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I'll give Sharpton a big thumbs up "if" he's still doing this one year later (Nov 2014). But I hardly doubt it as a Bing search show his meetings are about one year old. Nothing within recent months.
Maybe when people decide to stop resorting to violence all the time and shooting and stabbing others and joining gangs and dropping out of school and doing drugs. And maybe when they go out and get jobs and be productive. It's up to individuals and leaders in their communities. It's not up to me or you - unless you of course are just like that, but I doubt you are.
Call me cold or whatever, but I don't consider it to be my problem. When they learn, people in communities like Irvington, they learn. I live in a town with great people that is very safe and we don't see problems like these, not at all. I've never once heard a gunshot in my town - actually I realized just as I typed that, that is a lie but the one gunshot I've heard in my town was fired by a cop who was shooting a rabid raccoon on the side of a house in my neighborhood in broad daylight. Other than that, and the occasional (I mean maybe one every 5 years) murder, where I live is nothing like the hell that is Irvington or Newark or Camden. It comes down to the people. They make their own choices. I live in a civilized area. I myself am a civilized person. Don't think the person who fired the bullet who killed the poor baby can say the same.
Your grasp of socioeconomics leaves something to be desired.
Irvington, New Jersey does not exist in a bubble. It does not find itself in its current state all on its own. A myriad of complicated, interwoven factors contribute to the violence you see on Irvington's streets. As much as people try to squirm from & ignore the reality; race in America still matters.
White flight, disproportionate conviction & sentencing rates, redlining, lack of access to economic streams, profiling. The list goes on & on.
The general attitude, preconceived notions & bias brought to the table by the dominant culture in this country when dealing with "Them" does contribute to the state of places like Irvington & the people who live there. The game is literally rigged. Institutional racism is an actual, documented phenomenon.
Does this absolve the criminal element in Irvington of all wrong doing? Does it forgive personal responsibility? Not even one bit. It should, however, give the forward thinking pause.
Your grasp of socioeconomics leaves something to be desired.
Irvington, New Jersey does not exist in a bubble. It does not find itself in its current state all on its own. A myriad of complicated, interwoven factors contribute to the violence you see on Irvington's streets. As much as people try to squirm from & ignore the reality; race in America still matters.
White flight, disproportionate conviction & sentencing rates, redlining, lack of access to economic streams, profiling. The list goes on & on.
The general attitude, preconceived notions & bias brought to the table by the dominant culture in this country when dealing with "Them" does contribute to the state of places like Irvington & the people who live there. The game is literally rigged. Institutional racism is an actual, documented phenomenon.
Does this absolve the criminal element in Irvington of all wrong doing? Does it forgive personal responsibility? Not even one bit. It should, however, give the forward thinking pause.
I guess that's why my post got 2 reps within an hour, huh??
I'm not politically correct. That's what you didn't like about my post. I grasp socioeconomics. I know that Irvington is not in a bubble. I also know that neither is my town, and we don't see these issues here - basically ever. And while where I live is majority white, we have all types of people here, coexisting. It comes down to the people. I don't care how it sounds, it's the people. The people living in these areas lack a lot of things - often an education, a strong family unit, a support system. There is an endless cycle of violence children are exposed to at a young age. It's not my job to stop it. I didn't cause it. I want nothing to do with it. The possible fixes are already in place - it often comes down to individual choices. Many people in bad areas don't make good choices. The few who get out despite having a terrible upbringing do - which proves that it comes down to choices and that anyone who tries and wants to can succeed in life and not be a thug in a gang who probably winds up shooting innocent babies in their own homes.
You seem to think our cities are set up to fail, as are the people within them. I disagree. I think it's quite simple - don't commit crimes. Don't do illegal things. Don't get involved with the "wrong crowd." Listen when a cop tells you to stop or issues a command, even (especially) if you're innocent. Don't pull a gun or knife on them then expect to not get shot, then get shot and cry racism. DO go to school. Do stay in school. Do get involved in sports and any type of community service. Have role models: a teacher, coach, guidance counsellor, to talk to about life and about your future. Keep yourself busy. Live a productive life. It is possible, even in Irvington. We hear positive stories - or what could be positive stories come out of bad areas all the time. Fact is, it still comes down to the individual. People make bad choices, and they make good choices. Is the system sometimes unfair and wrong? Sure. But some parents also suck. Some families are broken, with no clear role model, and no emphasis on education or doing the good, right thing. Some kids have no direction. This isn't solely everyone else's fault - it's time to start placing responsibility where it belongs. You're not going to like what I say, but I'd rather not go back and forth. We have different opinions and let's leave it at that.
I'm not politically correct. That's what you didn't like about my post.
Political correctness & being woefully uninformed are not the same thing. I love when people hide behind that empty phrase in an effort to justify their skewed, self serving point of view.
it's quite simple - don't commit crimes. Don't do illegal things. Don't get involved with the "wrong crowd." Listen when a cop tells you to stop or issues a command ... Don't pull a gun or knife ... go to school. Do stay in school. Do get involved in sports and any type of community service. Have role models: a teacher, coach, guidance counsellor, to talk to about life and about your future. Keep yourself busy. Live a productive life.
It's a 'white' thing. They wouldn't understand.
You forgot: Get & keep a legit job. Pay your taxes & rent. Marry your baby momma.
Political correctness & being woefully uninformed are not the same thing. I love when people hide behind that empty phrase in an effort to justify their skewed, self serving point of view.
I just love people who have to resort to making rude comments about others (I'm uninformed and my opinion is self-serving) just because they disagree with others and have no other response.
Who says you're right? Who says I'm right? How do you know we're not both right? Maybe (gasp!) we're both wrong. I'm not expecting others to like what I say and I don't expect everyone to agree. But I don't think having alternate, opposite opinions than me means someone is "woefully uninformed" and has "skewed, self-serving" points of view. You simply don't like or agree with what I'm saying. Leave it at that. Don't assume I'm stupid or lack a basic understanding of the situation. I could easily say the same about you but I simply accept your opinion is different without saying ridiculous things about you and your opinion just because you disagree with me.
There is no ONE, clear, correct answer as to why our cities are the way they are. Numerous factors play in. I think that what I am saying is one factor: the individual/the family unit.
I'll give Sharpton a big thumbs up "if" he's still doing this one year later (Nov 2014). But I hardly doubt it as a Bing search show his meetings are about one year old. Nothing within recent months.
well, i guess a month has to turn into a year for you? he's still speaking out against violence in communities, but he doesn't stay in only one community. like i said, i don't love him, and he's got a shaky past, to say the least, but he does a lot of good things on this particular topic.
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Other than that, and the occasional (I mean maybe one every 5 years) murder, where I live is nothing like the hell that is Irvington or Newark or Camden. It comes down to the people. They make their own choices. I live in a civilized area. I myself am a civilized person. Don't think the person who fired the bullet who killed the poor baby can say the same.
