The rules are different here

I have been hearing from people who are concerned about the new teen curfew rules. Many businesses feel that they are not willing to give up the teen business -- movies, restaurants and other businesses may suffer if the City of Miami enforces the rules while the rest of the county does not.

Local teens will just go to South Beach or Sunset Place for the movies and other things if they are in danger of being fined or arrested for being out after curfew.

But I see it as a civil rights issue. It seems sort of strange to have curfews in a free country. The last time we had that here I think, was after Hurricane Andrew, in 1992. That was understandable, there was no reason for people to be wandering around after dark back then, and it was dark, there was no electricity in some areas for the longest times.

Should kids younger than 17 be told to be home at certain hours? I mean, it does make sense in a way, what is a 14 year old doing out at midnight? But we do live in different times, yet I still cringe when I see infants or toddlers out at restaurants at midnight, and I see that all the time. But still, who are we to tell people to be home at a certain hour? If a 16 year old is on his way home from work at midnight, how will he or she prove it? Will the police office who stops the teen then call the teen's place of work at midnight to justify them being out?

And the stupidest reason for a teen being out is #8 -- that he or she is homeless. Should every teen just tell the officer who may stop them that they are homeless? Let the cop prove otherwise!

With the recent abduction and murder and the recent home invasion of the older man on South Bayshore Drive yesterday, I think the police should have more things on their minds other than if a 16 year old is out with his friends at night. Which also begs the question, why do I keep seeing crime reports that say crime is down in Coconut Grove? Everyone I know has had a bicycle stolen lately and even worse, what about the abduction and murder and the home invasion, just a few blocks from my house? What's up with that? My neighbors are concerned. So am I. 16 year olds were not responsible for these heinous crimes.