Mariama McGhee
Junior
UPREP High School
Gun violence is now a deadly, chaotic form of violence. Lots of people don’t know where it came from or are confused about why the youth made it into such a popular mascot of daily troubles. Gun violence has become so admired that kids no younger then fifteen are using it as an excuse to make themselves feel safer when walking down the school hallways. They understand that the weapons they carry are very unmerciful towards the victims. It doesn’t matter if you’re a child, elder, or teen.
I was never raised around such atrocities but the people I know have been through it their entire lives. Their mostly friends, family, or mentors and the images from that old incident will never leave their memories. Gun violence is an ugly monster that will never leave their minds and what’s worse is that the youth who have been through it…see it as a daily lifestyle in which they have adopted. I had friend whose family members have started training the youngsters in the community on how to load a gun and how to shoot. My friend said that it was to help the children defend themselves but I didn’t believe her.
As a concerned youth I do talk to people about the dangers of gun violence and I’m not the only one. A lot of teens are upset about the terrible change everyone has adapted to and I can’t help but worry. I want the adults to stop ignoring what’s happening in the city and to speak up along with us. I want the whole community to raise their voices against this evil. Ignorance won’t help…but our voice will.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Why Goal Setting Is Important
Ronald Norwood
Freshman
AAMU “2013”
In our society today we have an emergency that’s taking the minds of many young males and females in our city. It’s an illness that doesn’t attack a particular race or gender. It doesn’t affect everyone either. It can only affect you if you have a weak sense of how your life is going to be. This illness is call a lost future with no goals.
In many cases if you walked up to a DPS student or a child on the streets, and asked them “what are your goals in life”, you would more than likely get an answer like…..I Don’t Know. Many of my males and females I service through this program have no sense of a goal or what they want to be in life. This is a huge issue not only for that person who doesn’t know what there future will hold for them. It affects me as well because they don’t know what they want in life so they may see something they want and try to take it from me. In life that’s called stilling or robbing. This is not the path we want our peers to take.
If you don’t have a goal in life how will you know where you need to be? You don’t. That means they could do something that could jeopardize there future. Things like smoking, drinking and gangs are all things that’s not going to help you become a successful person. But they want know that or think of that if they don’t have anything to stop them from doing the wrong types of things.
They have to Define there path. Webster or we can’t define it for them. But what we can do is guide them in the right direction with the challenges we have encounter in life. Every child should have a sense of an ideal on what they want for there selves in life.
Freshman
AAMU “2013”
In our society today we have an emergency that’s taking the minds of many young males and females in our city. It’s an illness that doesn’t attack a particular race or gender. It doesn’t affect everyone either. It can only affect you if you have a weak sense of how your life is going to be. This illness is call a lost future with no goals.
In many cases if you walked up to a DPS student or a child on the streets, and asked them “what are your goals in life”, you would more than likely get an answer like…..I Don’t Know. Many of my males and females I service through this program have no sense of a goal or what they want to be in life. This is a huge issue not only for that person who doesn’t know what there future will hold for them. It affects me as well because they don’t know what they want in life so they may see something they want and try to take it from me. In life that’s called stilling or robbing. This is not the path we want our peers to take.
If you don’t have a goal in life how will you know where you need to be? You don’t. That means they could do something that could jeopardize there future. Things like smoking, drinking and gangs are all things that’s not going to help you become a successful person. But they want know that or think of that if they don’t have anything to stop them from doing the wrong types of things.
They have to Define there path. Webster or we can’t define it for them. But what we can do is guide them in the right direction with the challenges we have encounter in life. Every child should have a sense of an ideal on what they want for there selves in life.
We No Longer Care
GaoIa VangOsborn Graduate
MSU Freshman
These days, when we surpass we want others to fall behind. It’s now an everyman for himself kind of game. We don’t want to support, we could care less, and we have become selfish. It’s sad to know this is the cold truth about Detroit. The love that was once there has vanished and I’m afraid to say it might have disappeared forever.
