Dear Mayor Parker,
Our city has been plagued by gun violence for too long now.
I’m sure you are already aware of the cycle: A Black boy grows up with no father, leaving the mother to raise him—by herself—to be a functional member of society. As he ages, the boy grows bored because his neighborhood offers no recreational programs, festivities, or clubs.
He then turns to the streets, where he believes he can entertain himself and earn the respect from his “hood.” The boy joins a group he considers his “friends”—the Black boy meets gun violence eye to eye… he catches “the disease.” Filled with revenge, he decides to murder people. The boy ends up headlined on the infamous NO GUN ZONE Incorporated on Facebook. He has a Janazah (a Muslim funeral), and his so-called “friends” are nowhere to be found.
The Black boy becomes just another statistic.
Just last week, a shooting occurred at the Philadelphia Masjid, a place citizens thought was sacred to the Muslim community (to the point that no violence was suspected in the area). The gunmen were two kids, fifteen and eighteen years old, arguing about streets that none of them own. An innocent little girl lost her life in the process. Inna ilahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon (“Indeed, we belong to Allah, and we must return to Him”).
There is a spike in gun possession and gang-related violence due to a lack of activities in our communities. People aim for the “street life” and unfortunately feel adrenaline rushes from shooting others who do the same. Praised by their gang for dissing an opposition’s family member, they receive money illicitly from selling weed and narcotics; the negative lifestyle is presented as something to admire. The idea of being a “hothead” or a “crashout” is normalized, acknowledged, and praised.
A method to begin resolving these pressing issues is offering more positive activities for kids. Not every black and rown face is interested in sports, so add a computer science course to the recreation centers. Encourage music careers: some may want to learn instruments. Additionally, video game competitions, robotics, and hobbies that require traveling 45+ minutes outside of your city would all be beneficial.
The people are tired of the limited pathways available for children growing up with less fortunate lifestyles.
There is no such thing as a “bad kid.” People are shaped by their environments; said environments are what need to change.
The “drop a ball and pick up a gun” narrative is a farce. In order to circumvent the atrocities happening all around the city, we must target the problem from within the community.
Sincerely,
Musa Jabateh
