Public Vandalism, Private Encouragement
It's mind boggling that parents have not been able to - or see the need to, perhaps because they are unable to recognize that need - instill the values of respect for nature, for public policy and authority in their young.
Mind, there are social institutions of favourable long-standing which have traditionally purported to influence the young in those arenas. One of which is the venerable "Boy Scouts" group whose function it is to teach the young respect, discipline and how meaningfully to observe the best of the natural world around us.
With that combination one wonders how it can be possible that two seventeen-year-old boys, students of Bell High School, both Boy Scouts graduates, could be so devoid of responsibility and native intelligence that they would deliberately set out to defy good order and respect for nature. Armed with an axe, pocketknives, a package of hot dogs and four cans of Dr. Pepper they resolutely set out to enjoy a personal camping experience.
On National Capital Commission property, no less. In other words, on public property controlled and protected by the National Capital Commission. Property that is the inheritance of all Canadians. Natural sites of beauty and national pride meant to be enjoyed and protected for the entire population.
They bicycled from their homes in Crystal Bay toward the Ottawa River close to a bird sanctuary, Shirleys Bay, with the intention of adventurously 'roughing it'; camping out for the day. They discovered, they said a 'fire pit', a circle of stones which had clearly been used by others in the past to make a camp fire.
Which, on NCC land is forbidden, other than for legitimate sites where there are proper barbecue pits installed, where they are deemed to be safe, in designated areas not thought of as a threat to the surroundings should a fire get out of control.
As they were proceeding with their plans it began to rain A nearby resident had contacted the NCC to alert them that smoke had been seen in the area around Shirleys Bay. Two conservation officers responded, to discover that the boys had chopped down four ten-foot trees to build a shelter from the rain.
One of the boys, Robert Desjardine, claimed they were dead poplars; the NCC officers identified the trees as live birch and cherry trees.
When the mother of Robert Desjardine was contacted by the NCC officers she described the situation as "laughable". They're 17-year-old boys and you read in the paper about stabbings and drugs... They were just going out spending a couple of hours cooking hot dogs and having some Dr. Pepper. Really, it was pretty innocent." That, of course, is her opinion.
The 'boys will be boys' attitude, and it's all good clean fun may wash with parents who cannot bother teaching their children civic responsibility and respect for public property, but it's the wrong attitude. It's hard to believe that two 17-year-olds, both of whom had nine years of Boy Scout training, had no knowledge of the illegality of vandalism, which was what they were indulging in.
No big deal, although the boys are decidedly unhappy that they've been given a $125 fine. Replacement costs for what they destroyed, to begin with. And perhaps a heads-up that they've plenty to learn about good citizenship. It's clear they won't be learning it from their parents. And it's puzzling that the Boy Scouts failed so decidedly in this area.
Mind, there are social institutions of favourable long-standing which have traditionally purported to influence the young in those arenas. One of which is the venerable "Boy Scouts" group whose function it is to teach the young respect, discipline and how meaningfully to observe the best of the natural world around us.
With that combination one wonders how it can be possible that two seventeen-year-old boys, students of Bell High School, both Boy Scouts graduates, could be so devoid of responsibility and native intelligence that they would deliberately set out to defy good order and respect for nature. Armed with an axe, pocketknives, a package of hot dogs and four cans of Dr. Pepper they resolutely set out to enjoy a personal camping experience.
On National Capital Commission property, no less. In other words, on public property controlled and protected by the National Capital Commission. Property that is the inheritance of all Canadians. Natural sites of beauty and national pride meant to be enjoyed and protected for the entire population.
They bicycled from their homes in Crystal Bay toward the Ottawa River close to a bird sanctuary, Shirleys Bay, with the intention of adventurously 'roughing it'; camping out for the day. They discovered, they said a 'fire pit', a circle of stones which had clearly been used by others in the past to make a camp fire.
Which, on NCC land is forbidden, other than for legitimate sites where there are proper barbecue pits installed, where they are deemed to be safe, in designated areas not thought of as a threat to the surroundings should a fire get out of control.
As they were proceeding with their plans it began to rain A nearby resident had contacted the NCC to alert them that smoke had been seen in the area around Shirleys Bay. Two conservation officers responded, to discover that the boys had chopped down four ten-foot trees to build a shelter from the rain.
One of the boys, Robert Desjardine, claimed they were dead poplars; the NCC officers identified the trees as live birch and cherry trees.
When the mother of Robert Desjardine was contacted by the NCC officers she described the situation as "laughable". They're 17-year-old boys and you read in the paper about stabbings and drugs... They were just going out spending a couple of hours cooking hot dogs and having some Dr. Pepper. Really, it was pretty innocent." That, of course, is her opinion.
The 'boys will be boys' attitude, and it's all good clean fun may wash with parents who cannot bother teaching their children civic responsibility and respect for public property, but it's the wrong attitude. It's hard to believe that two 17-year-olds, both of whom had nine years of Boy Scout training, had no knowledge of the illegality of vandalism, which was what they were indulging in.
No big deal, although the boys are decidedly unhappy that they've been given a $125 fine. Replacement costs for what they destroyed, to begin with. And perhaps a heads-up that they've plenty to learn about good citizenship. It's clear they won't be learning it from their parents. And it's puzzling that the Boy Scouts failed so decidedly in this area.
Labels: Environment, Social-Cultural Deviations
posted by Pieface @ 5:49 PM
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