I have to totally disagree with you here. From the story I read, the "poor baby" drove through the drive-thru and asked for a cup of water and got it and then he and his friends parked their car and went into the restaurant and proceeded to empty their free water and fill the cups with soda. The manager told them to drop the soda and leave. Most did, but one ignored the manager and left with his soda.
This "teenager" did not likely happen onto this behavior that particular night but has likely been an entitled asshole and bully for some time. From your post, I presume you have no problem with any "poor baby" entering any store and just helping themselves to whatever merchandise they desire at any particular time. Or is their a $ value limit you'd put on taking what's not yours or what you don't pay for? If nothing came of this, if there were no consequences, you can bet this young "precious child" would be bragging around school and to all his friends about how you can get free soda at McDonald's or at least this particular McDonald's.
Nobody "ruined" this boy's life other than potentially himself, and perhaps his parents. Certainly neither the law nor the victims in this matter forced him to commit a crime. Personally, I'm tired of the bleeding heart approach to young reprobates. Hope this guy gets all he's got coming to him.
Well, then we do respectfully disagree CanadaJohn, and sometimes that happens and it's fine. I do value your opinion.
But I don't agree with your premise that an 18yo teen should get hung with a felony for walking out of a corporate chain fast-food joint with a cup of soda. If this becomes the case, we're going to have a lot of young felons running around.
I believe the punishment should fit the crime, and this is overkill.
For reminder, here's a few of the general consequences of a felony rap in American.
- Inability to become employed
- Inability to become a student-intern
- Inability to attend a professional school
- Inability to rent housing
- Inability to keep a protective gun in the house
- Inability to volunteer for a service organization
- Inability to participate in your child's school activities in an organizational or leadership roll
- Inability to participate in your Church's activities in an organizational or leadership roll
In America, we seem to have developed a propensity to background check everyone, everywhere, for everything.
So what exactly is the purpose in keeping a one-time 18yo soda thief from becoming a nurse or an accountant? Or even holding a job or having a place of his own, for that matter?
With all the above and other considerations in mind, no I vehemently do not believe ruining a young life fits the crime a cup of soda theft!