Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
News that a 13-year-old English boy and his 15-year-old girlfriend have become parents has understandably caused much debate and disgust at the state of affairs with Britain's youth.
'Broken Britain', as it's now commonly referred to, is exactly that - broken. We have spent so much time throwing money and policies at political correctness that we've totally ignored the glaring and fast growing problems facing lower income families. We're so busy taking care of everyone else that we've ignored our own.
While we like to claim that there is equality amongst all in the UK, the truth of the matter is that we are so worried about causing offence to foreigners that they end up getting the bulk of whatever's on offer and those nationals that need it the most are largely ignored.
Don't get me wrong, I believe strongly that immigrants to Britain should be treated as fairly as possible and have access to all the same things everyone else has - but not to the detriment of Britain itself.
There's nothing new about poverty and unemployment and solving it is a never ending battle but the youth of today have such little respect for themselves and others that unless drastic steps are taken, the is no hope for our future. As near back as 50 years ago, lower income families used to take pride in themselves and their achievements, working hard to pull themselves up by their bootstraps to make better lives for themselves and their children. Nowadays the vast majority have turned to crime and yobbish behaviour. And, even in crime the standards have dropped considerably.
Where there use to be a code and honour among thieves there is now little or no respect for anyone or anything, 50 years ago the idea of mugging and beating an old lady for as little as £10 would have been practically unheard of and today, it's common practice.
In the case of 13-year-old Alfie, left, who has just become a father, it's easy enough to blame the parents for not having more control over their children and teaching them the right and the wrong of having sex at such a young age, but the truth of the matter is that they're simply too busy trying to survive themselves to pass on any wisdom to their children. And the cycle will just keep going the same way for lack of any direction.
When compulsory military service was still a way of life, things were very different. Young men used to be taught discipline and respect in the military services that could then be translated back to their home lives and back into the workforce when they had completed their time. They learned the values of working together with respect for themselves and each other.
The problems in Britain have now become so severe that it's time for the government to step in and take control. And, while compulsory military service for all is both impractical and unfair, it would be of great value to the criminal classes (male and female).
Forget the three strike rule and sending youth offenders to juvenile detention where they learn little more than the value of being top dog among themselves, first time offenders should be given one chance to redeem themselves and if that fails, they should be sent off for a couple of years (at minimum) to the military.
Not only would it serve as a serious deterrent in the first place but it would also bring back the values of yesteryear to the youth of today, as well as send them back into everyday life with the tools, training and education to help them to succeed.
You can't expect the young to know right from wrong if it's not taught to them and if the parents aren't doing the job then it's time for the government to step in and take control.
