"It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds." Samuel Adams

Thursday, June 25, 2009

MIdnight Basketball Anyone?

The Harrisburg Patriot-News reports today that there have been 11 shootings in the city in the past 18 days. Some of these shootings have taken place in broad daylight. Not surprisingly, community members got together and had a “vigil.” What do they want? More police, and more programs for the children. I find it very hard to believe that there are no programs for the children. It’s not a question of programs. It’s a question of do you want to go to the gym or the pool, or do you want to drive around shooting people? Neither the government nor the police can raise your children. Until fathers stay with their children, and until parents condemn drug-dealing and gang-banging by their children, this will only get worse and worse.

3 comments:

Dave said...

Come on, Brian, don't you know that the solution to every societal problem is another government program?

Bill said...

Brian, we don't need more programs. We just need more grief counselors to deal with the aftermath of the shootings by kids who are enrolled in "programs."

Brian C. Caffrey said...

Last night a Guardian Angels chapter from York, PA came to Harrisburg to attend a community meeting that was also attended by the mayor and the district attorney. The governor has assigned the State Police to patrol the city streets, despite his constant moaning that if the legislature doesn't pass his tax increase, the state will have to lay off state troopers. The NAACP has asked the governor to declare martial law and send in the National Guard. Martial law. Interesting how fast the calls come to suspend civil liberties when there is a little chaos. If the government hasn't prevented all these shootings, how is it going to prevent future shootings? There was one voice of sanity: One man said, "Our politicians aren't going to be able to save our children. We've got to save our children." I think one could substitute the word "raise" for "save."