Letter to the editor: We're at critical mass, and we must slow it down

In nuclear physics, a critical mass is the smallest mass of a fissionable material needed to produce a self-sustaining chain reaction. In general terms, a critical mass is the number or amount of something (or anything) that is needed to cause a particular result.

In the U.S., we have reached a critical mass of uneducated, uninformed, misinformed, indoctrinated or just plain stupid and jobless youths, teens and young adults. This “critical mass” can be observed every day on news outlets looting, shoplifting, car-jacking, drug dealing, assaulting, shooting or otherwise committing other crimes or criminal acts. I could add protesting, defacing or tearing down monuments.

In physics, you can stop or slow down nuclear reactions by increasing or decreasing certain feedback mechanisms. The same is true for the critical mass I am speaking of. Although I am not an advocate for severely punitive tools, it may be time to revisit cash free bail, creative sentencing, decriminalization, discretionary punishments and certain “woke” criminal reforms. Let’s go back to punishment linked with rehabilitation. Society needs recalibrated.

John Meskanick

Lincoln Place