On the Third Hand…

A preposterous tale, via The Blog Herald.

The Michigan State Police have noticed blogs, and local school kids noticed blogs. Then the police (a new CSI Blogs division?) noticed the kids noticing. The sum of that equation has resulted in the police playing a starring role in a kitchen sink drama, “Online Threats to Kids A Growing Problem.” In the lead role is Trooper Lt. Tim Lee.

“They can say horrible things about a principal or horrible things about their parents, or horrible things about the kid next door, and they feel like no one’s going to find them.”

Well maybe. But then you have this that OMG, offers free teens and kids pages. Or maybe this location would be a good choice for the kids to rant & rave, or this one. All are “blog free” but offer the same opportunity for kids to say “horrible things about their parents, or horrible things about the kid next door.”

But you have to know this isn’t just idle concern on the part of the Michigan State Storm Troopers, they carry with them the full weight of the law:

“That person goes out there, reads the posting and says, yeah I’m nervous about this, or I feel uncomfortable, I’m afraid for my life. They contact law enforcement, and that’s when we get involved.”
[...]
“If we can identify those individuals, and there’s enough information to believe that person’s threat is accurate, that person could actually carry out that threat, then that is a threat that would be prosecuted.”

I have one question for the “Blog CSI” team in Michigan: How many blogs did these two killers own and operate on a daily basis?

But I’m not here to be only critical, I offer a suggestion. Rather than attempt to place a legal finger in a dike that will only spring a gapping hole in another location (and as noted already exist). Form a “CSI attentive parents” division. Charged with educating and assisting parents in the importance of active involvement in their childs life. It would encourage parent/teacher interaction (dare I say mandatory?) on a regular basis. The best option is to cure the root cause, not political grandstanding by jumping on the “blogs are evil” train.

I also offer this food for thought. If the two murderous thugs mentioned earlier had access to, and contributed to, a blog might it have been possible to predict what was coming? No one can know the answer but it is possible, isn’t it?

Cross posted within the Cranial Cavity