Oh for Christ sake. Here comes the Barrington bashing.

All I can say is, thank God no one was killed or hurt.

Why can't the headline read "Barrington man hits telephone poles"? Technically, he can still be called a teenager, but the reality is that at 18 he is an adult.

I'm sure "teenager" sells more papers, but come on. This just adds to the bashing.

Let the bashing begin! If it was a 45 year old guy, no one would care. This was already on the news. Thankfully the boy wasn't hurt. So next time I log on, there will be 95 comments talking about the "bad parenting" in Barrington......can't wait!

Yeah the times should just whitewash over the facts.....I'm from and live in Barrington and these kids are irresponsible morons! Do you have to get behind the wheel when you drive? The town is small enough where you can walk from end to end safely at any time of night....If you're too drunk to drive, irregardless of your age, walk or call for a ride..This kid is lucky he wasn't killed or hurt someone else...Its the beginning of graduation party time and these kids have to be responsible and held accountable for their actions!

I was being sarcastic about the "whitewash" comments....

It doesn't matter that 18 is an adult its still under 21. Yes it would be less of a headline if he were 45 because that's over 21. What is so terribly difficult to understand about not drinking under 21.

I am happy that Alex was not seriously hurt and noone else was involved. I will pray for the Graves family. Hopefully, Chief LaCross and the media will not humiliate the family. This is a very difficult time for them and the humiliation will not help. It is not just teens that must be careful with alcohol. Alcohol is a very dangerous drug. Let's try to come up with solutions instead of condemnations..

Underage drinking is a crime. Drinking and driving is a crime. These are choices that can often lead to tragic (but, absolutely preventable) consequences. We (as a community) all need to work harder to prevent and reduce this behavior.

Really, it''s not the Cheif or the police or the paper that is humiliating the family, it's Alex himself.

Keep up that great attitude of not accepting responsibility and teaching general lack of respect for law, safety, property, etc.--by the headlines this past year, it's working!!

You know, we could avoid all this embarrassment and humility by just dropping the drinking age to, say 16, and serve beer in the lunch rooms at school and work. Then, the deaths, injuries, jail times, will all be the fault of the police and lawmakers, and never have to face the problem of addressing underage drinking/driving in a parental or responsible role.

Then, we can all bash the awful lawmakers instead of Barrington. Let's do it! Petition anyone? "Decriminalize Underage Drinking"

No one said to decriminalize underage drinking, just stop Barrington bashing and blaming parents when the kids screw up. Kids screw up in every town, everywhere.......but come on...it doesn't make headlines.

I don't understand why some of you think the Times is bashing Barrington. Isn't underage drinking a crime? Isn't it the parents responsibility to teach their kids right from wrong?

This is a small town with a small newspaper covering the local news. A drunk teen speeding down a sleepy road, smashing telephone poles and crashing through a fence IS NEWS in a small town. If a teen did this in Warren, it would be reported. Same thing with Bristol, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Little Compton, etc.

There was a motorcycle crash in Westport resulting in a death. Isn't that news? If Barrington residents (or the ones on here) spent less #*&%@ing about "Barrington Bashing" and more time coming up with solutions to this problem, then maybe we wouldn't see as many headlines.

Now, thankfully, he wasn't seriously hurt or injured others. BUT COME ON! Every week something like this happens! Wake up Barrington.

Oh come on..this was headlining news the other night. There have been several other accidents lately as well as say....people killing their babies etc.......none of which was headline news. When it happens in barrington, its the top story. The media scrutiny is just ridiculous. Yes these kids are making mistakes. Yes the parents need to be more involved...but when I hear "another rich kid gets drunk and gets in an accident'..it makes me sick. Who cares what their financial situation is? This town is portrayed as a bunch of uncontrollable drunk teenagers, driving expensive cars that were given to them by their parents, and the parents, well they are out socializing and ignoring their kids. They throw money at the kids to get rid of them. So not true. When people find out that I live in Barrington the first thing I hear is " oh you have alot of alcoholic teenagers down there".....come on.....

Well, when a Barrington resident kills a baby then it will get print. Or when a Portsmouth resident gets drunk and kills 5 people... wait from what you say, that wouldn't be news. Or maybe its not news if it happens in Barrington.

What part of local newspaper covering local news don't you understand. Projo, ABC, NBC, etc. covers statewide. Unless its a huge story, it won't get covered. That is why we have local newspapers which can cover what is happening in our town.

You are right, that is why we have local papers...to cover what is happening in ALL of our towns.

The issue is how it is covered. When something happens in Barrington, it is usually a front page (or top scrolling), in depth article, complete with pictures. When similar things happen in other towns, more often than not, it is a blurb in a police log (teen theft, underage drinking parties, for example). That is what many are talking about here.

And the generalizations. People log on and post some of the most ridiculous statements. "EVERY (parent, teen - you pick) in Barrington is (you fill in the blank)." Any reasonable person knows that that is just silly.

IF and when a story is actually "covered" in another town, I never see the "bashing". Why is that? I think that there are a lot of people out there, for whatever their personal reasons are, just don't like Barrington, and love the opportunity to put them down. I wonder if by knocking Barrington, they some how feel better about themselves? That is usually why people "kick someone when they are down". People who are comfortable with who they are usually have compassion for others.

Paix143 - Then its the users of this that are bashing Barrington and not the paper. I subscribe to Bristol and usually pick up Barrington. I don't see a big difference in the reporting of these types of stories. The Cabral story was a huge story in Bristol.

