Opinion
“Never ruin an apology with an excuse” ~ Ben Franklin.
“True repentance,” or merely “excuse-making?”
On 23 Mar 24 in Texas, a twelve-year-old boy entered the garage of an elderly woman and precipitously stabbed her (nearly to death).
The woman surely would have died had her own son not checked on her a short time later.
The perpetrator was arrested the same day.
The mother of the boy who did the stabbing was subsequently interviewed.
She claims her son “struggles with mental-health problems” She continues, “He’s just a boy… we learn from our mistakes”
Curiously, she expresses not a whisper of sympathy for the permanently disabled/disfigured victim of her son’s vicious attack.
So, a savage attempted murder is now a “mistake!”
A “mistake” is when we forget to dot the “i” or cross the “t.” Attempted murder is not a “mistake.” It’s a crime, and we don’t call murderers “mistake-makers.”
We call them “criminals!”
“Repentance” describes a deliberate, positive, self-imposed change in attitude and behavior. True repentance is very rare. “Excuse-making,” which is much more common, merely solicits sympathy for willful misbehavior, which will obviously continue.
Violent criminal behavior is now being routinely rationalized, explained/excused away as being due to “mental health problems.”
So, a murderous knife-wielding attacker is actually “an (otherwise) nice guy, who just had ‘mental issues’ that day.”
The lie thus begins!
“… no trouble losing, when you have a good excuse… all you gotta do is learn to feel sorry for yourself, one of the best indoor sports… a sport enjoyed by all, especially born losers.” ~ Bert Gordon (played by George C Scott) to “Fast Eddie” Felson (played by Paul Newman) in the 1961 feature film, “The Hustler”.
More thoughts on excuse-making, from a renowned circuit judge, now retired:
“I heard that excuse from nearly every defendant, in every case, no matter the crime.
When asked what they were thinking at the time, the answer was always:
‘I made a mistake’
It was the universal excuse for all things, and criminal defendants clearly thought I would then reply:
‘Oh! Okay! Never mind then’
Because, it always worked for them before!
Made me angry!
So then (prior to sentencing), we would have this discussion about the difference between a ‘mistake’ and an ‘intentional bad act.’
It was a real revelation for a few.
Most still didn’t get it!”
“Excuses are merely nails used to build a house of failure” ~ Habeeb Akande.
/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor, John Farnam will urge you, based on your beliefs, to make up your mind about what you would do when faced with an imminent lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance if any. Defense Training International wants to ensure that its students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or in-actions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to Planet Earth. Mr. Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com
John,
Thanks for a very timely article.
Kids are NOT stupid. They are very aware that Juvie court is soft, and that it’s a very high bar for adolescents and even teenagers to wind up in adult courts. The “it’s a bad day, I just made a mistake… so sorry” lines don’t say anything beyond “DARN, I got CAUGHT!!! I’m really a good kid who had an oops, I really deserve a pass on this one…”
the 12 yo left, came back with gloves on and a knife and then attempted to murder a neighbor? why was the kid able to play without supervision if he is that mentally unstable? the rest of the neighborhood needs to know who he is to protect themselves from a similar attack.
garages are full of items that could be used to defend yourself and i surely would have done so, kid or not. you have a knife in your hand your life is in jeopardy.
I will lay a pile of full ounce gold pieces against a stale donut this kid never had his little hiney warmed up because he “had an oopsie”. God’s Word declares that to spare he rod WILL spoil the child. He also COMMANDS this: FATHERS teach your children. And the poohbahs rulig the big cities winder why there is so much crime in their little fiefdoms. Stats reveal that the vast majority of hardened criminals grw up in households WITHOUT an EFFECTIVE father figure in the home. Sure, he might nip round once or twice a month to donate another… Read more »
This is covered, not only by the Ben Franklin quote at the top, but also by the old saying: “The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree”. Likely the mother has a long history as a criminal herself!
“He’s just a boy… we learn from our mistakes”
WeII, then…..l guess Grandma made the mistake of not having a gun on her person to smoke this IittIe psycho when he tried to kiII her.
I carry at home, many peopIe question why. When a home invasion happens, perps wiII not politely pause whiIe you run upstairs to retrieve your weapon.
OK…. So why isn’t the mother charged because she ‘allowed’ he mentally challenged son to have access to a knife? Isn’t that the new standard for parents of violent children now? I sorta remember some other parents are in jail because their kid got a gun and killed other kids in a school shooting.
it would not be a mistake to put down the kid. yea 12 is young but that only means he has lots and lots more years to kill other people. maybe even you or one of yours. until harsh penalties are applied to criminals crime will not go down. what penalty is it to live better in confinement than at home? it like a vacation to “them”.
Love the quotes you included! Good article, sad society.
This kid is the poster child for the ‘retroactive abortion’ argument.
Didn’t the stupid neighbor say that the boys “didn’t know any better”?
Wow.