Unruled Frontier?

Last week the nation was shocked by the tragic suicide of Tyler Clementi. The circumstances surrounding the awful episode were even more disturbing. Clementi's roommate and one other student are accused of using a hidden camera to catch Clementi in what he thought was a private moment in his room with another man. This video was then posted on the internet for the world to see. Clementi was mortified and felt, I suppose, unable to deal with the situation, so he took his own life.

While I can somewhat understand the mortification and the reaction of the young man, though I wish he'd chosen a different solution, it is hard for me, an admitted "old man" of forty-five, to understand the cruelty and callousness of the other two young people accused in this episode. I am still at Union Middle School in good old Union, Missouri. This year I am working in the OCS Room (that's off campus suspension for you in Kansas). Yesterday I spent the last thirty minutes talking to my five boys and one girl about why they think their generation can be so "mean" or "cruel." I was a bit surprised at the "straight" answers that they gave me.

"We don't know right from wrong and aren't told or shown by anyone."

"Kids today don't have any discipline."

"They get away with acting disrespectful and their parents let them."

The kids I have did not shirk from responsibility as they agreed that they, too, at times, were guilty of these same things. They seemed to be wanting a bit more structure and rules. I then sought their opinions on the internet and facebook. Should there be rules for what is posted? I think about Kimber and those of her generation. They are so much more technologically advanced than I am. The kids in my OCS class can set up and "fix" computers far better than I can. I know that I am out of my league discussing technology and may be like "Don Quixote," but I think there should be some basic internet rules. My young kids agreed. Here is what we came up with. Consider them...

1. Do not post anything on the internet that would bring harm or embarrassment to someone else. The Biblical injunction for this is clear. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Matthew 7:12). "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs" (Ephesians 4:29).

2. Post things that have something to say. The idea here is to elevate the level of discussion. Too much trash enters the mind through the internet. Don't be a distributor of trash. Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:8 to think on things that are "lovely," excellent," "true," "noble" and "praiseworthy." Our minds and our posts ought to reflect the same standard.

These are two basic rules that a little OCS class in the small town of Union, MO agreed would help. I know it is a bit like "tilting at windmills," but to erase cruelty one person at a time might help. I hope you think about it. In Room 6 of the SRC, we will.

Thanks for reading...