alone. Stop moaning and find them somewhere fun and safe to hang out if it bothers you so much.
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T
I have to say that there are different types of bored teenagers. I used to hang around Beau se Jour, the steps outside Boots, the Bathing Pools and the top of Smith Street. This was about 5 years ago and we never swore at people like I have been sworn at by some of the teenagers that hang around the Sunken Gardens.
A couple of weeks ago a group of us ate lunch at the Sunken Gardrens, the younger girls had alcohol hidden in their bags and people were asking for some extra money to get some more beers. Having spoken to people who work in the offices around there, this is pretty regular. O.K, of course I did this as a teenager but not during the middle of the day, every day. I thought the comment about the success of the area s an alcohol free zone was a joke, I imagine that is an offence, however, when anyone calls the police, they say they can’t do anything about it. Even I was moved on as a teenager for drinking alcohol, what makes these kids so different from me??
There are a number of offices around that area and speaking to people that have worked there they are very noisy, lots of screaming and lots of drinking. Isn’t there a law for disturbing the peace or inappropriate public behaviour? Actually, 2 of my friends were arrested by the police for mooning when there was no one around, at 10pm, out of town, but they were caught on camera (again, about 5/6 years ago). I don’t think that’s as bad as swearing at the public and acting aggressively. Is this because we should be treating them softly and not setting them rules?…that’s a lot of change in 5 years.
I’m not saying that all teenagers are bad obviously, but those that act aggresively should be challenged.
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T
I have to say that there are different types of bored teenagers. I used to hang around Beau se Jour, the steps outside Boots, the Bathing Pools and the top of Smith Street. This was about 5 years ago and we never swore at people like I have been sworn at by some of the teenagers that hang around the Sunken Gardens.
A couple of weeks ago a group of us ate lunch at the Sunken Gardrens, the younger girls had alcohol hidden in their bags and people were asking for some extra money to get some more beers. Having spoken to people who work in the offices around there, this is pretty regular. O.K, of course I did this as a teenager but not during the middle of the day, every day. I thought the comment about the success of the area s an alcohol free zone was a joke, I imagine that is an offence, however, when anyone calls the police, they say they can’t do anything about it. Even I was moved on as a teenager for drinking alcohol, what makes these kids so different from me??
There are a number of offices around that area and speaking to people that have worked there they are very noisy, lots of screaming and lots of drinking. Isn’t there a law for disturbing the peace or inappropriate public behaviour? Actually, 2 of my friends were arrested by the police for mooning when there was no one around, at 10pm, out of town, but they were caught on camera (again, about 5/6 years ago). I don’t think that’s as bad as swearing at the public and acting aggressively. Is this because we should be treating them softly and not setting them rules?…that’s a lot of change in 5 years.
Of course I’m not saying that all teenagers are bad, just the abusive ones should be challenged.
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Leave Teens alone, I’m 17, finshed my GCSEs and 2 weeks later started work, been at work for over a year full time! But I like to party and drink etc. Just because some teens do something don’t mean all do.
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We’re not all bad, say ‘drunken, pregnant, unemployed, illiterate’ teens!
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i can t help but to stereo type these teen agers i was walking home with my wife one night, and was attacked for know reason, punched and kicked to the ground, then my wife had to watch as they repeatedly kicked me, little did they relise or cared that i had spent 3weeks in southampton nearological ward recovering from a brain heamorage, they were like a pack of wild animals
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@ wobberler…
Your experience was undoubtedly frightening for you and your wife. I was once the subject of an attack – by a group of black males. Do I think all black males are about to attack me? No, because that would be stereotyping, and would be wrong. In fact, civilisation has recognised that stereotyping is so wrong, that many forms of stereotyping have been made illegal.
So, whilst I sympathise regarding your awful experience, you are being foolish if you allow this to taint your opinion of all teenagers. You need to fight against your urge to stereotype and realise that the group you encountered are a minority.
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DS – Sorry but in life it is difficult not stereotype based on our experiences in life and we will all do it whether it is age, colour, location or other factors such as the football team a group supports.
I lived in London and depending on area, Time of day – depended on whether i carried my keys between my knuckles. If a group of males approached irrespective of colour but on how they looked and age I would be more cautious than a group of businessmen carrying briefcases.
The Gang of 100 behave as a group the same as probably what a group of middle aged footall fans do before an away game…individually they behave one way, as a unit they behave another and get “stereotyped”
Give me a group of 100 Guernsey teenagers over 100 Liverpool fans anyday of the week – am I wrong or am I going on past multiple experiences of stabbings, murders, broken shop windows…but not all Liverpool fans or English fans are the same but we all work in a way we JUDGE on what we see, hear. Wobbeler is not being foolish, he is realistic, careful and unfortunately in society if you go around in a gang and behave as a pack you will be sterotyped.
