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Those were the words uttered from the mother of Andrew Osantowski when she found out her 17-year-old son had elaborate plans to blow up his Clinton, Michigan high school. File this under "Parents who need to get a flippin' clue".

Osantowski's malicious plans to take his classmates lives were unveiled when a Washington state police officer was tipped off via his daughter to threats made in an internet chatroom. So it turns out America Online is good for something. In this case, authorities were able to trace the threats to Osantowski who appears to be in bed with the doctrine of Hitler and the Aryan nation. The Associated Press reports,

"An investigation into the series of Internet threats led to the discovery of weapons, ammunition and bomb-making paraphernalia at Osantowski's Macomb County home about 25 miles northeast of Detroit, police said.

At a press conference, police displayed evidence from the home including weapons and ammunition, tools police say were stolen from a construction site, Nazi flags and books about white supremacy and Adolf Hitler. "

To the fact that her son had indeed been engaging in hate worship, Janice Osantowski said the findings were "horrifying" and that she was glad all the weaponry was found before something bad happened. She remarked,

"My son Andrew is a good kid with a good heart...I think he's just been brainwashed by this Nazi stuff that he had."

Ya think? Generally, our actions follow whatever is in our heart. Like that time when you called yourself a clean talker and the reckless idiot cut you off on the road and something bad accidentally slipped out. Yeah, that was probably in your heart. But I digress. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this Andrew Osantowski feller was not in possession of the "good heart" his mother professed.

Again I say, I don't understand this modern-day "we didn't know anything was wrong with Billy" approach to parenting. In addition to stolen firearms and bomb-building paraphernalia, there were instruction sheets on how to build a bomb and video tapes showing the teen in possession of assault weapons. Add to that, two apparently clueless parents and you get a potential revisitation of the calculated events at Columbine High School. Parents don't know their son wants to be a Nazi. These are the times we are living in.

Again I ask, "Oh Parent Where Art Thou?"

Nazi stuff? Oh,is that all? Part of the problem here, is that, little Andy's parent's didn't take the "nazi stuff" to be sign of something sinister. His mother seems to have this attitude that her kid, is just being alittle silly. God help us all

Darkstar,

Tell me your son would have contraband in the house and you not know about it.

Please.

No one said parenting is easy, but we need to be realistic about this lunacy perpetuated by these aloof parents who allow themselves to be quoted saying dumb things like, "He has a good heart". Some people just need to have the sense slapped into them.

I think this oblivion we see parents of criminals pretending to have is only to help them sleep at night. Much like the people who live in towns "where nobody locks their doors," and then some sicko comes and snatches a kid. If I hear "I never thought it would happen here..." one more time, I swear. These people want to be ignorant because it protects them from reality.

Parenting ain't easy. It doesn't get easier with time but it's called being observant. Pay attention to your kids. Sometimes it's all they really need.

I did. But it wasn't bomb making contraband or drugs or guns. It was hammer heads, M-80s, and porn.

And that was in a home where I wasn't allowed privacy.

"It's my house! My rules! You don't like it, leave with the clothes YOU brought with YOUR money!"

I don't understand homes like the Columbine killers. That was way over the top. I would know there were guns in the house, especially with the warning signs those guys had.

Some people just need to have the sense slapped into them.

True

On the "parenting is hard front": I know it can be hard to keep track of whats in a kid's room. A clever kid probably could hide contraband. What's so objectionable about the parenting is the "good heart" comment and "he's just been brainwashed by the Nazi stuff". Um... excuse me - actions...consequences - why was he reading it in the first place? And just assuming someone forced him to read the Nazi stuff and he was brainwashed wouldn't that mean a "change in heart".

And then there is the question, what good is a "good heart" if a "good heart" plots to kill thousands of children? I don't think we really care how good his heart is. And the complete oblivousness to a change in her son's nature is a sign that parent needs to wake up, whatever state her son's heart is in.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

It's interesting that every other job in the world requires training. To become a teacher, you get a teacher's license. To become a doctor, you go through a doctorate program...

But for some reason, people are just allowed to make babies with no training at all.

What do you suggest Alex? College courses on parenting? Chastity belts until a parenting degree is earned? I see where you want to go but I can't think of any practical way of getting there.

Unless you're proposing something really radical like passing on parenting skills from one generation to the next.....the thought of such a radical idea is making my head hurt...

I can understand everyone's reactions to Andrew Osantowski and his mother, but don't be so sure you're any different from them. I know this family personally, I know Andrew and his brother and sister and Jan and Marv and I honestly couldn't have pin something like this on any of them, until I saw them on the news. Jan Osantowski is one of the kindest people I know, She would've done anything for those children. She had a very difficult time trying to have children and when she finally did she never fogot to treat them as a blessing. If there is anyone's behavior than needs to be questioned it's Marv's for allowing Andrew to keep stolen guns in their home. Jan had no idea they were there. So if you 're all telling me your so much smarter than her, and you would know if your child , with the help of his father, were hiding illegal weapons in your attic and under your basement stairs I would have to think you were the crazy parent in denial. I have been in their home many many times and the places they were said to be hidden are not places you go into everyday. You wouldn't see them as if they were in the hall coat closet or something. How often do you rummage through the attic above your garage? I bet rarely, if ever. As for Jan, being blind to the signs, well she wasn't, Andrew had depression and was diagnosed and treated. I am sure any of you good mothers out there would've done the same if your child was acting depressed. So should we all assume if our teenager is depressed they're going to shoot up a school? As far as she knew Andrew was getting the treatment he needed and the most violence he experienced was on video games and TV, no different than your kids I am sure. So let's lay off the mother a little, and put blame where it should be, on the parent who actually knew Andrew was stealing guns and hiding them, his FATHER.

A.H. I completely agree with you, everyone has there views from the outside and can say what they think, but does anybody really see that there was something way wrong with this kid. What was it that pushed him over the edge? Everyone has so much hate for this boy and his family. what good does that do? Especially his mom, yeah maybe she was oblivious to what was going on, that doesnt mean she needs to be attacked, her family is in jail right now shes going through a hard enough time as it is. She has to take care of her daughter, and her autistic son. Why doesnt everybody else just go on with their lives and let them be.

A.H. You're absolutely right. Sorry I didn't respond to your comment sooner. Indeed, I can understand the tragicness of this situation. And I don't think anyone here is attempting to attack Andrew's mother, saying she was a bad person. If anything, I was using this happening (along with many others I've referred to in the past) to point out a prevailing mentality in the realm of parenting.

We don't always know the circumstances surrounding situations, especially when we hear or read about them in the news. And you're right, sounds like the father should be taking some of the brunt of this responsibility. That said, here we have a great instance of the breakdown of communication in the family and how it trickles out to society.

If anything, we all can learn from this. Thanks for stopping by to comment.