(Rev. Jesse Jackson and Janette Albert)
Today the funeral was held for the 16 year old honor student who was beaten to death. By now the world has seen the violence that plagues some of our city streets. We have heard people express shock and disbelief. Next week President Obama is sending Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to Chicago to talk about solutions, but will talking really help this situation. Nobody that will be sitting at that table will represent the gangbangers that are terrorizing the neighborhoods. Academic discussions that simply restate the obvious are not going to fix this situation. This is big news this week. At the funeral today Albert was called a “bright light”, well that “bright light” was extinguished by the darkness of youth with no hope. These young people see no life beyond the borders of the Roseland area, a conversation with Holder and Duncan is not going to fix this. Rest in Peace Derrion Albert because next month you will be another sad footnote.
Comments
I don’t mind the talk. It’s what happens AFTER that talk takes place that will be important. Will they have the courage to follow through. In the past, administrations have had “weed and seed”programs that were a whole lotta “weeding” and not enough “seeding”. People need to know that the cops there WANT to help. They might even need to have cops move into the neighborhood or assign full-time gang intervention specialists. that and viable alternatives to gangs (mentoring for young men so they learn to be REAL men; education for young girls about the need to avoid having babies while they themselves are still babies, etc.)will go a long way towards making a difference.