You know what’s crazy for years we in the black communities have been told that gun violence is the leading cause of the demise of young black men , not gangs , drugs , lead in the water , cnn statistical data isn’t data at all it seems to me it’s some editors opinion designed to evoke a response to foment controversy, not necessarily a bad thing . Except in certain areas the funded law enforcement over education programs, no after school nor extra credit classes just more exposure to elements in the streets. Not public training with the officers. Just kids who genuinely don’t understand the moves they are making have adult consequences. The water in most black areas have higher lead count than flint Michigan. Don’t wonder why you can’t reason with a person with a neurotoxin in their body lead impedes cognitive function it’s insidious. Stats cnn wont tell you that failing infrastructure is the leading cause of pipe erosion in black neighborhoods and in Appalachia where the white people america likes to disavow, but big pharmaceutical companies like them, they know how to get them addicted to opiates. Funny how we put someone on the moon and most didn’t ask where the money is coming from ? But education, school lunch , after school , how we gonna pay for that. No more vocational training either, and we wonder why this generation can’t fix anything. We stressed college over experience and with our police we stressed book smarts over common sense policing. Locking kids up for graffiti ? Make them clean it off. We got caught with a knife the cop would throw it down the sewer if it was some crazy knife then parents were called and you usually got messed up when you got home. Fighting was the highest form of violence you were expected to encounter as a kid. If you can’t fight get good at running or sports but don’t run your mouth. Respect was the currency of the street it still is to this day you can go any where in any neighborhood as long as you respect that areas rules. Last cnn stat they wont say the wealthy and I don’t mean you if your reading this . We are well to do if you own more than 4 weapons( pistols/rifles) and have ammo to practice plus defense rounds for self defense and carry your well to do. Wealthy people have made money every 30 year cycle and have not spread that wealth to the working class in 25 years. Creating the stagnation in the class structure in America. While you can get get up the ladder in America the rungs of the ladder get further apart the higher you go, so far in fact that you can’t even reach back to pull anyone else up. You get up and your by your self can’t go higher and if you fall down the ladder you wont make it back to where you were period! We are becoming a reactionary denizen with no real direction one outrage to another. And no morals we can’t even let women choose, and we didn’t win anything with the ny decision we knew it was unconstitutional to construct barriers to exercise inherent rights but that ain’t new either is it?
Owen - I really appreciate all you expressed here. I’d like to see if I can bullet point the issues, because I think they are worth discussing. I think your main points are:
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We are missing the point. Black men are dying, in large part, from things like gangs, drugs, lead poisoning. It’s not just guns.
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Our government, represented by police and schools, could help kids more by providing meaningful after school programs. (And I’ll add weekend and summer programs.)
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Black kids don’t have anyone teaching them the consequences of their actions. (I assume you meant black kids in particular. Maybe you meant it more broadly. Personally, I think it’s blacks, whites, everyone in a postmodern morally relativistic culture)
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You feel we need more money devoted to replacing decaying infrastructure, such as water pipes that poison people in the inner cities.
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When we can spend trillions on space, war, and the like, why can’t we spend money on vocational training so people in the central cities can get meaningful jobs?
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Kids would benefit from direct, consequential discipline for their actions, like cleaning graffiti, losing privileges, whatever. Mom and dad ought to be messing up the kids when they get home if they’ve done something wrong/dumb.
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We’ve lost respect, and given up non-deadly ways of resolving conflict. Conflict resolution skills should be taught.
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Extreme wealth should be distributed (invested in job and wealth creating programs? Is that what you mean?)
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We have no moral direction.
I may have gotten some of your points right or wrong - but is this the essence of what you’re feeling?
All kids not just black ones but you hit on some pretty spot on
But who gets to decide at what level of $$ is considered extreme wealth? I watch a YT channel where ppl from India are shown modern convinces. When told what do you think fast food costs in the US, one guy said he could feed his family for a month.
Distributing what another has legally gotten is theft.
You have hit a nail on the head, CAN’T TELL RIGHT FROM WRONG !!! The real truth is a lie &a lie is truth. When will some wake up? How long will some keep believe the lie for the truth? i just ask how long will some just quit being STUPID, OPEN THEIR EYES & SEE WHAT IS REAL & TRUTH?
But to be honest …. Our country has done this in so many different times to dis advantage a lot of us not just blacks ( let’s be clear) we working class denizen get shafted period