> What you're describing in the communities you've been in reminds me
of that first high school, and my memories of that and the subsequent years
of adult life firmly tell me that no amount of education will overcome peer
pressure. Self-discipline is seen as a joke, and self-destruction with
drugs, etc. is seen as a badge of courage.
We didn't move to that community. We stayed 35 miles away and lived in a
small college town. Totally different culture with totally different types
of peer pressure. However, it was VERY important to live on the correct
side of the railroad tracks in Grinnell. Class warfare exists everywhere.
I'm reminded of a situation we had at that church. My wife, the pastor, was
getting death threats so we were getting additional police presence. One
Wednesday evening, the officer came into the building and went downstairs
to where the youth group was meeting. The place instantly cleared out as
all but two kids were bolting for the other exit. She told them to not
bother because she knows where they all live, anyway. LOL. We had only two
rules for our youth group. No selling sex or drugs on the church grounds.
We know both were violated all the time.
One girl, who was really smart and had the world as her oyster got pregnant
in grade 11. My observation to my wife was that she would have four kids by
the time she's 21. She's now 21 and has four kids. She just recently
married the father to one of them, but for the past four years everything
has been paid for by taxpayers.
> My idea of "living on the edge" consists of camping along the edge
of the Grand Canyon.
Nighttime bladder draining sessions CAN be eventful.
AG
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