Respect and Discipline, where have you gone?

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Indeed, where have they gone? With every day that passes, I feel that these three words loose their definition, as if I am the only one who understands the meaning and uphold them. I find this especially true in children. Parents today provide a lack of, or all together just fail to discipline their children anymore. Being twenty one myself, childhood still seems like it was yesterday and I have to say, if I did the things I see children doing today, I would either go deaf or have trouble sitting down. To me, this new generation of parents and children is a plague. You see them everywhere, you hear them everywhere and usually it is not too nice to take in. What am I getting at? Well, I'll give you an example from one of my experiences that I feel will define this discussion. A few weeks ago while working(I work in a grocery store), I was approached by an older woman(60's). She had an obvious distressed look upon her face, so I asked"Could I help you with something Ma'm?". She gently holds her fingers on the side of her head and starts"Yes, there were just some kids throwing a frisbee in aisle 17 and it hit me in the head". When I asked her if she had seen the child's parents, she stated that they had observed it, she commented to them and nothing was done. After hearing this, I immediately went to seek out these children and their parents. They were no longer in aisle 17, however it only took seconds for me to spot a frisbee sliding across the floor. As it came to a stop, a boy(probably about 10) ran up, picked the frisbee up and resumed the activity. He threw it to another boy(guessing his brother), with no regard to my presence(dressed up in uniform, I think I would stand out). So eager to make a point, I waited for the next toss, when I slipped between them and caught it mid air. They started moving away, until I let out in a definitive tone"Come here!". I began asking them(in a calm tone now) if they thought what they were doing was right, if they were allowed to do that inside their house ect. I had not gotten far, when I was approached by the mother. I thought to myself "finally, someone to take them off my hands". However, she did just the opposite, she started attacking ME(not physically)!! I argued with her, told her about the situation with the older woman, but still she was convinced her children had done no wrong! Knowing she would not budge, I said something along the lines of "People don't know how to raise kids anymore" and walked to my manager's office. I told him about the ordeal, and to check the cameras if he did not believe me(knowing this mother would probably want to get me fired). Anyway, next day I find out that she did in fact confront him and she told him a fairy tale - In the end I got in trouble&suspended for a day. Sorry about the long story, but I feel that it defines this new generation of kids and their parents. I stand up for an elderly woman, having heard "respect your elders" my entire life. Yet I get punished for doing so? I could go on for days, and I'll probably pick this back up. Anyway, tell me what you all think about this subject and about any similar experiences you may have had!