But I've noticed over the years of reading the Times and living in the area that Barrington doesn't have a lot crime. But there are a lot of teen drinking & driving incidents. You can only report on what news is happening in Town.

I can see, though, how it may appear that the Times is only reporting stories like these but these incidents are taking place.

I do agree that some users are guilty of bashing. And using the term "bashing" to describe what the Times does is not the best descriptor.

Using your example, the Cabral story, I would agree that there was not a difference in the reporting. But the East Bay Newspaper does not report all the teen infractions that happen in the rest of the towns they cover IN SUCH GREAT DETAIL as they do in Barrington. I think that we can all agree on that. I have read the police logs in other towns. Thefts, underage drinking parties, possession of alcohol and not a word written, no pictures, nothing - just the police log.

Why is there an article written when a Barrington teen steals something but not when a Bristol teen steals something? Or are caught at an underage drinking party?

It has the appearance of bias. News is news, no matter what town it happens in. If it is "news" when a Barrington teen does something wrong, then I am of the opinion that is it "news" when a teen who doesn't live in Barrington does the same thing.

When I first said Barrington bashing way up top, my meaning was all the people who love to jump out and rub your nose in these tragic stories.

I am not ashamed to say that yes as a town we need to find a way to help our children to learn the lessions of these past unnesessary tragedies.

Once again, thank God no one was killed or hurt this time.

There are multiple issues here.

1. underage (21) drinking

2. Drinking and Driving (by teens and adults)

3. Abuse of Alcohol (by teens and adults)

4. Media, Public and Police reaction to teen drinking.

5. Rhode Island's response to Barrington teen issues.

6. The East Bay times keeping one news story (about teen misconduct) on the front page and front news online for 3- 4 weeks post incident.

*************

If this story is factual, Alex is wrong and in my opinion should lose his license for 6 months, he should have to pay a fine and should do community service. It is important that Alex and not his parents pays for this alcohol related incident.

I am just hoping that instead of calling Alex and his parents names and embarassing them (without knowing all the facts), that we recognize and that we try to come up with solutions and not act like A**hoes, or that we or our family members have never done anything wrong. I also ask that the Barrington Times take this story off the front page after 1-2 weeks (max).

Paix143 - I do see your point. I still don't think the paper is being bias towards Barrington but I can see why it looks like it. A lot of the other papers usual has is either in the police report or a brief story. But news is news and they are reporting on it and can display it in the paper the way they want.

Though, all these drinking issues week after week is something that Barrington residents should be concerned with. Every town has underage drinking but there seems to be way more accidents happening in Barrington.

What do you (people on this board) think would help fix this problem? Do you think Barrington being a dry town has a factor to this? Do you think more accidents happen due to area teens having cars?

Since they always seem to choose to make a story about a Barrington teen front page, and rarely even write an article about other towns teens problems unless they are really, really, bad (usually involving a death), I can't help but feel the way I do. I am not so sure that other towns don't have similar problems, they just don't the attention that Barrington does from the media.

I don't see what being a dry town has to do with teens drinking, but that's just me. And I'm not sure what the second question is. Do you mean, having their own cars? I believe all the recent accidents were kids driving their parent's cars. Or do you mean raising the driving age?

Paix: you think maybe they always write about Barrington and not about other town is because, oh, I dont know, these crimes all happen in Barrington and not in the other towns?

I told you before Metal, I can't keep responding to your crazy thinking. Please stop this. I have no interest.

crazy? How are facts crazy? Barrington has at least 1 underage DUI accident each week. Not even Warwick or Pawtucket can boast those figures.

Yup, at LEAST ONE A WEEK, sometimes 10 or 20 a week. You're right metal. Now will you stop?

Are there any adults here? This is behavior of adolescents.

First off this is a public board, you do not like what is written do not respond. Second every single person here is entitled to his or her opinion and no one has a right to ask anyone to "stop" posting them.

Third, if this story had happened in my community I am certain that it would be plastered on the front page as well. What do you expect to be on the front page of the Barrington times, a Bristol teen story? Come on now!

Actually, I do have a right to ask someone to stop asking me ridiculous questions. I responded to a question posed directly to me. Second, if you read the comment you would see that it was not an "opinion", the person stated "How are FACTS crazy?" Sorry, not the facts.

Third, if you read my posts you would see that I was not referring to this story. Here let me refresh your memory.

"Using your example, the Cabral story, I would agree that there was not a difference in the reporting. But the East Bay Newspaper does not report all the teen infractions that happen in the rest of the towns they cover IN SUCH GREAT DETAIL as they do in Barrington. I think that we can all agree on that. I have read the police logs in other towns. Thefts, underage drinking parties, possession of alcohol and not a word written, no pictures, nothing - just the police log."

Please read thru all the posts before you respond. It will save us all time and will allow the people with civilized, relevant responses to converse.

Paix, you make absolutely no sense what-so-ever.

You're "right" is to not respond. This is a public board and if someone poses a question to you and you do not wish to engage in that conversation it's as simple as not responding.

I am not in agreement with you. Several years ago my community had a teen drinking and driving accident and it was on the front page of the times for three weeks in a row. Is it our communities fault that it hasn't happened since or are you suggesting the times simply doesn't cover it if it does? Is there a conspiracy we do not know about?

By all appearances you have plenty of time to engage in argumentative conversation here. I do not need your permission to post a response. Perhaps there are those of us who do not find your responses civil or relevant but you're entitled to post them.

