Posted on 11/23/2008 8:17:04 PM PST by CE2949BB
Oakland, Calif. (KCBS) -- Oakland is affiliating with the national OK Mentorship Program, which fosters guidance and support for kids at risk for incarceration and homicide.
OK, which is short for “Our Kids,” offers one-on-one mentoring and puts value on education, health and positive associations. The African-American community is disproportionately affected by homicides and incarceration and Oakland’s Mayor Ron Dellums says it’s time for that to change.
“The police cannot solve this problem alone, [and] the community cannot solve this problem alone. We need a multifaceted strategy,” said Dellums.
The program seeks to reduce gun violence and gang affiliation, and offer young men between the ages of 12 and 18 positive male role models.
“This program is right on the ground, fundamental… it puts human beings in a place with other human beings who need them to care,” said Lt. Jim Meeks of the Oakland Police Department. “It’s one African-American male loving another young African-American male consistently, whether good of bad, that is the key component of the program.”
When Meeks was teen, his single mother sought out Mayor Dellums to be a mentor for him. As a teen, Meeks says he hung out with a tough crowd and of his five friends childhood friends, he is the only one still alive as their lives were taken in their early 20s by drugs or guns.
Its hoped the OK mentorship program will offer other young men the promise of a better future.
You mean like a... Dad?
Well I guess that's one way of describing the problem society is faced with.
So, 'bad' is better than 'none' according to the author?
Don’t worry. Obama will be daddy to all.
Well, I sure am glad the program is going to try to reduce ‘gun violence’. By the way, what is ‘gun violence’? My guns are not violent. Maybe it’s the way I educate them. Does anyone have guns that are violent? If so you better sign them up for this program.
If they just gave all the Oakland thugs free passes on BART, most of Oakland’s problems could be addressed. After all, there are a lot more rich, white people (Rev. Wright’s favorite group) to rob in San Fransissysko and the winnings can be re-invested in Colt 45 malt liquor in Oakland.
Bush’s fault.
That’s what kills me if you say flat out that its better to have a healthy father in the home than to be a single mother you get the NOW gang screaming that a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.
Yet all the solutions talk about positive male rolemodels.
This crowd has it's own 'positive' role models- and they shoot people at the drop of a hat. What they don't have are 'real' role models who'll shoot back at every opportunity.
That's because pussy-inducing California government limits one's ability to be prepared to become a 'real role model' at a moments notice. Nothing can thwart the ambitions of teenie thugs better than a bullet between the eyes of their adult thug friend by someone trained in the use of weapons.
Guns and ammo aren't flying off the shelves simply because Obama was elected (though that's a good reason) people are fed-up with being victims of these 12-18 yo 'teens'.
East Bay area was bad when I grew up there.
Cant imagine how much it could have gone to worse.
I thank God everyday for the oppertunity givin to me and my son to live and grow here on the Oregon Coast.
20yrs plus and I dont miss a darn thing about California.
I use to ride bart as a young teen all over the Bay Area.
Was safe.
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