It had to happen. It is inevitable. The unemployment rate is really high and so automatically they must be not have jobs and they are rioting because of frustration.

It’s the alcohol that is to blame.When you mix young men and booze you will get rioting.

Yes, the Los Angeles Lakers won the championship. But, before they did, I heard these familiar explanations being given for the rioting that was sure to come if the Lakers win Sunday night. People mentioned the economy and drinking most frequently as the reason we were going to see young men in Laker jerseys tearing up the streets of LA.

Yes, let’s make excuses. Why not throw in the fact that the judgment center of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, is not completed until arond the age of 26? Why not assume that most of those young men you saw rioting come from a really challenging upbringing?

OR…

Maybe it has nothing to do with the economy. First of all, why would I assume the young men who rioted don’t have jobs? Second, why would I assume that being unemployed results in violent and destructive behavior? Are there unemployed young men in our society who don’t throw bricks through bus windows?

Maybe it has nothing to do with alcohol. Was every one of those guys drunk? Not likely. And even if they were, are you saying that when young men are drunk it automatically results in violent and destructive behavior? Are there intoxicated young men in our society who don’t start cars on fire?

No it’s not the ecomomy, alcohol, upbringing, or even the incompleted prefrontal cortex. What we saw Sunday night (actually we got a preview Thursday night, even before the Lakers clinched the title!) is not hard to understand. We saw young men who lack integrity and character. Young men who are absolutely responsible for their own attitudes and actions just like any other young man in the world, and these guys simply failed miserably.

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