Sorry you cannot understand what I am saying.

I have a right to respond if I choose to. You do not make the rules.

I will try this again. Please READ this. This is my quote.

"Using your example, the Cabral story, I would agree that there was NOT a difference in the reporting. But the East Bay Newspaper does not report all the teen infractions that happen in the rest of the towns they cover IN SUCH GREAT DETAIL as they do in Barrington. I think that we can all agree on that. I have read the police logs in other towns. Thefts, underage drinking parties, possession of alcohol and not a word written, no pictures, nothing - just the police log."

I am not going to respond to the insults as "This is behavior of adolescents."

He must of been Driving mommy and Daddy's car. Figures you teens in barrington never learn!! HOw many underage drunk driveing cases do you here in warren? See were good people who arn't stubborn and don't listen!

Oh Jburns, it's just the media picking on those poor Barrington kids again.

That is how some people would like us all to perceive it, however, those of us who live in and have knowledge of our communities know this is not a weekly occurrence in our towns. So we must be doing "something" right. When they get tired of their black eye they'll get off their behinds and do something about it.

We have people here complaining about "infractions" opposed to misdemeanor offenses punishable by jail time. They're not one in the same!

I see the same old arguments here over and over with each Barrington story, yet it continues week after week. Who is to blame? Certainly someone is!?! Oh wait, it's the East Bay news for reporting a crime!

This is the society we live in today, we're in deep trouble.

Yup, "justmyopinion2", it's a weekly occurrence in Barrington, no, wait sometimes it happens 10 or 20 times a week (deja vu???). LOL! Good job!

"That is how some people would like us all to perceive it, however, those of us who live in and have knowledge of our communities know this is not a weekly occurrence in our towns."

No it's the Kids Fault! How do you even get away with saying it's the medias fault. The only reason they pick on barrington because It's always in the news! They just do their Job. Kid's in Barrington just want to get drunk. They never felt the wrath of Lori Nunes that's why. Look at what happened with Justin Nunes. He died she went and preached her sons story to protect everyone and it worked. Kids in Barrington are to ignorant to listen ENOUGH! JUST STOP!

I was siding with you Jburns, I am in total agreement with you, 100%!

If their community HAD a Lori Nunes who didn't let her son die in vain then perhaps something would be done about it.

However all those here defending Barrington have no idea that the legislators have used Barrington as an example to toughen underage drinking and driving along with underage possession.

See what happens when you work for a Law Firm, my eyes have been opened to a lot of things that people looking in from the outside just cannot see. When Barrington parents stop hiring lawyers to "protect" their children and make then accountable for their own actions maybe, just maybe progress in that town will be made!!!

One more time...

"Using your example, the Cabral story, I would agree that there was NOT a difference in the reporting. But the East Bay Newspaper does not report all the teen infractions that happen in the rest of the towns they cover IN SUCH GREAT DETAIL as they do in Barrington. I think that we can all agree on that. I have read the police logs in other towns. Thefts, underage drinking parties, possession of alcohol and not a word written, no pictures, nothing - just the police log."

What about those statements don't you understand?

And again...Here is a direct quote. "Kid's in Barrington just want to get drunk."

"ENOUGH! JUST STOP!" with the ridiculous generalizations.

Your argument doesn't hold water Paix, what part of that do you not comprehend???

They're NOT ridiculous generalizations and the deaths as well as the DUI accidents are a testament to that!!

Well there you go. You are right again. "Barrington has at least 1 underage DUI accident each week" and "Kid's in Barrington just want to get drunk."

Wow, you are really smart.

You didn't know....ridiculous generalizations are the TRUTH!

Story ran in the Providence Journal in 2007.

I think this says it ALL!!

Barrington tops state in teen alcohol cases

01:14 PM EDT on Wednesday, April 11, 2007

By Edward Fitzpatrick

Journal Staff Writer

Barrington, a town that regularly ranks at the top in median household income and average college-admission scores, is also number one when it comes to Family Court cases involving liquor-law violations by teenagers.

Between January 2000 and December 2006, Family Court handled 90 violations involving Barrington cases of possession of alcohol by a minor.

Police Detective Josh Birrell looks over liquor confiscated from teens in the past six months, at the Barrington Police Station.

The Providence Journal / Ruben W. Perez

That was double the next highest total; Warwick and Woonsocket each had 45 liquor-law violations involving teenagers during those years. And Providence, with contains 10 times more people than Barrington’s population of 16,819, had 44 liquor-law violations involving teens in that time frame, according to Family Court data.

Really????, April, 2007????? Yeah, that's relevant. Why don't you post the real estate numbers from 2007? They're relevant too...LOL

?????????????? These late night posts...

Maybe Paix should read this story and get a little insight about the "problem"

If you want to know why the media jumps on a story like this in Barrington maybe it's to bring awareness to the problem, why would anyone get angry about that??

http://www.rimonthly.com/Rhode-Island-Monthly/May-2008/Driven-to-Drink/

Why thanks paix. Just face it, there are responsible teens and unseasonable teen who just smoke pot and get drunk at party's/

Thanks for being on my side justmyopinion

and by the way thanks for calling us smart! A tenth Grade education from mt.hope high school is one of the top five in rhode island. Barrington should come up with a group....Students against drunk driving....wait theyd only have like 25 kids out of the rest of the school

I shouldnt say that about the rest of those kids...sorry.

Anyways opinion is right! 2007 isn't that long ago. just add about 3 or 4 casses to that story and you get 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay Paix, I can see why no one on these blogs likes you.

