I live in Pittsburgh, Pa. I don't know if our news travels to other cities or not. Over the weekend a former co-worker of mine loss 2 of her children in a double murder, ages 20 and 22. She and her 15 yr old found their bodies. This has been troubling my heart. The past month there has been a murder almost every night. Pittsburgh continues to build new stadiums for our football and baseball teams, new buildings, hotels, convention center, roads, malls etc. They're having fun raisers to keep the Pittsburgh GOTTA Regatta, We have the Pittsburgh Marathon,which almost shuts down the entire city, bike Marathon, I could go on and on. My point is, I feel nothing is being done to stop or try to stop the killings that have been going on. Nothing is being built for the youth, after school programs, activity/recreation centers, anything that would occupy the free time our young people have. I know some will say it's the parents responsiblity, but I believe it's everyones since we all become effected by their idle time spent on the streets. Yes, some, even myself may think it's too late for the teenage children, but I feel there's still hope for the younger children. If there is some kind of alternative to life on the streets. Programs developed that interest them. Now the news reports The Hard Rock Cafe' is coming to Pittsburgh. The city seems to be jumping for joy, while kids our dying in the streets. Yes, the city is looking more beautiful and new businesses are coming, but our future, the youth, our being neglected. And in the long run things will become much worse and soon it'll be unsafe for us to go out and enjoy this so called beautiful city.
I'm rambling on, because I needed to vent and I also wanted to ask the family to pray for the young people. There are so many talented young people out there in all the cities, all they need is someone to care and encourage them, to direct them to a path, where they can escape the maddness in the streets.


Mad Sistahly Love:heart:
CCBSKYN

Hey Coco,

I feel you Sis. My life is so sheltered, so blessed, that I rarely have the bad stuff that is in the world touch my life. My children are good kids and I can't really understand what's going wrong with the rest of the world's children ... something is obviously wrong. I don't think there are any easy answers if these same children aren't taught to love and respect life from birth. If these children are neglected by their parents, mistreated, shuffled from one place to the other ... how do you reach out and touch them?? To those in positions that try daily, I admire them because they themselves are at risk. There's just no easy answer. I think if we all do what we can with those children that cross our paths daily, show them love and consideration ... then they will know how to show the same things to another.

I don't know Sis. Tough questions.

Destee

I agree with you. Maybe these children don't know love or have never felt what it's like to be loved. Some have probably never even been hugged or told they're loved. It's saddens me. I try not to worry too much about it, but I do and sometimes I get ill from it. My parents tell me I have to learn how to pray and let it go. Still the killing is happening every night. Though it's not in my neighborhood, I still feel the pain. I thank you for your reply.

Madd Sistahly Love:heart:
CCBSKYN

ow i hear you girl it aint cool.i used to live in pittsburgh left when i was 23 because even back the no ne was doing anything that was in 93 pittsburgh is not going to change if people dont want change there are more youths in jail that that are working if you didnt have role models growing up how can you be a role model

Coco,

What's happening in Pittsburgh is happening in cities throughout this country. Many of us are only 1-2 steps away from knowing someone that has been murdered or is serving time in one of America's thousands of prisons. Billions of dollars are spent building new prisons to house more of our people. How do we tackle this problem? Whose responsibility is it to address the problem and to try and reverse the condition? Our government? Rich businessmen? Politicians? Parents?

Hi shannie and welcome! :wave: This whole notion of role models is an interesting one. I wouldn't assume that people accused of committing crimes don't or never had a role model. I believe that most if not all of us follow a pattern that's been laid out by someone we've seen and we want to 'copy' or emulate their behavior. The question becomes, what is it that we see that interests us enough to want to be like someone else. What is our motivation?