At dinner last night:

Two waitresses are at the register. One is Mexican (MW), one is white (WW).
The WW says in replay to something the MW says, "Cool beans."
MW says "Excuse me, what did you say."
WW "Cool Beans!"
MW says "Ok, whitey whatever."
WW says "What? Cool beans, like Cool, Good, Awesome."
MW says " Oh I thought you were saying that cause I'm Mexican."
WW "Uh, No?!"

I'm not sure why this struck me funny. I think it was the obvious fact that people are too fast to jump the "are you being racist" bandwagon.
We've been talking alot this week with random people about the VT tragedy. It's so shocking (?) the differences in safety since even when I was in school last. I'm not even sure it's safety, maybe it's the moral fiber, or the take on right and wrong.
I carried a gun in my car every day to school. Every day. It was probably loaded some of the time. I would have NEVER ever thought to walk out there and use it to settle a dispute. No one in my school would have thought to use mine or their own to settle a dispute. Did we fight? Hell yeah. There were a few pretty good knock down drag out's in the halls. A few in classrooms too. When the dust settled we were embarrassed for the fighters. We were a little concerned for them too, because you knew that phone would be ringing at home in a few minutes and the punishment would be worse than anything the school system could muster up.
When you got caught playing a prank you were made to clean it up, all of it. And you would probably be mowing the lawn of the persons house you TP'd until you were 18.
I guess it boils down to taking responsibility for your actions and being willing to pay the consequences. What happened to teaching that to our kids? Have we become so fearful of what other people will think of our parenting skills to worry about how this child, who's life we are molding, will turn out. I am not always the best parent. I let things slide I shouldn't sometimes. But I will yank my son up my the bootstraps in front of God and everyone if he deserves it. I still remember my mom literally kicking my ass on main street one day in front of everyone there.
Surprise! While you may think everyone will rain down on you for disciplining little Susy or Tommy in public, you may find thank yous and pats on the back instead.
Please. Hug your child. Love your child. Discipline your child. You are making a better person. One who will hopefully know the difference between right and wrong and be embarrassed for those who don't.