[ehenningsen]

Originally Posted by SCGranny

Everyone is Always portrayed by family, teachers, and friends as "nice boys" - even the kids in the Columbine shootings! - until the truth comes out. So much so that I told my sons to avoid ANY appellation of being "good boys" so that they wouldn't end up as mass murderers! It seems that only "good boys" do!

One fellow I knew for years was in and out of prison, divorced, never paid child support, was a criminal since his teens. On his final spree, he stole a car from a traveling couple at a motel at gunpoint and hit the man with his pistol before he left in their vehicle. He went to a shopping center and accosted a young girl in the parking lot, demanding her purse and keys to her car. Instead she screamed and ran back into the store, where the cops were called. A deputy found the car and gave chase. They drove at high speeds until the man wrecked the car. He came out of the car and attacked the deputy, who ended up with a severe head injury and a broken arm before he finally shot the criminal to death. For two weeks the news media treated us to the family of this longtime criminal, all over the airwaves and in print, talking about what a nice hardworking boy he was and how he was 'just trying to get money for presents for his kids'. They even tried to sue the deputy and the young girl he accosted for false accusation and manslaughter! They called the girl (a good friend of mine) at work and at home repetitively when the media released her name, making threats and harassing her. Her boss - an attorney - had to file charges against THEM to make them stop!

You can't fix stupid.

"You can't fix stupid."

I could not say it any better than that!

[Bosco55David]

Actually it happened and 42nd and Ames. I used to live on 41st and Ames and remember that store well.

Also on the KETV newscast the night of the shooting, one of the family members admitted that the victim(s) were involved in gangs.

[Happygolucky]

Originally Posted by mattpoulsen

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you're probably are right.

But the previous posts were kind of making a conclusion as to the character of the victims with little to no evidence.

I just think about what it would feel like to be a family member of the victim in a situation where our assumptions are wrong.

I was lucky I was raised in a good home. I do have trouble understanding points of view where folks were brought up in a not so good enviroment.

But if these people want things to change in their neighborhoods in has to start somewhere. Family is where it starts, you know that these people know that these guys are in a gang.

Things they say, "cannot do anything about it"
Wrong they can do something about it.......do anything.

If a man can move thousands of miles away from home and save enough money to bring his family to a place to have a better life, then people in "NO" can do the same thing instead they just give up and roll over and look the other way until a family member is killed or wounded.


P.S. I was not talking about folks come up Mexico, I was talking about my grandfather that came to this country in 1932 from Italy after he was released from a German Prison Camp. So anything is possible.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Happygolucky

I was lucky I was raised in a good home. I do have trouble understanding points of view where folks were brought up in a not so good enviroment.

But if these people want things to change in their neighborhoods in has to start somewhere. Family is where it starts, you know that these people know that these guys are in a gang.

Things they say, "cannot do anything about it"
Wrong they can do something about it.......do anything.

If a man can move thousands of miles away from home and save enough money to bring his family to a place to have a better life, then people in "NO" can do the same thing instead they just give up and roll over and look the other way until a family member is killed or wounded.


P.S. I was not talking about folks come up Mexico, I was talking about my grandfather that came to this country in 1932 from Italy after he was released from a German Prison Camp. So anything is possible.

agree, anyone can do something about it if they want. Sure, kids born in the Ghetto have 2 strikes against them, but not the third. Poor kids have to work harder than middle class kids, but it can be done and is, all the time. Your grandparents are examples, mine too. How about Pres Reagan, he did have 2 parents, but one was almost non existant. Look at where he ended up, the same with Clinton as a matter a fact. Raised by a single mom and grandparents in anything but a family of money.

We all can look back on our childhood and see things that were not perfect but most of us have done ok,..

Nita

[mattpoulsen]

I'm actually kind of surprised you didn't mention Obama, who is probably the most blazing example of success in spite of circumstance seen in a long time.

Generally, I agree with you on the issue, but you have to recognize that Clinton, Reagan, and Obama did have strong parental "figures," even if it was in poor financial conditions.

