I don't know how much suport I will get on this one but I have read several threads today targeting teenagers as being disrespectful, theives, rude, dishonest and selfish.

I am getting pretty sick about this.  I happen to be a teenager who doesnt do any of the above.  I find it offencive that we are being sterio typed as the problem.  The way I see it unless you can prove it and have names, dates, times, and have had it proven by the supreme court don't go around sterio typeing people.  Heck I could sterio type all people over 40 as being balding half witted has beens.  But I am not so why are they persisting in sterio typing us???

Rant over.
[sniper]

We will have a special eXemption for you.

What kind of weaponry do you have?

Just some advice: Run spell check before you submit a post!!! I totally agree with what you are saying, as I'm only 21 years old, but you will be taken much more seriously if your message is grammatically correct.

Ian

Probably was not meant as a personal attack on all teenagers, I have twin 14 yr. old boys, they are good boys, but sadly they don't spell any better than you do, which is not your or their faults. You and they are products of the dumbing down of Americans, and as I tell my boys if it's worth typing and others are gonna read it, CLICK THE SPELL CHECK BUTTON!

It's stereotype.

Most teenagers get stereotyped because, [b]on average[/b] even good kids are a bit rebellious.  No matter how many times people say "you can't judge a book by its cover," people still do it.  I think most adults forget that teenagers are going through all kinds of changes during those years.  As a result, teenagers tend to be self-absorbed and selfish, which is OK as long as you grow out of it later.  Not [b]all[/b] teenagers are trouble.  You need to remember, there are lots of good kids growing up to be outstanding young adults.  If that's you, don't worry about some adults with tunnel vision.

Be advised Stereotype is one word and people on this board do it all the time. My advise is get used to it and use the spell check.

I agree, I'm also a teenager who doesn't do any of the things listed above, yet I'm still viewed as a punk kid who just wants to be a troll on here, when all I'm really doing is learning even more about firearms and just anything and everything. Give us a break.

Ok as for exemptions it works.

Spell check nope cant I feel that it takes away from my right to express myself.  Not really just don't think about it very much.  

Just to make you happy though I will use it this time.

Hmmm that thing looks pretty neat maybe I will use it more.  Just maybe.
[sniper]

Alright, Rifles4Me, I'll defend you. All of us old folks here will pretty much agree that a majority of teen-agers are ill-bred and rude, but we sometimes forget that it's us who influence you guys. The crap on MTV are being programmed by 40 year-olds, the failure of our educational system is not your fault, on and on....We take advantage of your adolescent insecurities and sense of rebellion and we put out crap entertainment and other pop culture trends to capitalize on your emerging financial power. It's the adults who are selling you your baggy OG clothes, your teen sex movies, your atonal music populated by midriff-baring, cleavage-baring, talentless honeys. You sound like a sensible young man, but you're in the minority of teens, and yes it's largely our fault for not raising you kids better and giving you more than Jackass and Britney Spears. So there you go, how's that?[:)] However, there's no excuse for not knowing how to spell the most basic words. Typos we can forgive, ignorance no. That goes for a lot of the adults here, too. We all know the icons like we have PhDs, but so many of us can't spell our way out of a paper bag...or is that a rifle case?

Relax kid, we've all been through it. It's just part of growing up. You will someday look back at yourself in 20 years and laugh at how childish and naive you were and then cry because you can't be that way anymore. We are jealous of your youth but not your inexperience. Youth, you will come to learn is truly wasted on the young.

Don't feel bad. This is one of those "circle of life" things:

"Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food and tyrannize their teachers." - Socrates

Been going on forever. Guess what? When you're an adult, you'll feel the same way about teen-agers.

Sorry if I've depressed you.

I've found probably the only times I am ever treated as an equal by people over 30 is when I am at the range.  Whenever I go to buy ammo at the local gun stores, the customers are always like "So, what do you have? NEF in .223, maybe a Rem700?" and when I tell them I have an AR, they feel the need to ask if its really my dad's, or if I'm sure its not a Mini14.  Its also quite annoying trying to get a dealer to order an XM-15 for me (they all seem to believe people under 21 dont need a legal rifle), even though I have $800 in cash in one pocket, and a credit card in the other.  Nobody around here seems to believe that a clean-shaven 19 year old that walks into a gun store, dressed in a sharply pressed polo shirt, Dockers and a pair of well-kept Vans, and can afford to pay cash up front for a $800 rifle, is a fine upstanding citizen.  I wonder where my gang tattoos are, cause those gunstore guys act like they can see them, but I cant find them.

Kharn

I feel for you Kharn

I wanted to buy the bushmaster bullpup and when I went down to look at it the gun store employ began to question me as to why I would want the gun.  Then I got a lecture on why I didnt need that gun.

I wonder if the anties are up to a new tactic by infultrating the local gun stores.  Ofcourse the other guys in there are cool and let us hold all the cool lookin guns.  Just the one can be a jerk.
[sniper]

Lighten up, already, kid.  At every single step along the years to come, you'll be lumped into one group or another....get used to it.  Teenagers do the same thing to the rest of us.

