Link between Macho Culture and Violent Boys

In the book "I don’t want to talk about it", Terrence Real provides a road map to the hidden emotional life of boys and men. He traces the links between masculine culture and covert depression, and the detour sadness takes to become violence. How awful that by burying their feelings in silence and then externalizing them through aggression and addiction, these sad and hurt boys (troubled teens) find a way to get through the day. As he speaks about one of his teen patients, Real reports, “A life-time of inattention to his emotions and his relationships was perched precariously over a childhood of profound psychological neglect.”

That’s what the future holds for aggressive boys if they are not helped to reconnect with their emotions and see clearly the role these feelings play in producing their acts of violence and thus wrecking their lives. This redirection can happen for boys, but it takes a lot of work and a lot of skilled psychological and spiritual leadership. Financial cuts to mental health services in schools and juvenile detention facilities and the secular nature of most programs put this desperately needed leadership in short supply. It is a major public policy issue for citizen and governments to address.

Should Teens Have the Right to Vote

Programs 4 Troubled Teens.com

Topic: Should Teens Have the Right to Vote?

I believe that the sooner we engage our young men and women in the voting process the better citizens we will produce. The United States Goverment requires 16 years olds to pay taxes when they work. Shouldn't these same taxpayers have a right to vote where and how there money is spent?

Regarding one of the biggest tax issues that are country faces is: Education. 16 year-olds are much more effected by the outcome of the issues surrounding education than perhaps anyone else in the country. Shouldn't they have a voice regarding these issues?

Regarding the amount of money that is spent (or not spent) on the safety and viability of our environment, 16 year-olds have a greater stake in the outcome than 21-91 year olds, since one they will be around longer and will see the results of misguided policies more than anyone else plus who in our nation has more stamina and hands-on understanding of our nation's beautiful lands (or destroyed lands depending on where you look). Not to mention that more 16 year olds live in there place of origin than any other age group.

Last argument regarding eligibility of 16 year olds. Do not many 16 year olds get tried and convicted in our judicial system. And if we have decided that 16 is adult enough to stand trial then shouldn't 16 be old enough to vote?

The government agrees in theory that 16 year olds are presumed to have enough knowledge to vote. The voting rights act of 1965 states that anyone with a 6th grade education is presumed to have the "literacy, comprehension, and intelligence to vote in any election." 42 U.S.C. 1971 (c). Shouldn't 16 year-olds be given the option to step-up to vote. Even if it inspires some to become even more literate and educated so that they can cast a ballot that supports there positions.