It Starts At Home

I live in the great city of Chicago.  I 100% absolutely love my city and pretty much everything about it.  I visited most of the major cities, LA, Houston, New York, San Antonio, Nashville, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Atlanta.  None of them gave me a feeling of home but the ATL.  But, but, but....the violence in my city is completely out of hand.

Yesterday something happened on my block that has never happened in the 30 years my parents have been living here which lets me know that many of our youth are lost and need guidance.  Don't get me wrong the violence didn't start in my city recently this has been going on since the 70s maybe even the 60s but it starts at home.

Not to say that all parents are to blame for the waywardness of the children however, the good book says train a child up in the way that they should go.  There are people in prison right now that come from great 2 parent and single family homes that chose a life of crime.  There are people in prison that came from dysfunctional 2 parent and single parent homes.  There are also people who came from "dysfunctional" homes that chose better for themselves or had a mentor and are not locked up. 

When I say it starts at home, I wonder what happened to RESPECT.  Respect for elders, adults, self, and property.  The youth of today will cuss you out if you are an adult, sometimes in front of their parents, they roll blunts on bus stops and smoke marijuana in the middle of the street like its nothing.  No shame in their game whatsoever.

What has happened to our youth?  Granted once being a child I understand when not around your parents you may cuss and do some mischief but you would never do it in front of another adult whether you knew them or not.

What has happened to our sense of community?  It seems everyone is living in fear, they've surrounded themselves in their own bubble and think only about them and their household.  Not their block, or their neighborhood.

I must say since it seems most youth are misguided the violence and foolery we now see on TV today is not helping.  It is glorifying to some and confirmation that there behavior is right or acceptable. 

We need to get back to a sense of each one teach one but so many parents don't want anyone else saying anything to their child, reprimanding them or discipling them so its hard to have a sense of unity and oneness when you have to worry about a child's parent wanting to fight you for telling their child to do right or trying to stop them from doing wrong.

My people I feel we have lost our way but we must start in our homes, teaching our children respect for themselves, others, their community, environment etc.  Then we must keep the busy and active and stay in their business.  And we most definitely should not support or defend them when they have done wrong.

Your thoughts?????