The year shouldn't matter, nothing has changed between now and then, in fact it has progressively gotten worse.

You live in your little fantasy land and see what good that does to these Barrington teens who have a long life ahead of them providing they don't kill someone and spend the rest of it in jail.

You do not care about the problem, you only care about defending them!

Yup, again you are right. NOTHING has changed between April 2007 and now.

Again, you guys are really, really smart.

"Barrington has at least 1 underage DUI accident each week"

"Kid's in Barrington just want to get drunk."

"Barrington should come up with a group....Students against drunk driving....wait theyd only have like 25 kids out of the rest of the school"

Priceless...

One word for you Paix, DENIAL!!

You continue to live in it, I have sympathy for those parents who stand on the side of their child's coffin saying goodbye much to soon!!

I know how that feels, can you say the same?

Sadly, yes I can. But the difference between you and me is compassion. I do not throw stones. I DO NOT ADD INSULT TO INJURY. I do not judge. I do not lump all parents and teens into one category. I do not blame an entire town for the mistakes of a few. I do not feel "superior" to others that have had misfortune enter their lives. And most importantly, I am sickened by the heartless comments that have been posted regarding Barrington and the horrendous tragedies that they have had to deal with.

Can you say the same?

Yes, I absolutely CAN say the same. I have worked hands on with the for a solution. Have you?

Well, kudos to you if you are working to help the underage drinking problem that is EVERYWHERE. However, your comments seem, to me, very negative towards Barrington. If you are really trying to help, you would realize that pointing a finger at one particular town is not the answer.

This is a problem that not only crosses town lines, or state lines, but is everywhere that there are teens and alcohol available.

So, how about this? Let's all stop finger pointing and work towards saving lives and educating people. Barrington is not the problem. They are the "flavor of the month". These behaviors happens EVERYWHERE.

If you are really working "hands on" for a solution, you would know this. God Speed. I hope that what ever you are doing will save a life, not only in Barrington, but anywhere that there are teens who might want to drink and drive or engage in any destructive behaviors.

Paix, I help work on the problem IN Barrington. I see first hand what you do not see. If you're not involved and hands on then perhaps YOU shouldn't be so quick to criticize others.

We have a huge problem in Barrington, denial seems to be the number one issue.

I have helped with the Barrington Adult Youth Team and Parenting for prevention educating our young kids.

Again, kudos to you. The only comment I have is that you seem very negative towards Barrington, which makes me wonder if you are the right person for the job. What Barrington needs is someone who wants to help and make a difference, WITHOUT being judgmental or negative towards them. I fear that with your negative perspective, very little will be accomplished. Barrington deserves a compassionate advocate that will help them. Not a person that feels that they are the problem. I only hope that someone with the right frame of reference will come along and help them thru this very difficult time.

This is not what god wants! We need to stop it! Just put it like this:

Yes, Barrington has faced high UNDER AGE drunk driving rate in the past 3-4 years (or more) and people are sick of hearing another teen has died in barrington. If we can just stop. If there was group for these kids to be doing something not hiding in the woods sneaking a drink or what ever. As my priest suggested to our youth group...Instead of the kids on a Friday night trying to drink and sneak a smoke in; How bout you form a group that you guys go out and do things together not evolving alcohol. We can do it. No one wants to step up to the plate. Barrington teens however do need to start being more responsible for their actions. I am sorry for all the hateful comments I have posted here. However it needs to end. Enough! Cease the Day! You only live once! There is nothing for these kids to do. There needs to be a club entertaining this age group.

Wow, Paix you really do not have anything good to say yourself, do you?

I along with many other people spend countless hours working with the team at the Barrington Adult Youth Team. So when you're ready to roll your sleeves up and come help then we welcome you're input! Maybe when you're faced with the parents who do not think their kids have a problem or drinking is not a problem your view will change. Like I said earlier, unless you're involved you have NO idea what we see or hear!

Justmyopininion2,

Here are some quotes from earlier posts by you.

"Third, if this story had happened in my community I am certain that it would be plastered on the front page as well. What do you expect to be on the front page of the Barrington times, a Bristol teen story? Come on now!"

"Several years ago my community had a teen drinking and driving accident and it was on the front page of the times for three weeks in a row. Is it our communities fault that it hasn't happened since or are you suggesting the times simply doesn't cover it if it does? Is there a conspiracy we do not know about?"

"That is how some people would like us all to perceive it, however, those of us who live in and have knowledge of our communities know this is not a weekly occurrence in our towns. So we must be doing "something" right. When they get tired of their black eye they'll get off their behinds and do something about it."

"I have helped with the Barrington Adult Youth Team and Parenting for prevention educating our young kids."

"We have a huge problem in Barrington, denial seems to be the number one issue."

"Paix, I help work on the problem IN Barrington. I see first hand what you do not see. If you're not involved and hands on then perhaps YOU shouldn't be so quick to criticize others."

I will let everyone who reads this make their own judgement call...

Paix, so because I do not live in Barrington I can not offer my volunteer services there? Did it ever dawn on you that I grew up in Barrington?

How many school teachers live in the town they teach in? Yeah, that's what I thought! I rest my case.

I am just going to paste my earlier comment to you. I can't waste anymore time on this.