We have bind and played with time for too long enough. Time is almost up and if we don’t do anything right now, the city will slowly reside into dust. Detroit has been waiting long enough for its people’s help. But yet the people wait for someone else to help them. Better yet, they want someone else to fix their city for them. Have we become that unwilling that we can’t even fix our own lives?
People abandon their homes but don’t they know they’re just hurting Detroit evens more with what they’re doing? An abandoned house, which use to be a home of memories, has now just become a space for criminals to sell drugs…a place to rape young girls. Trash fills our city’s streets and yet we walk past it like it’s supposed to belong there, next to the shattered glass.
Each day I come upon more and more memorial sites. Young people die each day due to car accidents. Just the other day, my mom and I almost got into two car accidents because the people in the other cars decided not to stop at the stop sign.
I know that Detroit has no money now. I know that most Detroiters have no jobs and no money. I know because both my parents are unemployed and relying most on the government’s aids.
But that does not explain why we have trash surrounding our streets! That does not explain why people have to set fire on their house to get that insurance money. And that especially doesn’t explain why we have so many people driving recklessly around the area. Is it ignorance or simply because the people don’t care about Detroit anymore?
For the youth, this is what they grew up in and will probably continue to see if we don’t take action. For some of the youth I’ve talked with, they don’t care about their city. They could care less about the violence that’s happening right on their streets. Because this is what they grew up with; they’ve gotten use to it
We spend so much money to clean Downtown Detroit because the attractions are there and yet nothing is being done for the rest of the city. People from outside look at our city and think we have dirty people live in it because we choose to do nothing but to live with the trash that surrounds us.
We complain and complain but that’s all that we do. We use our mouth but not are arms and feet. We continue to hope that something fortunate will come to us but hope can only take you so far. It’s a habit that must be stopped. Waiting is only making Detroit dying quicker. It’s time to finally stand up and it’s about time for us, the people, to be the one first to do something.
MSU Freshman
These days, when we surpass we want others to fall behind. It’s now an everyman for himself kind of game. We don’t want to support, we could care less, and we have become selfish. It’s sad to know this is the cold truth about Detroit. The love that was once there has vanished and I’m afraid to say it might have disappeared forever.
We have bind and played with time for too long enough. Time is almost up and if we don’t do anything right now, the city will slowly reside into dust. Detroit has been waiting long enough for its people’s help. But yet the people wait for someone else to help them. Better yet, they want someone else to fix their city for them. Have we become that unwilling that we can’t even fix our own lives?
People abandon their homes but don’t they know they’re just hurting Detroit evens more with what they’re doing? An abandoned house, which use to be a home of memories, has now just become a space for criminals to sell drugs…a place to rape young girls. Trash fills our city’s streets and yet we walk past it like it’s supposed to belong there, next to the shattered glass.
Each day I come upon more and more memorial sites. Young people die each day due to car accidents. Just the other day, my mom and I almost got into two car accidents because the people in the other cars decided not to stop at the stop sign.
I know that Detroit has no money now. I know that most Detroiters have no jobs and no money. I know because both my parents are unemployed and relying most on the government’s aids.
But that does not explain why we have trash surrounding our streets! That does not explain why people have to set fire on their house to get that insurance money. And that especially doesn’t explain why we have so many people driving recklessly around the area. Is it ignorance or simply because the people don’t care about Detroit anymore?
For the youth, this is what they grew up in and will probably continue to see if we don’t take action. For some of the youth I’ve talked with, they don’t care about their city. They could care less about the violence that’s happening right on their streets. Because this is what they grew up with; they’ve gotten use to it
We spend so much money to clean Downtown Detroit because the attractions are there and yet nothing is being done for the rest of the city. People from outside look at our city and think we have dirty people live in it because we choose to do nothing but to live with the trash that surrounds us.
