Susan - well said!

As you said, each group has to top the previous group. Once drawing on a shirt was fun, but after awhile it needs something bigger.

I still stand by the mob mentality statement.   I do think that sane individuals can be pushed over the brink when they act in packs. What would seem unthinkable suddenly becomes reality when driven with a mob.

I also wonder how the entire afternoon escalated.   The video that played on the news was only a snippet of the event at it's peak. What else went on during that afternoon to bring it to such a frenzy?

We can blame the media, we can blame alchol, we can blame the parents - and essentially ALL were factors.   I don't think it is fair to focus on their age. I've been to events such as a wedding where fights break out for no apparent reason - among adults who know better. A few years ago I was in a supermarket and watched two middleage men get into a slap fight (it really looked silly) because one man beat the other to the checkout counter.   Human nature is that we all try to top one another. That is one of the reasons why all of us like to vent our opinions.   There was the terrible incident at a parade in NYC a few years ago where women were fondled and worse.   Look at all the looting that goes on after events such as the NBA finals. Are we witnessing "bad" people using an opportunity or are we seeing something deeper coming out in the "comfort" of a mob.

What we saw was a disgrace. The kids need to be punished.   I just caution those of us that want to throw stones to take a deeper look at what the root of the problem is.

Ron