A quote from the “Joker” – The Dark Knight movie: “Nobody panics when things go “according to plan” even if the plan is horrifying. If tomorrow I tell the press that, like, a gangbanger will get shot…or a truck load of soldiers will be blowing up…nobody panics…because it’s all part of the plan.”
When I first saw this movie at the theater I almost fell out of my chair and I looked around the crowd to see if anyone else caught that line and no one seemed to react to it the way I did. As I thought about why no one did I looked at myself and asked ‘if I were to get shot tonight would people have expected it?’ I assume there will be people that will say “I saw it coming…” and others will say “he needs Jesus…” and the ones that know me best will be the only ones in shock. I mean what I say because many that I know have different feelings about violence and for those of us that were involved, at some point, on the daily out on the streets we learned to expect those different feelings. I always wondered why people can’t just love and worry about everyone as they do about children in other places around the world. Recently, there’s been a video everyone is talking about and it’s about children in Uganda. It’s horrible what is happening out there and in many places around the world but it’s never horrible here at home. I’ve heard people say “why don’t the people of Uganda stand up and do something?” I read someone say “well look at how they live they are powerless and poor they can’t do anything that’s why they need our help!” So what do we say about ourselves here in the USA about the violence our youth face? Are we just as powerless and poor as the Brothers and Sisters in Uganda?
So is there a “plan?” I don’t think there’s a master plan that keeps being checked by a group of people to see if they are on track but I do believe that there’s a motive to keep certain things from ever becoming better. As the weather gets warmer here in Chicago it becomes bitter sweet for many because not only does it mean summer is coming but in some communities it means more violence as well. So what plan do YOU have to help reduce that violence? Just because you may not live in a community that expects the violence does that release you of any action? Some of you might say “Yes I shouldn’t have to worry about it that’s why I left that community…” but then you go to church and pray for those in need…why is that? I’m not trying to bash anyone what I am searching for is understanding. How can someone that no longer lives, let’s say Chicago, think that they are no longer needed to take action against violence in Chicago? If you lived there your whole life why wouldn’t you care? So I find it odd that the same person would then give money or send clothes and food to another country because they are in need over there.
I fully understand the need in other places around the world and advocate for people to help others as much as you can I just want to understand why there’s a sudden drop when we ask for help to reduce violence in our communities. I had someone tell me once “I expect the police to take of it” to take care of what? When I was homeless and sleeping in a park I had to steal so I could sell what I stole to get money for food and I’m willing to admit that once I walked into a store with the full outright intention of robbing the place because I was in need. So I go from a troubled youth to a criminal in the eyes of our society because the troubled youth part gets left out. I never robbed the place because the older man that worked there looked at me and gave me eye contact and I could see the look of concern in his face. I quickly thought to myself if he knew why I was there or did he see the need in my face I felt bad and left.
Today our youth are NOT expecting much from themselves because we are NOT giving them the tools to reach many goals. New schools being built in poor communities are focused on vocational and military style of schooling. There’s nothing wrong with that but when those schools are ONLY in those communities one has to ask why?
Why is there peeling paint in my school?
Why are there asbestos tiles on the school floors?
Why do we have to wear our coats in school during the cold months?
Why is there an armed police officer at my school’s community meeting?
Why do my teachers look stressed every day?
Why do I need to fill out an application to go to a public school?
Why am I fifteen and still in 8th grade?
Why do we have to fight to get the answers for the questions above?
Is there a plan and does everyone knows about it and that’s why there’s no action to truly resolve these issues?
The “Joker” (from the movie the Dark Knight) was able to convince the character Harvey Dent of taking violent action towards those that had helped the “Joker” in killing his girlfriend. It wasn’t hard because Harvey Dent was already in despair so it became logical to lash out against anyone in his way. Has it become logical in our youth to lash out? I don’t think we’ve reached that point but they are in despair and they are in need, what will you do about it?
Peace/AMOR
Gerardo
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