Let's Be Real: Reaction To Andrea McCarren's Reports
For the last few nights, we've been blown away by Andrea McCarren's series of reports detailing just serious the problem of underage drinking can be. But tonight, there's something else even more shocking:
It's the reaction to the stories. While many have congratulated Andrea on doing some powerful journalism, many others, including some parents, have been enraged.
Did Andrea make a mistake? Perhaps report something untrue? Nope. They're mad because Andrea McCarren told the truth about some of our kids boozing it up way too young, and now she's on the bad end of some nasty emails and worse. Now as for the angry teenagers, I get it. You want to drink alcohol, and all you can see is some nosy reporter messing up your fun. Honestly! If I was 16 I might feel the same way.
But did you see the parents' reaction when the cops broke up that drunken teenage party in Andrea's story where someone's home had been trashed? Many seemed most angry with police for raiding the place.
And over on Facebook, I saw the reaction play out. 'It's just youthful behavior, kids are gonna drink sometimes. Heck you had a few beers in my day, and I'm okay, right?
Wake up. This isn't 1975, and it was a bad idea back then. You just got lucky. Andrea is doing this series because so many of today's young people have seen their luck run out. Teenagers don't like it. That
I understand.
But from the rest of us, I expected better. Heck, our kids need us to be better.