In a perfect world, everyone would be judged solely on their own merits.  News flash:  world's not quite perfect.

Trouble is, your attitude is enforcing the very preconceptions about which you complain.

Second news flash: None of this will matter in the end.  Most of it doesn't matter now.  You'll be well on your way to being an adult when you realize you're not all that important.

Man...when I asked my local FFL to handle the transfer of my 9mm AR-15, he said "cool" and "does it come with any hi-caps?".  But I guess thats one of the perks from dealing with a very hardcore gun rights activist.  

As a teenager I am only disrespectful and rude to some people, usually after working at my convience store job, were people shit on me for eight hours straight and blame me for our high prices and naughty magazines.

So as a teenager this is how I see it...

Basically you are saying not all teenagers are like that, just most of them.

Rifles4Me,

In another 20 years you will find yourself complaining about "those punk teenagers".  I guarantee these phrases will come out of your mouth some day (if you live long enough):

-Punk kids, slow down!
-You should be studying instead of wasting time with those skateboards (or whatever).
-Don't play that music so loud!
-Didn't your mother teach you any manners!
-You little delinquents!

OK, I'm guilty.

However, I'll be the first to admit that not all, and not even MOST teenagers are the problem.  [b]BUT[/b] the percentage that [i]are[/i] the problem has been growing.  Problems that used to be exclusively limited to "inner city" kids are now showing up in the children of the affluent and middle classes.  

It's not the kid's fault, though.  It's their parent's.  And, to some extent, society's.  Our culture has changed dramatically in the last 50 years (as I'm sure it has for every 50 year period throughout history).  

As others have pointed out, every generation protests the behavior of adolescents.  However, in the current generation we have kids willing to kill each other over a pair of tennis shoes or a CD.  That's kind of tough to accept as just a natural progression of what's gone on throughout history.

I have a question:  Of the people in your high school, how many were "different" to the point of inspiring fear?  [i]THAT[/i] is a valid measurement of the difference that inspires the kind of commentary you're protesting.

First of all I won't say anything about the speeding.  I know abunch of middle aged Mario Andretti wannabes.  As I have said in other post concerning steriotyping of teenagers I treat people with respect while I may not agree with them.  But no one can tell the future can they.  So therefore due to that fact you could very well be wrong.  But you may be right.  Only time will tell.
[sniper]

I find myself yelling at kids to turn their hats right and pull up their pants.
Hey, where in NV are you? I mighta yelled at you, too.[:D]

As one of the grumpy old "has-been's" here, I'll throw in my $0.02

Do I lump teenagers together?  Yeah; I try not to, but it slips out occasionally.  I can live with bad spelling though - its the attitude, carelessness, bravado, and stupidity that gets me.

But than again, I'm an old fart, so I'm supposedly wiser now.  When I was that age, I had the same sort of attitude, carelessness, bravado, and stupidity.  Its just how the cycle goes.  Thats part of being a kid.  Live and learn.  The sooner you lose that though, the sooner people will take you a bit more seriously.  If you don't exhibit it in the first place, its more difficult to peg you as a teenager.

And I know, every teenager thinks they know everything, but at some point, you younger guys have to realize that one of the few benefits of age is wisdom and experience.  Take advantage of that wisdom - don't let that bravado and attitude get in the way of learning something from someone with a few more years on them.

I've met plenty of other teenagers and young people at shoots, and as long as all that bravado and carelessness of youth doesn't get in the way of safe and responsible gun ownership, I'm more than happy to share the firing line with them.  But when someone looks like an irresponsible teenager and talks like an irresponsible teenager, I have to cringe when I think of what their habits with guns are (irresponsible teenager with a gun...).  If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...


And finally for you younger guys - don't lump us grumpy old men together either.  We're still a lot like you - we still like to get together and raise hell, chase women, drive too fast, and have fun with our toys.  In a sense, we're just bigger teenagers with a few more wrinkles, a little less hair, and bigger beer bellies now.  Don't laugh - you'll get there sooner than you think...or want.

Teenagers are scary. I don't even leave the house after 7 p.m. anymore.

Rifles4me, Don't let it get to you.. Just think,you are young and already into guns..Think of what peeps are going to stereotype you as when your gun collection really grows! Then you will be stereotyped as a right wing gunnut wacko! If you are an upstanding individual you shouldn't let the stereotype bother you, just be yourself, people who really know you will give you the respaect you give them in return.

KBaker hit the nail on the head! Most of the time it is not the kids' fault but their PARENTS! Too many self-absorbed parents with me first attitudes letting their kids fall by the way side!

Just get used to being stereotyped though cause it really won't end.

Gee you must not have any fun if you dont leave the house after 7.  I couldnt stand that.  Well I guess on weekdays I have to.  But not on FRIDAY.  Which OMG it happens to be!!!!  dang only 1 hour 20 min left of work.

