There is always a problem with stereotyping people and even items in general.
A basket of apples might be mostly sweet but then there is one that is sour.
The police have been accused of a great many negative things and while there are some, pardon the pun, “bad apples” it wouldn’t be out of hand to say the majority are good.
So it is with the youth, who get far too bad a rap then is sometimes necessary.
Certainly, there are some less-than-intelligent and not-so-good youngsters and teens out there but it’s not fair to typecast.
An online Google search will reveal news reports of young people that are up to no good and apparently, the latest YouTube sensation are teenagers putting salt on their arms and melting ice cubes on the salt, something that causes injury.
Also, graduation is coming up and it’s a safe bet that the local RCMP will be out in force on grad weekend.
But there are a lot of good youth and teens out there as well that are accomplishing things and helping the community – some individuals and groups are even featured in this week’s Salute To Youth supplement in the print edition of the Grand Forks Gazette.
Some have raised awareness about social issues and others have held fundraisers to benefit the less fortunate.
In today’s society, it is very ironic that youngsters, celebrity or otherwise, make the headlines or garner attention for the wrong reasons.
There are some that seem to be craving attention and will stop at nothing to grace the cover of every magazine.
There are some that only seem interested in going out and partying, making spectacles of themselves in the process.
Then there are the aforementioned, who post ridiculous video on YouTube of ice cubes and salt or eating spoonfuls of cinnamon.
Meanwhile, the ones that are doing a service to the community go largely unnoticed, overshadowed by the others.
Yet these are the ones that should be making the headlines, not just once a year but all the time.
The “good apples” as it were.