Poor isn't the problem per se. The problem is many children who grow up in poor environments also have other issues, like absent parents, parents with drug problems, parents with a lower education, and etc. That's not to say that ALL poor parents have these problems...that's far far from the truth. But all the people you mentioned had family members who helped them overcome the pure financial disadvantages and their exposure to these other issues, often coupled with poverty, was limited.

I doubt Reagan, Clinton, or Obama would have emerged as presidential figures if they grew up on the streets of an inner city neighborhood with no adult role model or figure in their life.

Overcoming poverty is always possible but usually when its done there is a person (an adult figure) that helps them do it.

What often is the problem is there is no adult figure that takes on this role. A kid raising himself in poverty in an inner city setting constantly exposed to gang violence and gangland mentality has nearly ZERO chance of getting out of that cycle without help from adults. This is the whole problem.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by mattpoulsen

I'm actually kind of surprised you didn't mention Obama, who is probably the most blazing example of success in spite of circumstance seen in a long time.

Generally, I agree with you on the issue, but you have to recognize that Clinton, Reagan, and Obama did have strong parental "figures," even if it was in poor financial conditions.

Poor isn't the problem per se. The problem is many children who grow up in poor environments also have other issues, like absent parents, parents with drug problems, parents with a lower education, and etc. That's not to say that ALL poor parents have these problems...that's far far from the truth. But all the people you mentioned had family members who helped them overcome the pure financial disadvantages and their exposure to these other issues, often coupled with poverty, was limited.

I doubt Reagan, Clinton, or Obama would have emerged as presidential figures if they grew up on the streets of an inner city neighborhood with no adult role model or figure in their life.

Overcoming poverty is always possible but usually when its done there is a person (an adult figure) that helps them do it.

What often is the problem is there is no adult figure that takes on this role. A kid raising himself in poverty in an inner city setting constantly exposed to gang violence and gangland mentality has nearly ZERO chance of getting out of that cycle without help from adults. This is the whole problem.

You are right, both had a parent that was a positive influenence on them and yes, kids raised in the ghetto or inter city, whatever often has no adult to look up to in a positive way. That is why, I think they have 2 strikes against them from the minute they enter this world. Many of them either have moms that don't even know or care who the daddy is, they survive on welfare and teach their kids to do the same or enter the world of crime or they have moms and sometime dads that work 2 or 3 jobs to stay off welfare, but leave no time for parenting..

As for my not menioning Obama, I knew someone would pick up on that. It has nothing to do with my politics or feelings about him, it has more to do with his upbringing. Yes, his dad deserted the family when Obama was very yourng and he was pretty much raisied by his grandparents, but regardless of the image some have tried to create, I do not think he was raised in poverty or anything close. He spent much of his childhood in private schools for staters.. I would suspect and this is only speculation, his biggest challenge was being 1/2 black and being raised in a white enviorment. Again, only my opinion..

Nita

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by Bosco55David

Actually it happened and 42nd and Ames. I used to live on 41st and Ames and remember that store well.

Also on the KETV newscast the night of the shooting, one of the family members admitted that the victim(s) were involved in gangs.

And there you have it.

I've got a friend who is an Omaha cop, and a family member who is in the NE DEA. There is no question that 90+% of all these shootings in North Omaha are Gang & Drug related. In fact, it's probably close to 100%.

So basically, don't go where the gangs are, and don't be there late at night, and there won't be problems.

[Happygolucky]

So basically, don't go where the gangs are, and don't be there late at night, and there won't be problems.


Yes that is true, it is called street smarts.

I personally take it one step farther and do not go there during the day and do not spend any money or use services in those areas.

I am sure the majority of Omaha feels and does the same.

[Go Ne]

Well, if you don't spend any money there, things will never change now will they?

[Happygolucky]

Originally Posted by Go Ne

Well, if you don't spend any money there, things will never change now will they?

So everyone spending money in NO will change things?


I don't think so. You cannot change peoples personal habits.


I know our new president Obama will change things, so "I" don't have to. It will be all taken care of so don't worry one bit. Get ready for the New North Omaha. Coming soon to a neighborhood near you!