Taking Responsibility for Kids’ Actions

* Re: “Trial Seeks Eviction for Alleged Gang Ties,” April 5:

One word comes to mind--responsibility. Are not the parents of minor children responsible for the damages caused by those children? How many times have I read where a parent just doesn’t seem to want to take on that parental responsibility, saying: “I work, I have to make a living, I just don’t have the time to watch after my children.”

Well, people, you took the time to have them--or perhaps you don’t have any responsibility there either? Someone else made you have them.

The time has come for each and everyone of us to take responsibility for our own actions and stop blaming everyone else. Parents, if you can’t watch after your children--your No. 1 responsibility--and they become gang members, destroy other people’s property or, worse, kill someone, then you have vacated and denied that responsibility and are liable for the consequences.

If putting you out of your rented or owned home to meet your parental responsibility is required, then so be it. If you must do community service or jail time along with your wayward child, then so be it. If the only way to strike a point is to make you suffer from loss of work or your precious time, then so be it.

We have to start somewhere to correct parents’ lack of responsibility for the actions of their offspring.

TERRY TIMMONS

Fillmore