Over the years, the average age for criminal behavior has been decreasing. Where it was once folks over age 21 and mostly on weekends, it is sad to say that a lot of the crimes are being committed by children. It is no longer a shock to hear that the shooters were 14 and 15 years old. And carjackers? They are as young as 11.
There was also a time when mothers would not allow their children to bring anything that the mother didn’t buy into their house. Sadly, those kinds of mothers are becoming rare among a certain element in the Black community. As we hear about the criminal behavior of these young folks, the outcry from the public is continuously, “Where are the parents?”
My feeling is that many of those parents know their children are out creating havoc. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that young people who are up and out all night, are pretty much up to no good. There’s no way in the world a child can come in with new gym shoes and new clothing, and the parent doesn’t know. The kid isn’t working, so where and how did they get the money? And the old lie/excuse that so-and-so lent me the clothes, should not be accepted or tolerated. Truthfully, many of the parents just don’t care.
I had somebody post a probing question asking when will all this crime end? And in my humble opinion, for the Black community it won’t end until Black folks get absolutely sick and tired of it. And from what I see, too many Black folks just aren’t mad enough. How many times can you have a child lose their life to senseless gun violence and folks cry about it but don’t get off their butts to do something about it? All laws are man-made. And all laws can be changed. So to tolerate this juvenile justice system that continues to send criminal children back out onto the street is wrong. And if we stood up about it, we could make the system change the reality.
I also strongly feel that we need to ban that N-word. I am tired of drill music where the lyrics are simply, “Kill an ‘N’, Kill an ‘N’.” For the majority of us when we hear those rap lyrics, we can’t even understand what they’re saying. But the young folks do. As for comedians, it shouldn’t be part of their joke routines.
This is a serious time. We are approaching 25 years (quarter of the century) into this 21st century and our problems are self-perpetuated for the most part. Stopping that word from going out over the public airways won’t stop individuals from using it. But it won’t be perpetuated in the latest rap song, rap music video, movies, TV shows, etc.
Next we need to start holding parents accountable for their minor children’s behavior. All that unearned income tax credit money is going for things that have not benefited those children. And if we are to save them from going down the negative pathway, it’s going to take bold and strong steps and actions that a lot of folks won’t like. Those who don’t like it, will just have to get over it.
Lastly, if DNA freed the innocent, DNA can convict the guilty. Those cameras on the CTA train are showing details down to the pimples on their noses. So no longer can they create havoc and get away with it.
Let’s not just get mad, let’s not just get angry, let’s get into action!
