Pat, I'm glad that cooler heads prevailed. You're a smart young man, and that's a tough thing to be in this society, where young people seem to revere sex, drugs and rock n roll over all. Look, I'm not forgetting the mistakes of my youth, and I'm not suggesting that we were all saints. However, as I pointed out in my previous post, we have perhaps learned from our mistakes and want to pass on that wisdom to you.

I am glad to hear you love your mom. I'm sure she's doing her best to make sure that you don't waste any of the talents that you have, especially given that you'll be leaving for college soon. That means that you'll have many freedoms, and without the proper level of maturity, those freedoms can be deadly to a young man.

I was sad that you kept emphasizing how difficult it was to get the alcohol, rather than saying that you realize what your mom did was the right parental thing in the long run. However, you're mother isn't supposed to be your friend. She's supposed to make the unpopular decisions because that's what being a parent is all about. If my daughter screams "I hate you! You're ruining my life!" then I can pretty much guarantee that I did the right thing as a parent. Does that mean it doesn't hurt? Does that mean that I don't wish I could just say "Do whatever you want if it means you'll smile instead of scowl,"? I wish I could. It takes great resolve to make a decision that you know will piss off your son or daughter, and to stick to it no matter how mad they get at you, but it's the best thing in the long run, and that's what a parent has to keep in mind.

Try to remember that when you think about it.

And, SVSG and Double J, you should be totally ashamed of what you posted. There is nothing funny or even remotely amusing about teen suicide, and your posts completely and totally disgusted me. I know we're not supposed to name-call here, but if I get banned it will be worth it. By posting that, you were both jackasses.