"The only comment I have is that you seem very negative towards Barrington, which makes me wonder if you are the right person for the job. What Barrington needs is someone who wants to help and make a difference, WITHOUT being judgmental or negative towards them. I fear that with your negative perspective, very little will be accomplished. Barrington deserves a compassionate advocate that will help them. Not a person that feels that they are the problem. I only hope that someone with the right frame of reference will come along and help them thru this very difficult time."

GOD HELP THE BARRINGTON ADULT YOUTH TEAM AND PARENTING FOR PREVENTION. I hope someone reads this who is involved with those organizations. Negativity is counter-productive to a positive outcome.

Well I certainly hope you do not waste anymore time posting here about Barrington, of which you're a spectator on the outside looking in!

Whatever you say, who ever you are tonight. LOL. As always, it's been fun.

Paix, You do not make a very strong case in your writing. You keep stating that this happens in other towns, but you never state where, when and hows. Yes it mostly likely does happen in other towns but you state no facts and it does not happen as often as it does in Barrington. You can say what you want but this is true. This happens to be a story about a kid that made a stupid mistake. But it is a mistake that seems to happen quite a bit in Barrington. Do people not learn for others mistakes.

And she's at it again!

Where's Metaldoc at? I'm surprised not to hear that side of the story by now.

Oops - just saw Metaldoc's comments wedged in there from yesterday....that's more like it....

Not sure it is just Barrington, but regardless, these kids just don't seem to learn. I was born and raised in Barrington and am a product of the public school system. And yes, I drank--a lot--while there. But my core group of 6 friends and I were smart enough to have a rotating schedule of drivers...none of us EVER drove drunk. Not saying all the drinking I did was right, but at least we were not endangering others but flying through town all liquored up.

Suppose I have some empathy for the family, but it is hard for me to feel to bad for this young man. Seriously, how many warning signs does he need? And i'm sure a good number of his friends are doing the same thing (and their parents, of course.)

If you're gonna drink, I will not pass judgment...but seriously, when you drink and drive, you're fair game. Smarten up!

9 Teenage Accidents/Deaths/Incidents ( with atleast some popularity that hit the news ) in the last 4 years in Barrington.

Over 1100 student graduated thru Barrington HS in the last 4 years.

Do the math = .008 %

That DOES NOT equal ALL.....

DOPES !

Alcohol abuse in Barrinton! in the High School, the Grammer School, in the home, at Chiazza's, etc...

Alcohol abuse is also a problem in all of Rhode Island, the United States and throughout the world.

Adults have problems controlling their alcohol use, Police, Dentists, Lawyers, Teachers, Politicians all have a problem with alcohol abuse.

Barrington needs to continually address this problem. as does everyone else.

Question,how do you get kids and young adults to not drink and drive.Drinking is illegal for people under 21,yet they drink and drive after multiple warnings.Education does not seem to work,but it should continue some kids do listen.How do you reach the few that just do not listen.The answer is you never will, they will learn the hard way.There will be deaths and damage to property for years to come,just as it has been since the invention of the automobile.People will blame the parents the schools and every other thing you could imagine.We are a free country,we create our own future with our choices.We need to continue to try to stop the drunk drivers.People should report erratic drivers to police, that is a proven method that detoures and catches drunk drives.Teach your children well, watch them like a hawk,Pray for a solution.GOD BLESS AMERICA

bogie: 9 in 4 years? why, then has there been, since I started reading this board, no less than 8 seperate incidents reported since November? And remember, for every one that IS reported, there are at least 10 which are not.

Alcohol has been killing people since ancient egypt. Underage drinking has been around since they made an age limit, and realisticly it will never go away. There is a couple of solutions that can actually do good to help combat this never ending problem. Police departments should put more officers on the road between 12-4 AM since local bars, and clubs in providence close between 1 and 2 AM. Have police dept's, set up random road checks to make sure everyones sober passing thru. It will be annoying for the sober guy going to work, but hey it could save a life.

Metaldoc - there you go again - pulling facts out of your A$$. Just because 5 lacrosse players in question during the theft incident, that doesn't count for 5. You lose all credibility because you embelish ALL of your numbers, facts and "you knows", "atleast" & "a minimum of". If you have atleast 9 separate incidents since Nov, list them off.

oh please, just look back through the papers! This topic comes up nearly every other week, same crap, different spoiled brat.

Dear Barrington Times Editors -

Would you please, please, please consider limiting the number of comments any one individual may post concerning each story?

This space should really be reserved for meaningful comments that pertain to the topic at hand, not back and forth juvenile name calling, sniping and mud slinging.

Thanks very much and have a great day!

you people need to get lives. holla

I agree with "Orion". If one of my kids ever get into trouble, you damn well better believe I will be blaming myself. These kids parents need to step up. They need to stop shoving their kids into day-cares at six months old, pawning them off onto strangers to raise every chance they get. (That excludes those who absolutely need two incomes to support their kids. I am not talking about two incomes to buy expensive cars or other useless material items. I am talking about those who need two incomes to feed, cloth, and put a roof over their kids heads.) Most parents these days think their parenting duties stop once a child is old enough to be left alone. Most of these kids are either getting the alcohol from their own homes, or they are getting the money to buy it from their clueless parents. I never drank as a teenager, because I had an alcoholic mother, but I knew if I ever did want to drink, I could call my father for a ride home. No questions asked. My kids have been told the same thing. They don't have my permission to drink, but I am not a fool. I know kids do stupid things. I would much rather drive to pick up a drunk child and hold my tongue, rather than drive to the morgue to make an identification.

btownballa must be that spoiled gangster from the mean streets of barrington. Holla is not a word, but rather ebonics from the uneducated masses who listen to rap.

