From an Associated Press story:
"GARY, Ind. — Police found several discarded counterfeit bills in the home of one of three fourth-graders arrested at school carrying phony bills, officials said.
The Marquette Elementary School students were arrested after lunch Tuesday when the cafeteria cashier realized a boy had paid for his food with a fake $20 bill.
Police arrested two 10-year-old boys and a 12-year-old girl. The students were released to their parents as police continue to investigate.
All three face juvenile charges of forgery and theft, Otano said. No date has been set for the children to appear in juvenile court."
Having a good idea of what life is like for kids in Gary, I suspect these little paperhangers are bound for the criminal justice system for the rest of their lives. I know that it is the criminal in me that perversely wishes for their success instead. I suppose I should be more concerned over crimes of forgery and theft. If everybody could get away with counterfeiting money, of course, it would make "real money" worthless. I just have these Robin Hood sentiments for those who manage to rob the rich. I bet these kids are poor and destined to be forever. It would be nice if they could succeed in doing their little bit to redistribute the wealth. Of course there are better ways than printing bogus money.
Our money is worth so much less than it used to be, though, because of the bogus wealth of CEOs, who are paying themselves obscene bonuses for taking jobs away from honest people. Our money is worth less because of the obscene salaries that go to professional athletes and movie stars, while teachers and non-TV preachers are paid so little (not to mention, of course, janitors and maids and ditch-diggers and garbage collectors).
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