Michael Nutter: Tough Talk for Parents

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is no Michael Nutter.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter isn't afraid to call out the parents of young thugs.

From CBS 3:

Following a shooting Tuesday night in the Juniata section of the city that left three teens dead (see related story), Mayor Michael Nutter today had strong words for the shooter, calling him “a dog.”

The outraged mayor also had strong words for the parents of Philadelphia’s youth, telling them “not to act like idiots and a–holes.”

While Nutter says he is gratified about the quick arrest in the multiple shooting, he is fuming that the victims were out on Tuesday night apparently looking for trouble. And he blames their parents.

“Seven young people, somewhere between 14 and 16 years old, on a Tuesday night, a school night, are out in a car going to somewhere to have a fight with some other teenager. That is completely insane, it is irresponsible. Parents have to know where their children are and what they are doing,” the mayor said.

“Their little butts should have either been in bed, getting ready for bed, or doing some homework,” Nutter added. “Not out in a car, not in some other neighborhood, and not up to this kind of nonsense. I’m not your mom and I’m not your dad. We cannot completely legislate, or by policy, make people responsible for their children.”

When is Tom Barrett going to learn this?

Nutter is right. A person who guns down three teens is "a dog." And bad parenting has consequences.

It's not helping anyone in the city of Milwaukee for Barrett to dance around the reality that some parents, too many, are irresponsible. The parents need to be held accountable for the behavior of their out of control children.

Nutter isn't worried about offending the parents of the thug kids in Philadelphia. He's willing to place blame where it belongs, something Barrett refuses to do.

Barrett blames inanimate objects, guns, and a lack of legislation for the gun violence that plagues Milwaukee. While Nutter, too, wants more legislation to assist in tackling the problem, at least he acknowledges the fact that laws alone aren't the answer.

Guns aren't "idiots and a–holes." People are.

Here's video, from CBS 3: