“A young man had been shot at by another teen. He was willing to let it go. Only now he is hanging with buddies who tell him, ‘Man you’re a bitch. You let them pop your ass, and you ain’t did sh— about it.’ They’re harassing him every day, and it’s psychologically destroying him. Now, he’s got to show his friends he’s a man. So one day he gets in the car and goes looking for someone to aggress against so he can come back to his buddies with a story. He sees a group of kids, talking loud. The boy shoots at them, the kids scatter, and now he can go back to his friends and say, ‘We aired them ni--as out.’ But in the process, he accidentally kills an innocent child. That isn’t gang violence. It’s desperation, hopelessness, despair, cultural confusion.” – Essence magazine. July, 2013.
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15 comments:
This is a bitter truth about our 'hoods.
Very pathetic but true analogy of a dysfunctional society.
The question is; how did we, as a society, get to this stage? It wasn't like this way back then when we were growing up.
Very thought-provoking!
When folks talked about young people getting themselves into jails over dumb stuff, I used to wonder what they meant by "dumb stuff". But now I understand.
This is really thought-provoking...very touching!
And how come guys like Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and the rest of them so-called black leaders don't talk (or preach) against this type of dumb attitude?? Or are they only interested in high-profile issues that will attract attention to them and earn them some financial gains?
There are too many kids out there suffering from peer pressure unnecessarily. Young men and women trying to do anything to earn "respects" among their buddies.
But where are the parents----especially the mothers in all this? As a mother myself, there is no way I will allow my kids to go hang around some other kids I can't vouch for when there are home-works, house-hold chores, tv, games and other things to keep them busy inside the home.
Mothers have a lot to do with this type of situation. I know we have our jobs to go to but I also have rules in my home. I don't ever allow my kids hang out with just any kid in the neighborhood.
As a long time subscriber to Essence magazine, I do remember this issue very well! It was about the high rates of crime and murder in Chicago south side. And I also remember showing it to my son as a vindication for my decision to stop him from hanging around the neighborhood kids. As I told him then, "homies" are not worth dying for or going to jails for. What kids need to love best is themselves, education and other positive stuff. Thanks for this piece.
This should be read by every young kid out there. Too many of them are being turned victims of peer pressures.
First of all, I do really appreciate this piece and secondly, the accompanying music (In the Ghetto by Elvis Presley) is a classic. That song never fails to touch a nerve in me. Kudos.
I saw a great sense in the excerpt you took from an Essence article. Most times we all attribute every violent act to gangs. Yet, some of them are perpetrated by some sundry thug wannabe trying to prove some dumb stuff while under peer pressure. I hope our law enforcement agencies took (take) note of the points raised.
Peer pressure! god alone knows how many dumb young men and women are in jails and on death rows across the nation right now due to that word, "peer pressure".
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