We complain and complain but that’s all that we do. We use our mouth but not are arms and feet. We continue to hope that something fortunate will come to us but hope can only take you so far. It’s a habit that must be stopped. Waiting is only making Detroit dying quicker. It’s time to finally stand up and it’s about time for us, the people, to be the one first to do something.
Speak Up Against Gun Violence
Davonna Ware
Junior
Osborn University High School
I wonder what makes teens want to carry guns around although sometimes people say they need it for protection. In the law it says you have the right to bear arms but you don’t have the right to kill peers. The federal law makes it illegal for anyone under the age 18 to have a hand gun but I think they should raise the age.. Sometimes teens buy, borrow, or even steal guns from each other and from family members. Many teens have access to guns in their homes with no trigger locks on them. Over 43% percent of house holds have at least one gun.
As a teen I truly think guns should be banned from our city. Detroit used to be called the Motor City. Now, people call it the Murder City. It hurts me because my family can’t come visit us because they always hear about somebody who got shot and killed and they don’t want to be next. I think if we worked together we can make our city better. When people argue about pointless things then go get guns. I think that’s just not responsible, especially if you are having guns talk for you. We put ourselves in danger, when we use guns to communicate.
Although people can get threatened by others, it doesn’t mean one needs to get a gun for protection. Guns are not always the answer. We should talk more. If you are in school or even at home don’t take matters into your own hands by getting a gun. Find an adult and let them know what’s going on. And if you know of someone who is under age and carrying a gun, you should let somebody older know about it. Don’t sit and stay quiet. Speak up and save somebody’s life. Make sure your voice is heard. Some people call it “snitching” but they really don’t know the real meaning between a “snitch” and a “leader”.
Last Friday one of my friends lost her brother due to gun violence and it hurt her so bad. I hurts me too, even though I didn’t know him. I think of this saying “Less Peers Brings Many Tears” every time a teen gets killed over gun violence. I told my family I’m tired of crying over my family or friends and tired of having to bury them too. I’m tired of the gun violence and wish it would end. People need to open their eyes and see that with guns your putting your family, friends, and yourself in danger. Remember three people die a day from gun violence. It really it should be 0.
Junior
Osborn University High School
I wonder what makes teens want to carry guns around although sometimes people say they need it for protection. In the law it says you have the right to bear arms but you don’t have the right to kill peers. The federal law makes it illegal for anyone under the age 18 to have a hand gun but I think they should raise the age.. Sometimes teens buy, borrow, or even steal guns from each other and from family members. Many teens have access to guns in their homes with no trigger locks on them. Over 43% percent of house holds have at least one gun.
As a teen I truly think guns should be banned from our city. Detroit used to be called the Motor City. Now, people call it the Murder City. It hurts me because my family can’t come visit us because they always hear about somebody who got shot and killed and they don’t want to be next. I think if we worked together we can make our city better. When people argue about pointless things then go get guns. I think that’s just not responsible, especially if you are having guns talk for you. We put ourselves in danger, when we use guns to communicate.
Although people can get threatened by others, it doesn’t mean one needs to get a gun for protection. Guns are not always the answer. We should talk more. If you are in school or even at home don’t take matters into your own hands by getting a gun. Find an adult and let them know what’s going on. And if you know of someone who is under age and carrying a gun, you should let somebody older know about it. Don’t sit and stay quiet. Speak up and save somebody’s life. Make sure your voice is heard. Some people call it “snitching” but they really don’t know the real meaning between a “snitch” and a “leader”.
Last Friday one of my friends lost her brother due to gun violence and it hurt her so bad. I hurts me too, even though I didn’t know him. I think of this saying “Less Peers Brings Many Tears” every time a teen gets killed over gun violence. I told my family I’m tired of crying over my family or friends and tired of having to bury them too. I’m tired of the gun violence and wish it would end. People need to open their eyes and see that with guns your putting your family, friends, and yourself in danger. Remember three people die a day from gun violence. It really it should be 0.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Rethinking Youth Activities
Myleatta Wilson
Graduate
Osborn University High School
I can remember being young during the summer time and having absolutely nothing to do. I would constantly nag my mother if we could go somewhere, knowing that she was busy doing something in our home. She had told me before that she had somewhere for me to go and something for me to do but it wasn’t really something I wanted to do.
