Tired of the Violence

The 7 year old grandson of a friend of mine was shot and killed over the July 4th weekend while with his father watching fireworks.  His father, a gang member, allegedly was the target of  the shooter. The gang lifestyle of his father cost a 7 year old his entire future.

One irony is that my friend is the acting director of a Team Mentoring program  that mentors elementary grade students.  My friend, who spends time trying to mentor young kids into a positive direction, had his own family impacted by gang violence.  My friend's grandson was going to spend time with his grandfather this summer.  In a moment of senseless violence that opportunity was taken away.

Some of our youth continue to engage in self destructive gang activities.

I'm not going to offer the solution that these violent young men need Christian instruction.  I would not ask them to "give your life to Christ" or invite them  to a mentoring sessions, or a meeting to help turn their lives around.  My speech would be, you've made a choice to live a violent lifestyle. Whether you were inspired by prior family members, the movies "Scarface", or "New Jack City", doesn't matter.  You want  a lifestyle of violence?  That is your choice.  Just keep your lifestyle away from innocent people like the 7 year old in Chicago who was killed while just trying to enjoy fireworks.  If you don't care about yourself or others, I don't care about you.

Take your violent actions out into some isolated part of the country.  You and your fellow gang members.  Build yourselves a town in the desert.  Far away from us.  Carry out your wild west antics away from us.  When you realize how senseless your actions are and want to live a peaceful normal life then come on back.  But, until then stay away from us.  We don't want you near us.  We are getting tired, very tired of your actions.  With every negative action you take you are arousing us to action to see that your violence is dealt with and that you go away.

We are tired of seeing innocent people hurt because of you.  It's time for you to go.