As for old no 40 isnt old.  If 40 was on then I would be middle aged.  80 is old and 40 is middle aged.  If I called anyone who is in the prime of their lives old I appologise.

And its not that I cant spell its just that I cant type and I dont stop to think about hitting the dang spell checker.  If I really took the time to type at a reasonable pace I could spell without a problem but I dont take the time to think when I RANTING.  Anyways I think I accomplished some of what I was aiming for.  I just wanted to stick up for myself and show that not all teenagers are wild crazy people with no self control.
[sniper]

Hmm, I'm 18 and I hate my peers.  Even my roomates are politcally bankrupt and ignorant of any philosphy.  To many youth place this "high" value on their life like it's actually worth anything... seriously, I think the "Generation Y" needs a cause to come behind and give their lifes up for.  Let's not hope it's a socialist cause, as I'm short ammo right now.  

Oh, and about bad spellers, you suck, seriously. it doesn't take that long to pick up a dictionary and look up any word you can't spell.  Of course, since I never proof read their's the occasional misspelling.  

Learn to read and write better, it will help you in life, you uneducated bastard. [:D]

[):)]
NSF

Dude, don't whine to us that we're not giving you respect.  And if you DO whine, at least don't do so with such atrocious spelling, it doesn't really help your case and only suggests that our schools are even worse than we fear.  

Rifle,

>>I don't know how much suport I will get on this one but I have read several threads today targeting teenagers as being disrespectful, theives, rude, dishonest and selfish.<<

Uh, yeah.

>>Heck I could sterio type all people over 40 as being balding half witted has beens<<

Uh yeah too.

Is there a point I'm missing?

James
balding half witted "fat" has-been [rolleyes]

Uh, I'm in NV too Rifle you in North Nevada or one of them Southern Nevadans?

No way anyone would yell at me to dress properly, nope.

[):)]
NSF

Well we were all teenagers at one time, most of us have just forgot how it was.  Part of being an adult is forgetting what its was like to be a kid.  Basically what happens is you go to college, get a job, get married and have kids.  All these experiences cause to you have to deal with more responsiblity, and as a result you tend to have less patience with those that do not act as responsibly.  

Another part of being an adult is living in denial about not being old and boring.  If you are still listening to the same kind of music that you listened to when you were in high school then you are a lame adult.  If you think today's fashions are stupid, you are a lame adult.  If you call the cops on parties or kids who are just having fun, you are a lame adult.  If you voluntarily go to bed before 1 am on weeknights, you are a lame adult.  If you don't think your invincible, your a lame adult.

I am 26, and I agree that I am old and boring.  It's sad seeing my friends who are the same age as me, turning into my parents.  One of my friends and his wife just had their first kid a little over a year ago.  Since then, they have turned into idiots.  His wife is the worst, she is constantly getting on my case about my language.  Actually said once that when their kid gets old enough, we can't drink or smoke around them anymore.  How lame is that.  She wanted to call the cops on some kids lighting off fireworks this last 4th of July holiday.  Almost went off on her for that, but bit my tongue to keep things civil.

All I have to say is, enjoy being a teen.  It doesn't last forever.  Ignore what adults think about you, they are just lame and can't relate.  Don't worry, one day you will be just as lame, its inevitable.

That was the scene when I picked up my M15.

Another thing I hate is the dealers at gun shows who just lie to me.  I may be 19 but I know more than most of them do.

I'm 19 and I am already there. WOO HOO!!! [sniper][pistol][heavy][uzi][whacko]

Me too, according to "normal" people, I am a ready to snap psychopath because of certain objects I own, namely firearms.

I don't fit their stereotype of a raving lunatic, but then, I don't fit the average middle-adged person's stereotype of a teenage rowdy, disrespectful, coked-up, conformist promiscuous pack animal.

I resent being judged before I am tried. I often am, and frequently manage to surprise those who don't yet know me by being something other than what they expected, namely immature.

I try not to judge or generalize, and detest it when people do so with me, but I am guilty too, as I cannot stand half of the peoplke of my own age. I tend to have preconceived notions about many of them, usually rightly so. I'm with JoJo-these young people around me have no philosophy, or more importantly, theology. This will make you an outcast at age 18, unless you conform, which I refuse to do, since to conform usually means to compromise.

I guess I resent the anti-teenager implications, because they are so blanket, with no exception for the learned and honest among youth. At the same time, I find all too often that these accusations against teens fit most of us far too well.

Jugger(naut like the rest of them)

[b]Simba.....go and get your brothers from the Serengetti....I have something to tell you.

Soon, I will be gone, and I leave YOU, Simba, to carry on the proud tranditions of our family...[/b]

Huh?

Bingo!  My friends call me crazy(until they want to go shooting, then all they say is "where is your AR?") and some adults get uncomfortable when I start talking about guns with them.  Oh well, It is my hobby and if they don't like it, it is because they are jealous that I have an AR.[:D]

I actually find today's teens fun to snicker at.

Few of them do nearly the bad stuff my generation did. They are as wimpy as their music.