Frequently this happens all the time with almost every parent of a child that just seems to have nothing to do at home. But when the parents’ overlooks what their child truly wants to do they become upset at the actions that come about when the child falls into trouble.
The activities that children participate in when out in the streets or hanging with their friends are surly not the same as they were about three years ago. When playing outside with my friends all day my mother had strict rules on exactly what I could and could not do. There was no playing in the street. I could not go inside anyone’s house unless she was aware of me visiting, and who was going to be there. I could not leave the block for any reason, if she couldn’t see me from her kitchen window I was in trouble. Lastly, I always had to be in the house before the streetlights, if not then I was definitely in trouble.
These rules were kind of harsh to me a couple years ago, but when I finally found out why they were in place I began to quickly understand why something so simple as coming home before it was dark was so important.
Over the last couple months there have been various crimes committed in the Detroit area, most of them occurring after dark where there are little to no lighting in certain Detroit areas. As I’ve stated before my mother warned me about coming home before the streets lights come on, she stated that there are many things that go on at night that I know nothing about and should never be apart of. Many crimes are happening at night especially the gun violence crimes. It’s dark, late, and not too many people outside to view everything that’s going on.
Too many of your young teens are being taken due not just to being victims of gun violence but also to being out late. We are not sure of what exactly it is that is keeping these teens out late but for some reason they are and the results of them being out late are not acceptable. Through the teachings of my mother, there is no reason to be out late at night except if theirs an emergency. Yes it’s cool to hang out a little late with your friends but its important to understand what happens when it gets dark outside.
I feel it’s important to always give a child and especially a teen something to do at anytime of the day. Finding activities on the internet or simply giving chores to do everyday at their homes gives them no excuse to be bored.
I want to see my peers make it in today’s world so let’s take the initiative to end our teens from being victims of gun violence by giving them something to do.
Graduate
Osborn University High School
I can remember being young during the summer time and having absolutely nothing to do. I would constantly nag my mother if we could go somewhere, knowing that she was busy doing something in our home. She had told me before that she had somewhere for me to go and something for me to do but it wasn’t really something I wanted to do.
Frequently this happens all the time with almost every parent of a child that just seems to have nothing to do at home. But when the parents’ overlooks what their child truly wants to do they become upset at the actions that come about when the child falls into trouble.
The activities that children participate in when out in the streets or hanging with their friends are surly not the same as they were about three years ago. When playing outside with my friends all day my mother had strict rules on exactly what I could and could not do. There was no playing in the street. I could not go inside anyone’s house unless she was aware of me visiting, and who was going to be there. I could not leave the block for any reason, if she couldn’t see me from her kitchen window I was in trouble. Lastly, I always had to be in the house before the streetlights, if not then I was definitely in trouble.
These rules were kind of harsh to me a couple years ago, but when I finally found out why they were in place I began to quickly understand why something so simple as coming home before it was dark was so important.
Over the last couple months there have been various crimes committed in the Detroit area, most of them occurring after dark where there are little to no lighting in certain Detroit areas. As I’ve stated before my mother warned me about coming home before the streets lights come on, she stated that there are many things that go on at night that I know nothing about and should never be apart of. Many crimes are happening at night especially the gun violence crimes. It’s dark, late, and not too many people outside to view everything that’s going on.
Too many of your young teens are being taken due not just to being victims of gun violence but also to being out late. We are not sure of what exactly it is that is keeping these teens out late but for some reason they are and the results of them being out late are not acceptable. Through the teachings of my mother, there is no reason to be out late at night except if theirs an emergency. Yes it’s cool to hang out a little late with your friends but its important to understand what happens when it gets dark outside.
I feel it’s important to always give a child and especially a teen something to do at anytime of the day. Finding activities on the internet or simply giving chores to do everyday at their homes gives them no excuse to be bored.
