Do you agree that youth is the hope of our country????

Great discussion! You are sure to get many responses! For MANY generations, the youth has been the hope of the country. Every generation has its own disease, its own vices, its own problems. THIS generation of youth it seems, is a defiant, arrogant, disrespectful bunch of kids. Now don't go jumping down my throat, I am not say ALL kids are like this. My teenagers are GREAT kids. I am sure the majority of kids today ARE basically good kids. Unfortunately you hear more about the tragic story of the unloved youth. Why are my kids great, while many are struggling to find their way, are in jail for murder of a homeless man at age 14, for robbery at age 13? Ask their parents. I believe that if the parents don't give a d@mn about their kids, where they are, what they do, how they act..etc, and don't get any love or discipline at home, then kids don't know how to act properly. They strive for attention, good or bad. The have no respect for themselves or others, or do they respect the lives of another living being. Parents aren't always to blame though. You can do all the right things, and still have a child who feels unworthy and acts out in the same way. The difference is, THOSE parents will do EVERYTHING in their power to help their kids through whatever emotional pain they are going through. We were all young and stupid, did stupid things. We learned from our mistakes and moved on. Most of us turned out to be decent, hardworking, law abiding citizens. My hope, like yours, is that the teens you write about will find their way and can help turn this country around in a positive direction.