This one falls into the "sad but true" category. (Thanks to Tammy M. for sending it to me.)
1976 vs. 2006
Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1976 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2006 - School goes into lock down, FBI is called, Jack is hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors are called in for traumatized students and teachers.
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1976 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends.
2006 - Police are called. SWAT team arrives and arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad whips him with a belt.
1976 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2006 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care. Joins a gang. Billy's sister tells state psychologist that she remembers being abused herself. Dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.
Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1976 - Mark shares aspirin with principal out on the smoking dock.
2006 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.
Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1976 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2006 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1976 - Ants die.
2006 - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Homeland Security and FBI are called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly on an airplane again.
Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. His teacher, Heather, finds him crying and gives him a hug.
1976 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2006 - Heather is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in state prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy.
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