As for you barringtonpride complaining about not being on topic yet your comment is nowhere near being on topic is kind of hypocritical of you. I am glad you have pride for your town since i'm sure they have the most experienced drunk driver teens in the state.

jenn1000p, Your assumption that all people in Barrington send their kids to day care, drive fancy cars, etc.. is incorrect and very prejudiced. I grew up in Providence and when it came time to settle with a house, I bought a house in Barrington for the school system. I am not wealthy by any means. I am comfortable because I am wise with my money. I do not make a 6 figure salary. I raised 3 boys in a 2 bedroom home. My wife stayed home and raised the kids. I do not begrudege or belittle the wealthy folks in Barrington (or anywhere) or the Poor folks in Barrington (or anywhere). Alcohol abuse is a problem everywhere (along with illegal drugs). The problem is not just with teens it is a problem with everyone.

Mitchell, not once in my post did I mention Barrington. I was speaking in general. I have not lived in Barrington so I'm not about to make assumptions about people there. I grew up in South Kingstown. I don't know how things are there now, but when I was a child there, it was horrible. Drinking and driving was the norm in South Kingstown, not just for teenagers, but adults as well. I was not pointing fingers at anyone in Barrington. My finger pointing is for any parent who thinks there comes a time before their kids are 18 where they can slack off as parents. My 16 year old daughter still can't hang out with a friend without me meeting the friend and her parents first. I explained to my daughter that if something happens to her while she is out of my sight, I don't want to go to the police and say I don't know where my daughter was, I don't know who she was hanging out with, I don't know her friends address or last name. I am not a perfect parent. I can openly admit that I made mistakes, and continue to make mistakes with my kids, but at least I do the best I can instead of brushing the kids off because parenting is too much work. My husband is in the military so we have moved around a lot. It is not just here that I see parental neglect, it is everywhere. I am constantly seeing parents neglect their kids the second the child is old enough to be left home alone.

I also grew up in SK, and from friends that still live there, it is still a big drunken town. However, the DUI rate is much less. 15 teens killed in DUI accidents in just a few years will do that to most places. Not in Barrington though.

*yawn* horse is dead folks............

ice: until another drunken teenager hits another tree or pole, or god-forbid, person.

250,000 people have died in alcohol related accidents in the past 10 years.

Presently 25,000 people are killed each year in alcohol related accidents.

500 people are killed each week in alcohol related accidents.

71 people are killed each day in alcohol related accidents.

One American life is lost every 20 minutes in alcohol related auto crashes.

It is estimated that one out of every two Americans will be involved in an alcohol related accident in his or her lifetime.

Alcohol related fatalities by people age 16-24 cause 42% of all DUI fatalities but we (25 and over) cause 58% cause 58%.

*****

Please, do not think this insanity is only caused by drunken teens or only by a certain town.

I challenge all of you, aged 8- 88, to never drink alcohol again. If you cannot do this.... leave your keys with someone sober while you drink.

no, Mitchell, it is not only one age group or one town, but some towns have a bigger problem with it that others. plus, 60 percent of all teen deaths in car accidents are alcohol-related. SIXTY percent.

and: fatalities caused by teens drinking and driving constituted 40% of all alcohol-related fatalities in the United States

FORTY PERCENT cause by people in a 4 year age span. that just sickening. People ages 16 to 19 years old klill 40% of the people in these accidents, and 20 years old to 100 kill sixty percent. That is WILDLY disproportionate. Teen DUI is the single most dangerous form of activity in the country. Car accidents are the nations number one killer. DUIs account for 60% of auto deaths, and teens account for 40% of those, meaning teen drunks klill about 25% of the people who die each year in accidents.

Metal, I think you could throw out a dozen facts or statistics and it wouldn't matter one darn bit.

It is quite obvious that SOME of the residents in the town of Barrington are in denial.

I read the article that was linked above to the RI monthly magazine and was in even bigger shock that parents hit these blogs and say it's a problem everywhere. Yes, it is.....but when it's in YOUR own community where your families drive and reside one would think you'd be more concerned that teens drinking with deaths resulting would have more of an impact on those people.

I am shocked and appalled that non-residents seem to care more than those who live in Barrington. You all seem to think it's people "picking on the teens of Barrington" however, some of us have sympathy for families that have buried their children at such a young age.

We don't question national statistics or the fact that there is a problem in Barrington. We don't deny that underage drinking and DUI is wrong( and illegal). We do question YOUR local statistics that you spew all of the time. We also question YOUR "REASON" for the problem. Financial stability & parenting techniques are not the ONLY reason why these things can happen. If you replied to these topics as your opinion and not factual research or published findings, then it would easier to digest. Until your format of "comments" change, no one is going to take anything you say seriously. It just shows how distorted and ill-informed you are.

bogie, you keep living in your fantasy world and in the mean time kids will continue to get trashed and get behind the wheel, parents will be burying their teens long before they should be and keep praying that it never hits close to your home one day!! You are just like the others in denial.

Why you even care about local statistics blows my mind, it shouldn't matter! The fact is you've buried your fair share in Barrington, when is enough, enough??? Do you residents not get shaken by these events?

When I stated "there IS a problem in Barrington" above - that is an admission that a problem does exist. It is not a denial. Why do you assume we don't get shaken by the events? You speak & write as if you are sitting in the livingrooms of all 16,000+ residents in Barrington and can vouch for their emotions. You still don't get it. It's not the TOPIC we disagree on, it's the CAUSE.

