What is happening to our children? African-American teenagers or young adults are gunning each other down in Indianapolis streets. The 13 Eyewitness News recently reported that the murder rate in our city was up 60 percent over last year, with more than 60 people losing their lives to violence, so far, in 2013.
The murders aren’t just happening in the African-American community, but some of the most recent violence has involved young African-American men. On the Fourth of July, gunfire shattered celebrations downtown. On the other side of a bullet? A 16-year-old African-American male, gone way too soon. Days later, someone shot and killed another 16-year-old male, near a playground, on the city’s Northeastside.
These are real lives. Every young man gunned down is somebody’s child, brother, son, father. I feel disheartened and pained every time I hear the story of another young person, of any race, whose life is cut short – extinguished before they ever had a chance to live.
A recent report from the national organization, CLASP, says gun violence killed 53,850 Black men from 2000 to 2010. That sounds like casualties in a major war. And, most of the men were under age 40. CLASP, a group working to improve the lives of low-income Americans, reports that more African-Americans live in areas of concentrated disadvantage – high poverty neighborhoods – and research shows that can elevate the risk for violence.
Studies have also found that the stress of poverty, broken neighborhoods and fewer opportunities for a good education, often dim job prospects and the hopes of African-American men. When people don’t have equal opportunities for success, crime can increase.
There are no easy solutions. It is a perplexing and never-ending problem. But, those who study it say, if we can find more ways to give young men positive life prospects, including real opportunities to be educated, employed, and to rise out of poverty, we can dismantle some of these disturbing statistics.
I believe that many young African-American men are often repeating behaviors they’ve learned in lives of poverty and simply need a chance to change.
Perhaps if we can reach them, before they seek destructive outlets, we can help turn their lives around. Central Indiana has many good organizations making a difference, such as the Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana, the Center for Leadership Development, 100 Black Men of Indianapolis and neighborhood community centers. More young people need to be exposed to these opportunities or they need more of us as mentors.
We can’t ignore a problem that affects us all and our whole community. Today I ask, what can WE do?
You can email comments to Angela Cain at acain@wthr.com.
