But Mom, he got to sail around the world!

From those letters to Simers:

Gregory Miller: "I understand her father's business is in financial troubles and was in trouble when her brother was sailing around the globe. Sounds like the father sees a couple of cash cows in the family."

It could be she's a thrill seeker to the extreme, or it could be he's another balloon boy dad.

 

Because we all know the comments section of an online story is the best place to find out the truth.

Sorry. Just couldn't resist.

 

What mb said.

 

It's still a lot safer than letting her walk to school, eat Halloween candy or be around peanuts.

 

The big issue is this girl is/was 16. She should not have been allowed to go. Period. End of discussion.

Those of you that say her parents telling her 'no' would have only delayed her are missing the point. She's a child. She does not get to say what she can and can not do. That's your one and only job as a parent, protecting your child. They failed her.

Sure, this girl could have gone two years later but, guess what, if she did, she's doing it AS AN ADULT, not a child.

If this girl dies, her blood is on her parents' hands. Plain and simple.

 

If at 16 you're too much of a child to try a circumnavigation, then is that age also too young to face adult charges in court?

 

My gut is with poin on this issue, but I've been on the receiving end of an older child wanting to test out his risky dreams. When my son informed us, while he was still in high school, that he wanted to join the Army National Guard, I mentioned the likelihhood that he would end up in Iraq, in harm's way, if he did so. His response? "Dad, I could get run over by a truck crossing the street by our house." Pretty much shut me down. That said, if this girl had been my daughter I'd have told her that if she still wants to do this when she's 18, I won't stand in her way, but she won't be going until then.

 

Chances of getting killed in Iraq and getting killed trying to sail around the world are much worse than getting hit by a truck crossing the street. Anyone using that argument obviously hasn't thought it through.

 

Some would say yes and that's why the burden of proof is on the prosecutor to prove that the 16-year old in court is MORE of an adult than the average 16-year old because, by and large, 16-year olds shouldn't be treated like adults.

 

So isn't it possible this girl was more of an adult than most her age and capable of this trip? After all, mechanical and weather problems can endanger the most-experienced sailor.

 

I suppose the result would suggest she wasn't capable of the trip.

 

Not to mention, you always can go back to college if your Dell startup fails.

Once you fail at Russian Roulette, that's it.