TXTNG

Texting has become a huge item of concern for many in the world. Not only are people getting into car crashes and so on, they are also getting into fights. In Deerfield Beach, Florida a 15-year-old was beaten within inches of her life on March 17, 2010. Josie Lou Ratley was beaten because ‘a text message dispute between Ratley and the suspect’. The boy who did the beating is Wayne Treacy, also 15 years old. The third person involved is a young girl, 13 years old, who appears to be in a relationship with Wayne.
Josie’s 13 year old friend and Wayne were in a relationship but since the young girl did not have a phone, Wayne got in touch with her through Josie. Wayne sent a message seeking to ‘hook up’ but Josie sent a text back objecting their relationship and that is how the fight started. The text message that Josie sent that seems to have triggered Wayne contained a comment about his brother that had committed suicide. Wayne rode his bike almost three miles to the school and the young 13 year old helped him find Josie by directing him to her and pointing her out. Wayne and Josie barely knew each other and he did not know what she even looked like until his girlfriend pointed her out.
Josie is still in the hospital fighting for her life after being beaten so badly. Wayne is being held at a juvenile detention center and the 13 year old is being charged as an accessory. The young boy is awaiting a decision of whether he will be charged as an adult or not, the court date is set for March 26. He is being charged with premeditated attempted murder.
The media is really covering this story and getting the information out there to the public as fast as they can. This incident has also brought up information about the past of this same middle school where a teenage boy was set on fire just last year.
Texting has been a huge problem lately, with people texting while they drive, are in class, and crossing roads. People are putting their lives as well as others at risk when doing some of their everyday activities.
One thing that I disagree on with this article however is that it focus’ a lot on the texting. I see where the message was sent and received, but I would not blame the whole incident on the use of texting. The real problem, I believe, is how kids are being raised and how they are being watched. What happened to the world that believed in never hitting a women or girl? Where do we need to draw the line? Are kids getting to roam free to early in life, are they not being watched like they should, should we take away cell phones? All these questions can be looked at and answered in different ways, but I think that something needs to change.