David/Listmembers, Thank you for listing some programs, but actually, I fail to see what is so tragic about individuals taking in youth on thier own. Sometimes you don't have time to wait for a program to shuffle paperwork, etc., and sometimes, they are more trouble than they are worth. I was on welfare years ago, and at one time I had an emergency situation, but after spending almost an entire day at Hennepin County filling out forms, then being told my situation was not dire enough and to come back in a week, I figured out how to solve it myself. And I am not one who is going to ask for help unless I really need it. So, trust me, if I needed their assistance when taking in the young people, I would have immediately investigated those resources. Plus, what one person does not take leaves it available for the one who may really need the services. Cuts to programs dealing with youth have gone on for years, despite the swelling numbers in need of said services. If not, this discussion about our children would not be taking place today. Some of the reason why kids are in the gangs to begin with is due to the fact that they have next to none, or sometimes, highly inappropriate, family structures. It is evident, too, that some programs (i.e. program funds), and people( i.e. program directors, etc.) that are supposed to help youth are only helping line their own pockets. And no, I am NOT implying that the resources David listed are doing that, only that in today's imperfect world, my comments have merit. I believe that anyone willing to provide what youth need, with or without a program backing them up, is a good thing. And from what I humbly predict, it will happen more and more, because things are getting worse and worse. We cannot, nor should we ever really again, depend on the governmental sectors to provide adequately for OUR children. They can serve in an assistive role, but the overall responsibility will remain squarely on our shoulders. Things have come full circle. Back in the day, people took care of their own and each other's families. It was "the norm". We then let ourselves get complacent when all these federal, and then local, programs came into prominence and handed out money. Some then abdicated their responsibility to their families altogether, and others delegated large parts of it to others (i.e. teachers, daycare centers, afterschool programs, CABLE TELEVISON, etc.). Society, in many sectors and many forms, is now paying the price for it. In some instances, it will not matter how many police we get back on the street, it will depend on their mindset as they deal with the particular crime. It is not how many judges, again, it is the mindset of their sentencing of those harming our children, and how our children are sentenced and or rehabilitated. It will take those NIMBY neighborhoods to GET A GRIP ON REALITY and realize that they are contributing GREATLY to what happens city and nationwide. It will take the impacted neighborhoods, already weary of the RECURRING struggle, to CONTINUALLY force, and I repeat FORCE the issue(s) into the spines of our elected officials that they need to not simply act, but act int the BEST INTEREST of our communities. If that means putting services and/or programs in THIER OWN neighborhoods (possibly on their own block), so be it. It will take citizens CITYWIDE to check their egos and party affiliations at the door and vote in individuals who will take the needs of the city SERIOUSLY. We do not need (at least I don't) politicians who shake hands, kiss babies, spend a lot on yard signs and bombard us with stickers and posters. Slick media ads are just that and nothing more. We don't need anyone who looks and dresses the part of a public servant, we want someone who is the real thing. This election is all about SUBSTANCE and INTEGRITY! and sustaining that past the swearing in process is a job requirement. I don't think I can stress that point enough. I believe a recent meeting was held in regard to providing insight into our city charter and policies. If need be, citizens need to help direct changes to those policies so that elected officials cannot slip through legal cracks and weasel out of their campaign promises and obligations to their constituents. I applaud programs such as GET BOB, and other groups who are doing their part to shed light on these critical areas. Well, it is still early yet, and I am already on my soapbox. I'll get down and let someone else have a turn. Pamela Taylor (Lyndale)
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