The lost streets of Chicago

[mingus]

To me, the difference between the hispanics and blacks in making it/being successful is the support from family. Here in Miami, the Cuban Americans are incredibly close family-wise. When we played soccer, every grandparent, uncle, aunt, cousin comes out to watch regular season games, much less playoffs. In the Asians too, family is all-important and expectations are high - even if income is low in the first generation, they stress education and by the 2nd generation, they're pretty much on their way. There still is the feeling that sons are better than daughters (eg. to my father, my children are not on "equal" standing as my brother's son because they cannot carry on his family name). In the black community, the fathers are absent, too much rests on the mothers financially/emotionally/child-rearing-wise, no model for the young males and they get involved with drugs/gangs and the girls get pregnant young.

And there are plenty of Black families who do just that. But there are too many especially in the densley populated areas where this disease takes root that just suc b to the obstacles. And you are right to say that the difference is family. But it's also community. These kids go to school & the kids that are there are in the same predicaments as them. When the problems are the very people & places that are the building blocks of living a good, happy life, then it's a cycle of violence. It's not just about "having expectations"--dig deeper than that. Children don't just follow expectations. They follow expectations depending on who's giving it to them. Is his thug dad &/or crack-head, mentally broken mom telling him this? Yeah, he's REALLY going to listen. Or, , maybe they got a good mom &/or dad. But if the kids going to school with a bunch of other kids who have a ed up home, then there's a problem there potentially there too that's just as dangerous long-term. And why don't they change, you ask?

Well, if you gotta ask that than just thank God every day you don't know the answer to that question. Fact: it doesn't matter the animal, even humans. You give it a certain social environment at the beginning of its life, and there's a real, real small chance what comes out isn't reflective of that.

[rmt]

So what - we just give up? I don't accept that. Unlike Hillary, I don't think that people are irredeemable (btw, since she says she's a Christian, she should believe that salvation is available to all - there are no irredeemables).

This is why I suggest the online hs diploma - just don't go to the bad schools, don't mix with those people. Go virtual (evenings/night) and maybe try to get a job (during school hours), save up and get outta there asap. If the parents don't know enough to advise kids or kids won't listen to parents, then the state/county should go into these neighborhoods and advertise virtual schools - it's much cheaper than traditional school - throw in a computer and internet connection - get them out of bad schools and off the streets.

[boutons_deux]

the rightwingnut racist schadenfreude over a human disaster like Chicago gang knitters is blatant

[rmt]

the rightwingnut racist schadenfreude over a human disaster like Chicago gang knitters is blatant

I'm not finding/understanding "gang knitters"

[boutons_deux]

I'm not finding/understanding "gang knitters"

Well, you're stupid, so ...

[rmt]

Well, you're stupid, so ...

C'mon, boutons, explain pls - I'm not scrolling through more Wool and the Gang ...

[CosmicCowboy]

I'm not finding/understanding "gang knitters"

"Knitters" is Boukaki's racist characterization of people of color.

[boutons_deux]

"Knitters" is Boukaki's racist characterization of people of color.

knitters is how you rightwingnuts really think of blacks, so I speak to you on your s my, racist level.

[rmt]

Thanks.

[rmt]

knitters is how you rightwingnuts really think of blacks, so I speak to you on your s my, racist level.

Well, I must think very highly of them since that went way over my head

[boutons_deux]

Well, I must think very highly of them since that went way over my head

a lot goes over your head, Trash suppoter.

[CosmicCowboy]

knitters is how you rightwingnuts really think of blacks, so I speak to you on your s my, racist level.

Boo is like the frat boy that calls his buddies my N**** because he just wants an excuse to say it.

[mingus]

So what - we just give up? I don't accept that. Unlike Hillary, I don't think that people are irredeemable (btw, since she says she's a Christian, she should believe that salvation is available to all - there are no irredeemables).

This is why I suggest the online hs diploma - just don't go to the bad schools, don't mix with those people. Go virtual (evenings/night) and maybe try to get a job (during school hours), save up and get outta there asap. If the parents don't know enough to advise kids or kids won't listen to parents, then the state/county should go into these neighborhoods and advertise virtual schools - it's much cheaper than traditional school - throw in a computer and internet connection - get them out of bad schools and off the streets.

The problem is you think "redeemability" is a lot easier than it is in all actuality. And/or that by the time it does happen that person, in his/her savage, evil ignorance, hasn't already blazed a path of Evil behind him. Just because you redeem yourself it doesn't mean that all of a sudden the people you've affected along the way are made righteous. The sins & their affects still wreck havoc through those they've traumatized along the way. And if you read the Bible--like actually read it, from the point of view of persecution & victimization (the audience for which it was originally intended)--you'd have realized that by now.

The sad fact is this--evil exists & persists to remind us we have a responsibility to do everything we can--as a family, community, country, world--to not allow it to take root in neglect & ignorance (forms of Evil themselves) because that will lead to huge problems.

So, yeah, right now the sad fact is though everyone is redeemable, it usually happens later on in life, if it happens at all. Work on preventing the babies born today from growing up the way they will--& not by aborting them, but through some other means. Adoption them into good homes, volunteerism--anything that puts them in a nurturing home/environment. Every solution would require it be done on a huge, almost never before seen scale. And only when that happens will this country truly be the shining light on a hill--for everyone.