I agree that they have institutionalized a non-productive, worthless lifestyle. But at the same time I am “sad” for the babies and children who have to grow up in such a hopeless, forever self-perpetuating environment. I am not too sure how you get “tough” with the parents who are hardly more than children themselves to break them out of it. What do you suggest?
I saw an old movie a couple of weeks ago about a kind but no-nonsense school for young boys that came from similar hopeless conditions and trained them to become responsible British merchant marine sailors, the best of them going to work on the Queen Mary. These boys were taken completely out of their deadly environment but could receive letters and visits from their families. It’s the only thing I could ever see as working to even put a bit of a dent in the toxic culture of places like southside Chicago. However it would have to be set up and run on conservative principles to work and so I see very little possibility of it ever happening. And I feel “sad” when I’m feeling pessimistic. So as I said, what do you suggest be done to break the cycle?
Not really sure about your question. I do believe though that we need to go back to some of the old values and get away from the PC stuff that is out there.
When I was a kid in LA, you didn’t ever mess with the police. You would regret it very much. But then again, those police were from a different generation and worked under different rules in society. They were not only tougher, but at the same time, more understanding of kids. I had friends that got into minor scrapes with the law. The police took them to the police station and their parents were called......at 2 or 3 in the morning to come and pick them up. If the parents didn’t pick up the kids, they were held over for court. If they did pick up the kids, they got a good lecture by the police.....for a couple of hours. The courts system held the parents responsible for the kids. If the kid was put on probation or given a warning and released to the parents, the parents best make sure that the kid stayed out of trouble or the judge would call the parents and have them appear before him. One juvenile judge was actually called a hanging judge. Some parents even went to jail. Not for long but he got their attention.
For some reason we think we can talk to these kids and things will change. Ain’t going to happen today. The kids know that if they are under 18, nothing will happen to them. This has to change. These kids in the inner city have no fear of the judical system. The fear of God needs to be put upon them. Scared straight programs worked great until the PC crowd started getting involved.
There’s a lot that can be done if the country wants to do it. Right now, these kids will shoot you and never have any regrets.