So, you think teenagers were unaware that hanging someone from their neck would just “hurt” a child? Yeah, no, I am not buying that. No teenager that is not developmentally disabled (and even some that are) would be unaware of that.

Then you were a rare excellent pre-teen.

I would also like to point out that, in my mind, there are perfectly good reasons for why we have two different words for “mistake” and “crime”. Dyeing my hair blonde at seventeen was a “mistake”.

The stupidest thing I did at thirteen was trying to win over the bullies in my class by being nice to them.

Exactly. Maybe it’s due to knowing that I, a young black girl (at the time, aged 14) was very cognizant of the disadvantages (from society and from the judicial system) that I was saddled with, knew not to do any “dumb shit” like... I don’t know... Trying to hang a smaller child. Plus, there’s that “empathy” thing…

Dear Mark Chase:

“Mistakes” made as a “young child” should not have lifelong consequences. But this wasn’t a “mistake”, and these are not “young child(ren)“. This was attempted murder, terrorism, and a hate crime, committed by young adults, and you should fucking treat it like it’s more serious than a stolen piece of…

I never tried to murder a kid.

I disagree. At 14, you know better than to hang a child. Try them as adults with attempted murder.

The stupidest thing I did at 13 was be mean to my sister. I didn’t try to lynch any little kids.

Yep. I’m appalled by these people in the greys saying saying, “They’re just kids!” Um, and? I was an idiot as a kid, too, but I never tried to fucking kill anyone. I for damn sure never tried to LYNCH A SMALL CHILD.

I’m sorry, but this is unconscionable! The teen or teens attempted to murder this little boy. Sounds like they almost did. This is beyond disgusting. This is NOT some “mistake” .... This is something a severely disturbed teen did to a young boy. I am appalled and enraged. I hope this “teen” is charged with attempted…

Slattery said she was able to recount what happened from her grandson’s 11-year-old sister and other children present (there were no adults)

This isn’t a normal “mistake” made by young children, and unless this behavior is corrected, it very well will haunt them later in life; when the end up fully-grown assholes.  

yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup. At the minimum its assault with a deadly weapon

No. It should follow them the rest of their lives. They literally tried to hang another human being. They are a danger to the society around them, and their parents should be investigated as well.

If you try to lynch someone, you don’t fucking get “protected”.

I agree that mistakes made as minors should not follow you through life. That is why we have juvenile justice system.

Again, just nope.
Firstly, A prof should not delay a class discussion because a couple of students 'feel strongly about racial matters.' They can't handle...thinking that much, then again, too effing bad. The rest of the class may have been deeply interested and motivated to finally have a grown-up conversation, and…

I took an Intro to World Religions course in college my senior year (it was that or an upper-level philosophy course). The prof was a former Baptist minister and we had all sorts of very religious students in my class, thinking he was "one of them" and would understand things their way.

Let me get this straight: a black woman tries to teach white men about racism. White men complain. Institution sides with the white men.