I want to see my peers make it in today’s world so let’s take the initiative to end our teens from being victims of gun violence by giving them something to do.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Gun Violence
Danielle Welcome
Junior
Martin Luther King High School
Gun violence is a growing problem in our community that needs to stop. Being violent is a state of mind, once you think positive your actions will follow. When I hear about someone getting shot or killed by gunfire, it hurts, whether I knew them or not. Everyone is capable of achieving something great but because of gun violence most people don’t live long enough to ever get the chance. Gun violence is a complete waste of time. Personally I think it’s stupid. People who participate in gun violence will either end up shot or in jail themselves. You can tell most of them accept that fate because nothing is changing. When you think about it, gun violence is never worth the risk of facing the consequences that are sure to follow.
What gives anyone the right to take someone’s life? It’s not yours to take. I think if people spent less time shooting people and more time helping people the world would be a better place. Gun violence is never the right solution to any problem, there is always a better and safer way. The problem is when people will realize that. In 1999 alone about 10,096 people were murdered by guns in the U.S. Here’s something to think about, gun violence rates continue to increase because so many people have access to guns. 43% of households in the U.S. with children and teens had at least one gun. Also, a gun that is kept in a home is 22 times more likely to kill a friend or family member than it is used to be used against an intruder. People say they need guns for protection but they sometimes end up hurting the people they are trying to protect.
I don’t think it should be legal for anyone to carry or own a gun no matter how old, how mature, or how responsible. No matter who you are you will face a situation that might cause you to make the wrong decision and someone might get hurt. I believe that actions speak louder than words so once people make wiser decisions and act more positively more people will be influenced by actions and change their ways. Some people say gun violence is all they know because it’s what they grew up around, but it shouldn’t be. Gun violence is a never-ending cycle,
AND IT NEEDS TO STOP!!!
Junior
Martin Luther King High School
Gun violence is a growing problem in our community that needs to stop. Being violent is a state of mind, once you think positive your actions will follow. When I hear about someone getting shot or killed by gunfire, it hurts, whether I knew them or not. Everyone is capable of achieving something great but because of gun violence most people don’t live long enough to ever get the chance. Gun violence is a complete waste of time. Personally I think it’s stupid. People who participate in gun violence will either end up shot or in jail themselves. You can tell most of them accept that fate because nothing is changing. When you think about it, gun violence is never worth the risk of facing the consequences that are sure to follow.
What gives anyone the right to take someone’s life? It’s not yours to take. I think if people spent less time shooting people and more time helping people the world would be a better place. Gun violence is never the right solution to any problem, there is always a better and safer way. The problem is when people will realize that. In 1999 alone about 10,096 people were murdered by guns in the U.S. Here’s something to think about, gun violence rates continue to increase because so many people have access to guns. 43% of households in the U.S. with children and teens had at least one gun. Also, a gun that is kept in a home is 22 times more likely to kill a friend or family member than it is used to be used against an intruder. People say they need guns for protection but they sometimes end up hurting the people they are trying to protect.
I don’t think it should be legal for anyone to carry or own a gun no matter how old, how mature, or how responsible. No matter who you are you will face a situation that might cause you to make the wrong decision and someone might get hurt. I believe that actions speak louder than words so once people make wiser decisions and act more positively more people will be influenced by actions and change their ways. Some people say gun violence is all they know because it’s what they grew up around, but it shouldn’t be. Gun violence is a never-ending cycle,
AND IT NEEDS TO STOP!!!
Substance Abuse and Gun Violence
Da’Vonna Ware
Junior
Osborn University High School
Teens may not know how substance abuse can affect your body and your life.
Although teens these days think drugs are okay to use or sell its not and that’s why us as
a community need to stop substance abuse and gun violence on our streets. More than
nine teens are killed a week do to gun violence because they got involved in the business
of drugs. Every time I turn on my television to get a glance at the news I get more than a
glance the news casters are always saying somebody got shot and killed or their in critical
condition. And it makes me think a lot we can stop all of this from happening on the
streets but nobody wants to get involved.
