I already submitted this once, but it got totally glued over by Josh's Gay bashing thread

I walked into the library and there was the editor of the magazine 'JOHN! PERFECT TIMING!' she yells. Anyhoo, whilst helping with the magazine layout, I discovered that my bus article is going ahead, but my teen angst one isn't, because another person submitted an identical article. She did say she preferred mine though irony.png

Teenage angst.

So a new edition of the college magazine dawned, and I was blank on ideas. I decided to go for a walk, to try and jog some ideas. I awoke the following morning naked in a field in Castleton with a sheep urinating on my face. It was here, on my back, in a field, covered in lamb excrement it dawned on me;
people have a really bad image of teenagers in their head.

When not concerned with the financial crisis of the universe, the headlines are swarmed with more reports on 'youth culture' and 'yob Britian'. Specifically this all refers to hoodies and knife crime. In a constant barrage, the tabloids would have us believe that this minority of malcontents hellbent on causing murder and mayhem, is the model for every teenager in the country. The image of the hoodie is one played on as a thug, using the concealing item of clothing as a means of intimidation whilst they knife you to death and nick your wallet. I have a friend who loves wearing hoodies, she too will one day be wielding a knife. She's hoping to be a doctor. When was the last time you read of an act of selflessness by a teenager in a newspaper, let alone saw it on the front page.

The representation of teengers - like any other minority (anyone who's not a heterosexual Caucasian male aged 20-49), - is biased and unfair. The stereotype of us as violent, knife wielding, alcohol fueled, sex mad, skiving rioters, is one that sours every teenager, if it weren't for the fact the third and fourth points in that list are pretty much true, I'd be really angry. Due to this, it's now impossible to sit with a group of friends on a bench in Stockport past 5pm, without a policeman or passer-by thinking you'll be raiding the shop across the road within half an hour.

To ignore there is a problem would be futile, however. There are those out there who would have us cower at their attempts to intimidate us, if it weren't so pathetic to start with. The newspaper reports on the various kinds of vandalism and murder committed by these low-lifes is an ever escalating problem. Take for example, a lad in Bredbury, aged between 15-17, was stabbed by another youth, so that he could steal his bike. It occurs to me that these unspeakable lunatics have the mental capacity of misbehaving children, only with more knives. It therefore occurs to me, that in the case a child misbehaves, do we lavish attention on them as the newspapers do? Maybe if we put an end to tabloid reports on mindless youths, yobs would be put on the naughty step, where they belong. Preferably doused in petrol and on fire. We don't want the dears getting cold now, do we?

The issues raised by the above bags of (insert naughty words here), are so mainstream, it's beginning to get out of control. To return to my rant, allow me to issue a case study. Last summer, a girl was expelled from her school because she put black streaks in her hair. In an article reporting on the matter, The Metro invited commentary from it's readers, on such one, posted my an opinionated lady, read: "Bravo to [The Headmaster], when will these yobs learn?". As you can expect I was not too pleased. After ten minutes of me uttering the most foul language you have ever heard on a 192, I calmed slightly and contemplated, how could someone take such a biased and misinformed opinion. I was only too pleased to read two other readers who agreed with my opinion that the situation had gotten way out of hand and the punishment was, a wee bit harsh. All the same, if it weren't illegal, and thus impossible to discriminate against an age group, I'd be temped to call this bullying. Of course, that could never happen. Surely?

If it has miraculously escaped you on reading this, I'm angry. Damn angry. Why should we all have to take the blame for a hand full of mindless vandals who want to ruin everyone else's fun? For that matter, why should those of us who behave with decorum and restraint even bother? You seem to have made your minds up on us as it is. Do we really deserve all this grief? Those of us who give up our free time to go on duty as first aiders, those of us who donate blood? Those of us who are in learning so we can one day be doctors and teachers? Is this fair?! I concede that there are those who would make the rest of our lives a misery, but next time, don't give us the dirty look for it.