You know, I can see reenacting a video game. Missy and Sissy and I reenacted books enough as children that I can see the allure. Shoot, who wouldn't like to pick up a sword and whack at someone with it? Just to see what it was like (no Eliza family household had ANY substaintial sticks in the backyard at a given moment. Missy and Sissy and I used to have mock sword fights with big sticks...and you couldn't POKE...you had to WHACK).

I can see someone today picking up a gun and going on a shooting spree because he saw it in a game or a movie. Shooting is such an impersonal crime, right? You don't watch the light drain from someone's eyes, or watch their body shudder with their last breath. Your brain doesn't have to confront the ugly reality of death. You don't have to touch it or smell it. You can walk away with only a faint impression of death upon your soul.

At least, I think that's true. Otherwise, soldiers and cops would go nuts.

But practicing your Mortal Kombat moves on a seven year old child and beating her to death, even when she pleaded with you to stop? Breaking her bones with your fists, your feet, watching the blood running down her face as she screams and cries? Killing someone who was ten years younger than yourself, simply because you were in a position of power and were drunk? Whose trust did you betray?

I'm not sure what the fitting punishment is here. By admitting they were drunk, and by throwing in the Mortal Kombat excuses, they say to me they are too weak to be allowed to live. Own up to your actions, you murdering asshats. You killed a child.

There is no excuse for that.