When I walk into a liquor store I see so many young teens in their looking at the
liquor section waiting on somebody to come back their so they can get them to buy their
liquor. That upsets me because adults rather put us teens in danger than to speak up and
be a leader in tell these teens don’t do substance abuse. During school or even the
summer I see teens just walking around in the community or standing on the corners with
their hands in their pockets. Then kids or maybe even adults go buy drugs from them and
they don’t know what the teens put in these drugs. When people buy drugs I sometimes
wonder are they smart enough to notice these drug dealers could of put something in their
to make them have one puff of it and then their dead.
About two and a half weeks ago we got a call from my aunty saying that my
cousin got shot in one of her kidneys. We went up to the hospital and I was able to talk to
my cousin about what happen. She told me she was hanging around the wrong crowd
when she should have been at home with her son. Then she told me that they were
smoking in drinking over at a friend house then decided to go walking around the block
to the store. They finally got to the store and got what they wanted and starting walking
back when one of her friends decided to sell Marijuana but didn’t know that was
somebody else block ( territory) who did the same thing. After that a car drove by slow
pointed a gun at my cousin and her friends in started shooting at my cousin and her
friends.
Everybody got a way but my cousin she wasn’t watching what was going on
around her because of substance abuse. And because of that she was in the hospital lying
in the bed with one kidney left. Teens need to be more careful about there surrounding
and know what how fast substance abuse can change into gun violence. My cousin story
was so life inspiring to me because her story opens my eyes up more widely than they
had ever been. And I know her story can help other teens notice what’s more important in
their life. “So teens don’t let substance abuse in gun violence affect your life in always
stay passionate about your life”.
Junior
Osborn University High School
Teens may not know how substance abuse can affect your body and your life.
Although teens these days think drugs are okay to use or sell its not and that’s why us as
a community need to stop substance abuse and gun violence on our streets. More than
nine teens are killed a week do to gun violence because they got involved in the business
of drugs. Every time I turn on my television to get a glance at the news I get more than a
glance the news casters are always saying somebody got shot and killed or their in critical
condition. And it makes me think a lot we can stop all of this from happening on the
streets but nobody wants to get involved.
When I walk into a liquor store I see so many young teens in their looking at the
liquor section waiting on somebody to come back their so they can get them to buy their
liquor. That upsets me because adults rather put us teens in danger than to speak up and
be a leader in tell these teens don’t do substance abuse. During school or even the
summer I see teens just walking around in the community or standing on the corners with
their hands in their pockets. Then kids or maybe even adults go buy drugs from them and
they don’t know what the teens put in these drugs. When people buy drugs I sometimes
wonder are they smart enough to notice these drug dealers could of put something in their
to make them have one puff of it and then their dead.
About two and a half weeks ago we got a call from my aunty saying that my
cousin got shot in one of her kidneys. We went up to the hospital and I was able to talk to
my cousin about what happen. She told me she was hanging around the wrong crowd
when she should have been at home with her son. Then she told me that they were
smoking in drinking over at a friend house then decided to go walking around the block
to the store. They finally got to the store and got what they wanted and starting walking
back when one of her friends decided to sell Marijuana but didn’t know that was
somebody else block ( territory) who did the same thing. After that a car drove by slow
pointed a gun at my cousin and her friends in started shooting at my cousin and her
friends.
Everybody got a way but my cousin she wasn’t watching what was going on
around her because of substance abuse. And because of that she was in the hospital lying
in the bed with one kidney left. Teens need to be more careful about there surrounding
and know what how fast substance abuse can change into gun violence. My cousin story
was so life inspiring to me because her story opens my eyes up more widely than they
had ever been. And I know her story can help other teens notice what’s more important in
their life. “So teens don’t let substance abuse in gun violence affect your life in always
stay passionate about your life”.
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