20 years ago, South Kingstown held the title of most DUIs in teh state. They did something about it, teen drinking taskforce, safe rides with no questions asked, provided by teh town, etc. Now, while drinking is still an issue in SK, teen DUI is not the issue it once was. Barrington should follow that example. some teens will drink regardless, this is true, but to bury your head in the sand and say "waaaa, picking on Barrington" only enforces the bad example for these children.

What difference does the "cause" make, it's a problem.....get together as a town and DO SOMETHING about it!! Complaining here on a blog does nothing for the "problem" become active, make suggestions, but most of all before another life is lost stop the "defending".

What makes you think I'm not?? Beacuse the the problem is not fixed yet, you say we are doing nothing - why don't you stop blaming and coaching from the outside.....

If you were bogie you would be here defending your actions in regards to working for a solution.

Who is blaming? And guess what, most of the time the people looking from the outside in have a greater perspective of the problem! It's quite obvious that the "inside" coaching hasn't worked yet!!

You're right - YET -

Why would I use this blog to convince people whats right & wrong. The people guilty of these offenses aren't here looking for a way to save themselves. This is not the forum to tell them how to fix it. It's in the schools with educaton and awareness. It's voting in tougher laws and penalties for offenders as well as some of parents that allow some of these incidents to happen. As far as doing my part - I have - starting at home. I lead by example - My wife and I don't drink or smoke. We make our kids them aware of these tragedies when they happen and don't sugar coat it. My kids are completely aware of what I expect from them and what the consequences will be if they make the wrong choice. I guess that is why I get defensive when the town gets grouped as one in some simpletons stupid slur thinking they're going to help fix it by jamming someone they don't even know.

Bogie, there is where you should be outraged at the parents who haven't done their part. Surely, we must agree that some of the parents of these kids hold some of the blame? Their lackadaisical attitudes only contribute to the problem and make the job for responsible parents that much more difficult. Lets face it, none of us control our kids once they walk out that door and if our children end up hanging out with a kid who has a parent with a "my kid doesn't do that" kind of attitude it makes it easier to convince that teen to join the "in crowd".

You're right in saying the whole town shouldn't be grouped together, a few bad apples shouldn't spoil the whole bunch. Kudos to you for being a responsible parent and doing your part to nip the problem in the bud. We can only hope as parents that our kids heed our warnings and advice and are able to stand up and say no when the pressure strikes.

Bogie, I agree with you. As a parent of 2 teens in Barrington I am sick to death of being "grouped" as a "rich, Barrington parent who just doesnt care"...not true. I do everything in my power to make sure my kids ( and their friends) aren't up to no good. However, you can't be with them all the time. I hope and pray they will make the right choice and instill in them that if they ever need a ride, call us, no questions asked. To sit and tell them to never drink or I will kill them is just unreasonable. They want zero drinking by teens in this town...not going to happen. They won't let saferides into the town because they feel it promotes drinking ( by saying its ok to drink as long as you have a ride home)....well I am realistic. I would gladly go pick up any kid, any time....no questions asked. The town needs to drop the zero tolerance on drinking and start to be more proactive. They will drink, always have......attempting to get every teen in this town to never put a drink in his/her mouth is absurd....its making sure they are safe that counts!

It doesn't help the situation when the punishments for these kids is nothing more than a slap on the wrist. My brother has actually been given a ride home from the police after crashing his car because he was drinking, more than once. No charges were filed against him at anytime for it. Of course, I don't want to have to visit my brother in jail, but I think that is what it will take to get him to stop drinking and driving. If I was running the show, people who drink and drive would be automatically charged with involuntary manslaughter whether they harmed another or not. "Stupidity" or age is not a good enough excuse for me. Not in this day and age. Honestly, I don't think it right that those who harm another while drinking and driving are punished with jail time, while those who were lucky enough not to hurt another just get a slap on the wrist. The punishment should be the same regardless of the outcome. There would be a lot less drunk drivers on the road if they ALL started getting charged with involuntary manslaughter. Again, regardless of age.

One more thing. Drinking and driving is not an "oops" mistake. I have been drunk to the point I could barely walk, (Tequila will never again be my friend) I still knew not to get behind the wheel of a car. Drinking and driving is an intentional criminal act. It is not an accident or a mistake. If one of the many drunks in my family ever killed another due to their drinking and driving, I don't think I could stand by their side and have compassion for them. I hate that AA programs convince these people that they deserve forgiveness. There is no forgiveness for such a selfish act. I am amongst the few that consider alcoholism a choice, not a disease. Cancer is a disease. AIDS is a disease. You can't say I am going to go to rehab to kick this Cancer habit.

jenn: I am all for stronger DUI laws, but not to play at semantics, you cannot charge someone for killing someone when noone died. Now, ATTEMPTED manslaughter is another thing. And Jenn, Involuntary implies accident. Like you just werent paying attention for a moment and someone died. Thats involuntary manslaughter.

I do have to say though, as a smoker who just cant quit, alcoholism IS a disease. People become physically addicted to the substance and mentally addicted to the escape it provides.