GP sterotype probably every single day. Is it wrong…no as long as it is still PC
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Well said DS.
As a child you learn do not judge a book by its cover. And people should carry this all the way thru life.
Yes its so easy to say all teenagers are bad, they drink, smoke and swear and this young lady of 18 is pregnant and unemployed, but this young lady might have good grades in school, have a loving family and just hasnt found a job yet, she may have just come out of school we dont know all the facts eh.
If you look back at our parents, my mother was 17 when she had her 1st child, then married my dad at 18 but thats ok as that was 30 odd years ago?! but now its not acceptable? how can we be so two faced? we cant live life with one rule for one, and then a completely new set of rules for the young teenagers on our island.
I think if people listened to them rather than have a go and put them down we’d honestly all have a shock. None of us know how good/bad their home life is. And i certainly do not like people blaming single parent families, thats very unacceptable!
When i was a teenager the kids to watch out for, were from rich, good families! Boys / Ladies College students, those were the ones who were rude, into drugs, all sorts so again we shouldnt judge. I certainly dont look down at college kids because when i was younger they were the bad ones?!
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Vee
For the record, you are so very wrong in many of your assumptions in the 2.27pm posting.
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PC…
Your first line summed the issue up totally:
“Sorry but in life it is difficult not stereotype”
You’re absolutely right, it is difficult. That is why with intelligence you have to separate the urge to stereotype with the obvious need to risk assess each situation you are in. There is a very big difference between looking at a given situation and making a decision that you might not be safe, and stereotyping against a large section of society.
I too have lived in many parts of London, and your observation about carrying keys in your knuckles proves my point: You took into account the time of day, area, and whether the person happened to be a businessman or not. You looked at the situation in it’s entirety and this is very different from stereotyping against a group of people.
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Again with the bored! Come on Jodi. No where to hang out? What about endless youth clubs, endless beaches (that you used in the summer – I see, only suffer from cold weather boredom!), the Guet, the Reservoir, the Parks and Gardens of Guernsey, any number of sports and arts clubs etc.
Jeesh. When I were a lad, way back in the mid 90s, my hanging out was done either at the track or the gym, with lots of mates/training partners and resulted in loads of fun trips away.
And for anyone who moans that it all costs money, yes it did. So I got a job to pay for it. Voila, kept me off the streets some more and gave me work exp at the same time.
Rocket science it aint. But there is loads to do here all year round!
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A group of businessmen carrying briefcases always sends a shiver up my spine.
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Steven
I think you may have bumped into a gang of Icelandic swindlers making off with briefcases full of islanders cash!
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i have 4 kids, im a single mum, now give me hassle. MY KIDS ARE A GRADE STUDENTS, DONT SWEAR AT ME AND THEY RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE, ONE IS EVEN TRAINING TO BE AN OFFICER ,, BUT WAIT !!! 2 OF MINE HANG AT THE GARDENS WITH THEIR FRIENDS TO. NOW ARE YOU GONNA LASH OUT AT ME i dont think so,, when i was younger i used to hang down the bridge, northbeach, the bathing pools and cappells youth club we even had monday club at beau sjeour, but now there is not anywhere for our teens,, yes a club at brock rd,, untill a certain age, then where to after that???? no where!! as long as mine are home by 10pm there chores done, bedrooms tidy and they are happy then im happy
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They were indeed hanging around Crown Pier. Vandalising the newly refurbished toilets, both the mens & womens, this went on for weeks, with the states doing repairs only for them to be damaged again…a great example set by some of the local youngsters…not to mention the anti social behaviour dished out to any unfortunate passers by. No way to be going on.
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I’m 17,
Fulltime Job since leaving school at 16,
Left school with passed GSCE’s,
Drive motorbikes and cars,
Female (if that makes a difference,
So are ALL teenagers like this that are being described in the article? No.
Oh and I’m not a posh stuck up snob. I do swear and drink. But Hey I’m happy with myself I pay for everything and I get my wage and get taxed like everyone else, so please leave teenagers alone, don’t stereotype everyone just because you have such a sorry meaningless existence.
Chewy x
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Thing is, obviously some of these teens are causing trouble. If others don’t want to be stereotyped or grouped in with them, then they should not hang around with them.
@single mum
Point well made! Don’t let your kids hang around there or they could end up single with 4 kids, and an irrepressible desire to type in capitals.
Oh and Chewy, you just did a massive disservice to stereotyped teens everywhere!
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@ Paul
Please explain how my “assumptions” are wrong???!!
Id love to know!
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