War-like tactics for city’s war zones
Violence impacts everyone, everywhere By Averie Allen
Lindblom Math and Science Academy
opportunities for people that are unemployed. Thus, this solution can help lessen violence and create a better economy in Chicago. We need to have more alternatives and educational opportunities for those who want to join gangs or commit acts of violence. Many people are violent because they are bored and don’t have anything better to do with their time. If the city of Chicago offers more extracurricular activities for teenagers, like volunteering and sports, these kids will have better options that will positively benefit their lives. To me, the violence that plagues Chicago is often unnecessary, and there are better ways to solve your problems, such as talking issues out, avoiding areas that you know are violent and troubled, and finding people to help you when you face problems like bullying at school. When you use violence as an answer to your problems, you encounter even worse consequences, like going to jail, ruining your job opportunities, and getting expelled from school. Although my solutions may not entirely erase violence in Chicago, they will help minimize the level of it and provide kids with better options for their lives and futures.
I live in Beverly, a neighborhood that lies next to Morgan Park and Roseland. Many police officers and he harsh, ear-splitting firefighters live in my community. echo of gunshots blare This helps increase the safety throughout the urban throughout my neighborhood, landscape and the next creating a safer environment morning, you turn on the news to even when located in the middle see a mother crying over the loss of crime. Violence impacts my life because of her 15-year-old son, explaining to the reporter that “he was just it is steadily creeping into my Beverly, and in the wrong place at the wrong neighborhood, overtaking public areas that have time.” “Homicide [was] the leading always been relatively safe, such cause of death for non-Hispanic as parks. This creates a dangerous black male teenagers,” according environment for taking my to the Centers for Disease Control siblings to the playground, riding and Prevention in 2010. In a June my bike, or swimming at the pool. 25, 2012 New York Times article Leisure activities that were once about Chicago violence, it stated, protected havens are drawing a “Homicides are up by 38 percent negative crowd. My parents tell from a year ago, and shootings me to not go to certain parts of my have increased as well... As of June neighborhood because they want 17, 240 people had been killed here me to be safe and avoid bad crowds. this year, mostly in shootings, 66 Unlike my parents, who used to more deaths than occurred in the travel around their neighborhood with more freedom, where I go same period in 2011.” The violence in Chicago has and what I do is more restricted. Truthfully, I am not as much become such a prominent issue throughout the city and is even of a victim of violence as other affecting teenagers that have teenagers in Chicago. However, as never picked up a gun or been in a teenager, I can still offer some a gang. Nonetheless, these kids solutions to this problem. To keep parks in better areas live in areas where the violence is mainly taking place. Some on the South and West sides of youth living in the city cannot go Chicago safe, the city should outside and even visit their local provide more police officers on park because it is occupied by certain streets. This initiative Averie Allen is a sophomore can also present many new job who lives in Beverly on the South Side. gang members. Dear Mayor Emanuel and Superintendent McCarthy,
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Aaron Polk
Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep
I
live in Chicago during one of its most violent times since the 1990s.There has been a 38 percent increase in homicides during the first six months of 2012 compared to 2011. Fortunately, I have been blessed to live in a moderately safe neighborhood; however, the violence still affects me. I am going into my senior year in high school; I have my whole life ahead of me. I’m enrolled in a college preparatory as well as numerous extracurricular activities such as a journalism program (Columbia Links) at Columbia College Chicago. My support system and I are doing everything in our power to ensure that I remain on the right path. Unfortunately, because of the ever increasing gang presence throughout the city, it’s not always up to us. It is unfair that my parents have to be skeptical about allowing me in certain parts of the city. Why should I have to “stay inside of the gates” simply because my school is located in Roseland where the crime rate is high? Why do I see a larger police presence when I visit Hyde Park than when I visit my grandmother in Englewood? Quite honestly, I’m tired of being overly cautious...sometimes even fearful in a place I call home.
I love Chicago, but it seems that Chicago hates us...we hate us. Why else would Chicagoans go around killing each other for seemingly recreational purposes? I have been raised to never be fearful. Mainly out of religion, I believe that everything happens for a reason and sometimes, unfortunately I will never understand that reason. It doesn’t make sense to me that anyone with so much ambition and hope for the future could suddenly lose their life because of violence. In my mind, there is no justification for that. However, because of how I have been brought up I try to stay positive. I try to convince others and even convince myself that things are going to get better. Try convincing someone who has just lost a best friend or even family member that everything is going to “be okay.” It’s virtually impossible. Honestly, I’m tired of lying to people and I’m tired of lying to myself. As it stands, surviving in Chicago is becoming about luck. The gang presence in Chicago is ridiculous; there’s no other way to describe it. Yes, rival gang members kill one another but what may be even more heinous is that they also kill innocent bystanders who were simply in the wrong place
at the wrong time. Saying that gang bangers need to be driven off the streets is an immense understatement. Anyone can say that, it’s an obvious statement but what are elected officials actually doing to get murderers off of THEIR (gang members) playing field? It’s clear that gangs have taken over and that they’re not, in any way, intimidated by the Chicago Police Department. The CPD is not making a big enough statement. I recommend summoning the National Guard to Chicago, considering the epidemic of violence has virtually resulted in a genocide. Barely six months into 2012, Chicago has already had 228 homicides this year; overseas in Afghanistan, the body count for U.S. troops has only reached 144. It is a war zone in Chicago and the only way to restore peace is to treat it like one. Yes, it’s desperate but it’s also necessary. The CPD needs backup. They need people who are actually going to come in and get these gangs off of the streets so that we can feel safe again. There is no other way. Chicagoans deserve to feel safe...to be safe. Aaron Polk is a senior who lives on the South Side.
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