Dorie Gallagher Writes:
The situation is so sad and blame won't bring the child back...but, I know my child would not be allow to hang out on the streets with a bunch of guys either in that neighborhood or any neighborhood at that time of night. Nor would there be a pellet gun, cap gun, squirt gun or anything else that would harm or give reason to question on his person. Mark is correct...this is about common sense and parenting..community leaders are not to blame. dorie gallagher
Dennis Plante Responds:
I live in Jordan (about 3-blocks from where this took place), and have for roughly 8 years. Even being as close to things as I am, I still lrealize that I understand very little with regards to the real challenges facing minority parents in raising their children. Quite often it isn't even an issue of whether or not common sense is, or is not being used. It's sometimes a matter of economics, societal support, and the environmental conditions in general that exist.
The night this child was killed, I was working in my home office until about 1:30am. I heard no fewer than 4 groups of gunshots between 11pm and 1am. My point? Maybe it was a young adult that had the pellet gun and gave it to this child and there really isn't a parent to blame. Maybe this child was honestly walking to his friends house (with only his friend) to spend the night and met the other juveniles along the way. Maybe he was scared when the police happened upon him and that's why he didn't follow instructions. Afterall, society has ove the years, given young black men very good reason to be scared and not follow instructions.
If we as a society are really concerned about the tragedies like this that occur, than we'll do something about it. Maybe if larger numbers of individuals from more affluent neighborhoods in our fine City spoke-up more and came to observe what the real issues facing inner-city, imporverished minorities, we could stop this type of thing from happening again.
dennis plante jordan
_________________________________________________________________
Check out Election 2004 for up-to-date election news, plus voter tools and more! http://special.msn.com/msn/election2004.armx
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