And while I share your disdain for AA, they do not tell them they deserve forgiveness, they tell them they must make amends, when possible, and never to ASK for forgiveness. If someone wishes to forgive, that is for them to decide. But addiction IS a disease, one that not everyone is strong enough to overcome.

however, addiction is a self-imposed disease (as in many cases, so is AIDS, actually) since your behavior directly determines the progress, or even getting of the disease to begin with. (Same can be said for COPD and some forms of cancer). I have COPD, I caused it by smoking a pack and a half a day for 20+ years. I could have quit at 15 or 16 years old but chose not to. Is my nicoine addiction or my COPD any less of a disease because I caused it though? No, they are not. Neither is drug addiction or alcoholism. They are all persistent diseases and there is no "cure" only a way to send them into remission through behavioral changes and strength of will.

"The disease concept strips the substance abuser of responsibility. A disease cannot be cured by force of will, therefore, adding the medical label transfers the responsibility from the abuser to others. Inevitably they become unwilling victims, and inevitably they take on that role. " (http://www.addictioninfo.org/articles/447/1/Alcoholism-is-not-a-Disease/Page1.html)

You know I always value your opinion and often agree, but I can't on this one. Maybe I'm a bit jaded because of my family, but I will always believe alcoholism is a choice, and addiction, not a disease. I smoke as well. I don't consider the addiction to be a disease. I brought it upon myself. I have the power to stop anytime I want to. I just CHOOSE not too.

Oops, at no time did I mean to imply that fighting an addiction is no big deal. I do feel people should be commended for overcoming their addictions.

ok, I will agree on the perception point, to a degree. The word disease, to some people, implies something that was gained due to no fault. Whereas an addiction is directly affected by one's behavior prior to the addiction. I still say it is a disease, but in todays semantic laden world, it does confer an absence of responsibility to some.

And we could play the game all day too, and still not agree, because once an addict, always an addict, which makes it one of the "chronic" behavior induced diseases, like Syphillis, AIDS, Herpes. Each of those diseases is contracted through behavior most of the time (unsafe sex/multiple partner sex), yet we still call them diseases and they are not curable (yet controllable).

lgfire, you say in your posts you are the parent of two teenagers. If you are, do you feel comfortable that you portray to your teenagers that people and the police who take a stand against bad behavior can be thought of as a "joke". I submit your post below on the article "Alert neighbor spots possible drug deal in Barrington" What message are you trying to send?

Lgfire says:

whooa, thanks for making the call. I will sleep much better tonite knowing that the streets of Barrington are crime free. Saw how they handcuffed and searched all these kids (right on County Road)...Thank God THEY are off the streets! What a joke!

6/29/09, 11:53 PM

The message I am portraying is that my TWO teenagers are so intimidated by the police ( having been illegally searched on several occasions will do this to a person)........These kids have no faith in the police department. They have been pulled over and had car searched ( police say they have probable cause ie...may have smelled pot etc....only to be let go, every single time!) These kids are skateboarding and have had flashlights put up to their eyes "checking to make sure they're not high or drunk"....come on.......The way the police put those teenagers on display, right on County Road, and handcuffed them, searched them...for all the world to see. Couldn't they have brought them into the station, right down the street and done that? Explain to me why that was necessary?

and it was any different when we were kids? No, it was not. Teenagers break alot of laws. so police obviously are more suspicious of them. It is how it always has been and always will be, as long as the majority teens so the lack of respect for authority that they do.

Are you kidding me? I grew up in Barrington. I must have gone to atleast 100 underaged drinking parties. Never saw a cop, not once. Was never searched, not once. Actually got caught drinking a few beers at the local beach, never got arrested. Never had a flashlight shone in my eyes to see if I was "high"...never. It is NOT the same. If it was now, all of us, would be in the ACI! I'm not saying what we did was right. We were wrong. The way it was handled was different. If you got caught, they would throw you out. Sometimes bring you to the station and call your parents. Do not remember anyone making breaking news. You know why, cause it's not breaking news. It's old news.

Lgfire, we were all teenagers who drank and didn't get caught for a thousand transgressions. The times we did get caught we knew where we stood with our parents and the law (parents had the right to take "corrective" action back then). But now times are different and the rules have changed. The job I had with raising my daughter was to explain how the rules changed and how to act if caught (respect, respect, respect regardless of whether or not it is deserved). The reason is simple, if you don't learn these rules as a teenager, the job market or the military is far more brutal. These lessons go hand in hand with training how to become an adult in an unforgiving and complex world. You need to think beyond when they are teenagers and how they will deal with the brutally unfair world they are moving into, not the one they are in today. I wish you well in taking on this thankless job.

Maybe, Lg, Barrington is trying to change that "soft" image they have had on these hoodlums. I have a teenager as well, and I most certainly did get flashlights in the face, possibly unwarranted searches, etc... quite often actually. But i didnt grow up in "soft" Barrington. I grew up in what was then "soft" south Kingstown. and us from SK knew better than to go into Gansett or NK because the things we were doing WOULD get us arrested.

Well we may have been "soft" as you put it. But....we have all turned out to be law abiding citizens. If we got in trouble, our parents punished us. We were not on the news and our parents were surely not to blame. It was our fault. Amazing how a generation ago we wern't called "hoodlums" but now, these kids...who, by the way, don't do half the stuff we did....are criminals? As far as me thinking about them beyond being teenagers? Well I am an adult, no one searches my car on a daily basis. No one pats be down looking for drugs for no reason. Maybe the police should start doing that to some of these adults...hmmm wonder what they would find in THEIR cars and in THEIR pockets...oh and make sure they do it on County Road in broad daylight, so everyone can see them. They treat the kids, all the kids, like they are all up to no good. Not true. Don't assume they are bad kids.....most are good! A little respect goes a long way.