What's going on?
This following entry is just a bunch of sentences that I have strewn together. I apologize if it is not coherent. I have written about the violence in our streets about a month ago, but due to a particularly vicious act, I felt compelled to write another entry.
I have no idea what is going on in the streets of Toronto. The violence, the shootings, the murders. Blacks killing blacks. Young people resorting to a life of crime as if it is the only option they have. What’s going on?
I am shocked at the frequency and the audacity of the acts. Just one week ago there was a shooting in a church where people were gathered for a funeral. I still cannot fathom how such an act could occur. For someone to take another person’s life and go a step further and shoot them in a church is unthinkable. What do we do to stop this brazen attitude?
Pointing the finger and blaming artists like 50 cent doesn’t make any sense. As much as he might glorify violence, he does not make someone pull the trigger. He is speaking about his life and it should not be confused with endorsing certain behaviour. I’ve watched many violent movies in my day and the thought of killing someone has NEVER crossed my mind. When we place the blame on someone else (like 50 cent and other “violent mediums”), we take accountability away from the person who should be held responsible.
I would like to see some attention put to end violence. To tell you the truth, I don’t know where it should begin. I just know that talks are good, but they will not solely solve the problem. Action speaks louder than words, so it’s time that we do something.
I have no idea what is going on in the streets of Toronto. The violence, the shootings, the murders. Blacks killing blacks. Young people resorting to a life of crime as if it is the only option they have. What’s going on?
I am shocked at the frequency and the audacity of the acts. Just one week ago there was a shooting in a church where people were gathered for a funeral. I still cannot fathom how such an act could occur. For someone to take another person’s life and go a step further and shoot them in a church is unthinkable. What do we do to stop this brazen attitude?
Pointing the finger and blaming artists like 50 cent doesn’t make any sense. As much as he might glorify violence, he does not make someone pull the trigger. He is speaking about his life and it should not be confused with endorsing certain behaviour. I’ve watched many violent movies in my day and the thought of killing someone has NEVER crossed my mind. When we place the blame on someone else (like 50 cent and other “violent mediums”), we take accountability away from the person who should be held responsible.
I would like to see some attention put to end violence. To tell you the truth, I don’t know where it should begin. I just know that talks are good, but they will not solely solve the problem. Action speaks louder than words, so it’s time that we do something.
2 Comments:
At 9:20 PM, mrmentation said…
Hey Michelle. Violence on the streets of Toronto is not a new happening , but I must say I've never seen it this chaotic. I read an article in a local newspaper recently stating that over 200 home drug labs were seized in Mississauga and Brampton over the past year. Who do you think is behind most of
these labs ? I'll betcha they're mostly non-black. And They've got our lost young brothas killing one another in the streets for a bigger share of the market.
As for 50 Cent , I believe he plays a big role in the gun-slinging we're seeing in the streets of Toronto. Never underestimate the weakness of a young mind. From as far back as I can recall , Brothas in T.O. have always been trying to duplicate the Black U.S. lifestlye being portrayed through Hip Hop artists. I was guilty too back in my teens. I wore tracksuits to be like artists such as LL , Run Dmc and M.c. Shan. This gun business is just the new version of what my peers and I followed back in the 80's.
Gun talk in Hip Hop is nothing new.
This we know. But acts like Ice T , NWA and Kool G Rap were never promoted the way 50 Cent is. He's
being pushed in the media as if he were the Spice Girls. It's ridiculous. Along with the drug trade and violent rap lyrics , is
the sad reality that there is a shortage of Black male success stories in our "snow-white" country of Canada. It's definitely time for a change.
At 6:21 PM, Anonymous said…
Hi Michelle. Ya know I always find it funny that every time somebody shoots somebody somewhere, people feel the need to say there is an artist, a movie, a book or something that made somebody do it. I wonder what they were saying before the Tv age.
Come on people! Let's think about this for a second. A guy gets out of his house one morning, takes a shower perhaps, gets some breakfast, puts on a jacket, gets in his car, maybe a stop at the gas station to fill up and proceeds to shoot somebody at a church. During all that time, you mean to tell me he didn't reaaaaally think about what he was doing? He was just reacting to a 50-cent song or movie?
Anyway, I am with you on this one Michelle. Keep up the good work girl!
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