Friday, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

Newark New Jersey has long been know as a dangerous city, overwhelmed with poverty and attendant violence. The crime rate is high with gangs, drugs and out of control criminals. Anyone living in the New York area will tell you that they approach that city cautiously - and rarely at night. Reading about a murder in Newark and the surrounding area (Patterson, eg) is just not a shocking event. But the execution of four college bound teenagers last week set a new standard of horror for this city.

The suspects under arrest in the crime include an adult accused molester and a 15-year-old acquaintance. The police are still hunting three other teenagers in the crime. No matter how sympathetic a person is about the sad impact of urban poverty, these guys are poster children for the death penalty. And I am sure that the full force of the state will descend upon their evil heads.

That said and done, however, when will we begin requiring that the parents of these demons also make the perp walk? How is a 15 year old, armed with a gun allowed by his family to be out in the streets late at night doing murders? Where are his mother and father? Are they now home weeping and wringing their hands that they "lost their kids to the streets and the gangs and there was nothing they could do?"

I have heard this excuse before and it is nothing more than disgraceful, disingenuous whining. When these parents were holding their cooing infant son at the hospital are we to believe that they were they unaware of the long term responsibilities that lie ahead? Ah, I do’t think so! Anyone who lives in our society,  watches the news or sitcoms gets the essential drill about parenting. Information abounds about the rigors of parenting. No matter where you live there are people all around at the schools, churches and in the neighborhood who can teach you, support you and come to your aid. But no, the story is too often that the parents are themselves tainted by drugs and miscreant behavior. They simply have children and then when it gets hard they set them loose on the rest of their community.

Taking full control of your children is not up for negotiation. It’s what we expect of pet owners. We must also demand the same control of  your pit bull teenagers before you unleash them on the rest of us. Because guess what - the families of the murdered kids did exactly what they were supposed to do - they raised terrific kids on their way to college!

Arrest the parents for complicity in these murders and have them serve time with their psychopathic children!