Take the House but Leave my Guns

My attention was drawn recently to another tragic news story involving the senseless murder of what appear on the surface to be an innocent 18 year old Afro -American young man and father. He was stabbed allegedly by gang members as he sat on the stoop of his apartment complex in Brooklyn New York. It is claimed that he was seen taunting these gang members for wearing a T-shirt in tribute of one of their own members that was killed last spring. What a relief! Not another shooting I thought.

I am positive that this story was not a major one as far as the main stream media was concern. After all, it was simply the life of one of those useless punks from the inner city that really counts for noting. I can almost envision the editors as they ponder the story before giving the green light to put on page 18 behind the important story of Obama’s Anti -American Pastor, Rev Wright. This editor might well be saying-‘They have no values; they do not vote, work, or make any tangible contributions to society except produce other miscreants like themselves.’

Fortunately for the young man his mom was a NYPD Cop, and this gave the story a nice twist and some credence. It was also useful for stirring up the venom and contempt of many readers. Some took it as an opportunity to lambast that other trouble maker ‘Bell guy’ that got shot in Queens NY by cops the night before his wedding. Where is that racist Sharpton now? One asked. Why is he not demonstrating, or does he only get excited when it is a Cop involve? I am sure he was a gang banger himself another claimed. How stupid can he be to taunt gang members, especially being the son of a Cop? Why is this fool a father at this early stage, and who is the idiot girl to get pregnant for him when he is not working? This prompted the young man child’s mom to jump to the defense in honor of her baby daddy. ‘Oh he was a good boy sometimes,’ she claimed even though we had our problems. ‘He loved his child,’ she exclaimed trying her best to sound convincing to no one in particular. As expected the many defensive blacks were quick to put things in perspective and condemn all these commentators as white uncaring racist that had no sympathy for the dead and a troubled mother.

I am always intrigued by these types of stories for several reasons. It is clearly revealing of several underlying problems which is affecting this great nation and requires immediate attention and rectification. It shows the ugly side of many of us today especially as the country goes through it economic hiccups and insecurities. Note the callousness and lack of empathy for the plight of others that are suffering unless they look and sound like us. At the same time such persons will spend their last dollar to aid a child suffering in Congo, Malawi, Haiti, and Myanmar or some distant land.

One should not fail to recognize the crisis that’s facing us when it comes to youth culture. There is loyalty, misplaced but genuine. Many will destroy their lives for the support of that group. There is self hatred as manifested by the ease in which a life is taken for such a dumb reason. You can rest assured that none of the Characters involved finished high school or plan to go to college. In the case of the dead man, having a mom in law enforcement did not save him. One should not conclude that so call bad kids all come from bad homes. The media one can sense salivated at the chance at channeling their energies at a story that allow them to show focus as human depravity without much accountability and attempts a providing tangible solutions. How about the question of guns and its impact on lives in inner cities – especially New York? In this case it was a Knife involved, but in hundreds more it is a gun. Life has become very cheap and the prevalence of guns has made it even more so. I look forward to the day when more young males can look forward to living long healthy lives like the late NRA President Chalton Heston.

As the economy tumbles, Americans are loosing there houses by the thousands through foreclosures, Congress is trying to pass a bail out Bill that the President has threatened to Veto. We have a choice, behave like the Ostrich and hide our heads in the sand in pretense that we are safe. On the other hand we can become mobilized and connect with progressive minds and show that we care for each other. In short, show love for our neighbor. To do otherwise can have dire consequences for us all. Please note my emphasis – us all.