Since October 31, 2008 twelve people have died from youth violence. For decades suburbanites' have had a nonchalant attitude "This will not happen in my neighborhood." This attitude led adults to believe the deviant and criminal behavior the youth (disadvantaged youth or youth of color) will not negatively impact the 'upper echelon' of society. We have raised a generation of children with no awareness of self and who are unloving, uninvolved and uncaring. We call them misguided youth; then again, you can only be misguided if you received improper guidance. Our youth have not been guidance; we looked down upon them in disgust with their sagging clothes, crooked baseball caps, and revealing clothing. Don't get me wrong; I have murmured under breathe learn how to respect yourself. But I remember my days of the AJ jeans, cross colors, white t-shirts, khaki pants, the kangol, and the NWA blasting from my boom box on the back of the bus. Today it is time to get off the fence, stopped whining about how much things will cost, what programs we need to establish, what label to use and most importantly stop living in blind fear. What we should do at no cost when you see a young men in their sagging clothing or young woman in their revealing clothing, stop and look them in the eyes; say 'Hello, how are you today?' instead of turning our head and looking down at the ground. We should always show the youth with our words, deeds and a positive visions how great an asset to society they can become.

I grew up around pimps, drug dealers, hustlers and gang bangers. A few were my friends. (I was not a snitch; it had nothing to do with ethics; it was not about morals; but it was about why should I help the people who do not care about me or my friends. Who only show up when they do not want us in their neighborhood or when a local congressman say "We must save those black children!!")

I needed a reality check and these young people need one as well. We must show them what life looks if they continue on their destructive path. Show them the lifeless bodies of the young people that have died from violence (the innocent victims and the intended target). They do not need to see those non-threatening, prom-dance photos that we see in the media and the grieving families are holding up. We need to show the court room photos of the bereaved parents passing out, screaming and yelling because of the eternal pain, deep sorrow and emptiness that they suffer. Show them that there is no glamour when a jury discloses their verdict and a Judge's sentencing is real... Show them the photos of children in their Orange jumps suits in chains at Echo Glen and the lonely, haunting and cold jail cells of Maple Lane with a community toilet and shower will be their new homes. If all else fails, show them videos of McNeil Island or Monroe penitentiaries. Explain to them the staggering number of their high school friends that they thought were cool who are now or will become either jobless, homeless, addicted or incarcerated. The game is still the same it is only fiercer.

Elder Antonio Wyatt

Executive Director

Northwest Christian

Leadership Conference

Greenwood