For three years, I have filmed intimately within American issues of urban poverty, violence and recovery. More than a gun issue, there is a terrible human and fiscal cost taking place every day in America…and we are all paying, (be it taxes or personal loss) for it. With that, it seems improvement is the only option.
Please see the above trailer. This post is in no way adversarial or politically affiliated. I am curious what your perspective might be on effective (and fiscally responsible) ways that policy and change (not blame), can improve the situation. Genius is needed because kids are dying.
This is also NOT an advertisement as the film is far from complete. This initial trailer was created for in-house purposes and is released for feedback and thoughts, with a focus on improvement only. I very much appreciate your time and thoughts.
I thought the video was mild, not extreme at all for my area. It’s typical news hour stuff. Take out that long fade out near the beginning as it is just distracting.
As for change, all the do-gooders continue to wring their hands and state, “This is not acceptable.” However, it is acceptable to too many adults. Those are the adults that raised the punks doing the shooting. The cycle of breeding, freeloading, shooting and more breeding will continue in the inner city. It’s not going to change much.
I’ve got to agree with Al Bundy including his opinion on the long fade in. It looks like it could be a good documentary, but this is probably better suited to Cafe Society. I also didn’t think it was any more violent than what you’d see on TV all day long.
The truth is, as a white suburban person, black inner city gun violence doesn’t register on my radar until it escalates and results in drive-bys in my neighborhood, which hasn’t happened to my knowledge. I would say the same for the large homeless population as well. I’m worried about my own job situation as well as friends and family. I thought gun violence was on the decline or even stable, rather than increasing, though Wikipedia only has figures out to 2004: Gun violence in the United States - Wikipedia
Many anti-gun sites have statistics going out further, but given that they have an obvious bias, I am reluctant to believe what they say (yes, I know Wikipedia can be biased too, but I’m taking their stats at face value)
To answer the OP, however, regarding policy:
I’d massively encourage birth control, including the morning after pill. This frees up the otherwise working poor to be able to attend trade schools and other programs without worrying about child care costs. Yes, someone will say this is an unpopular/eugenics/Nazi idea. So sue me. I’m not running for a political office.
I’d provide low cost or free trade schools for these same folks that were flexible with their hours in consideration they have other jobs.
I’d provide companies tax incentives to employ folks in these neighborhoods so they have other options beyond drugs/violence.
I wish you the best of luck with that, but I’m not hopeful.
Legalizing street drugs would help, since many killings are rooted in the illegal drug trade. Many gun purchases would not be possible without the profits from illegal drugs.
Thank you for your comments…I apologize if I posted in the wrong section. I say “extreme” because though we do see it on television, all of this is real. To my eyes, that is extreme. I do agree legalizing drugs would play a big part in helping. We’re fighting an war that is not winnable with a great human toll.
Not to turn this into a Great Debate, but I have never seen how legalizing street drugs is an answer. If pot, cocaine, meth, etc. suddenly become legal, then something else illegal that is hard to get takes it’s place. Perhaps just more potent versions of the legal variant. And if the Government taxes it, then I’m sure home grown cheaper versions will still be a business, just like moonshine is still a business even today. Besides, this is about gun violence, not drugs per se. Many of these folks are killing each other over territory, and the reasons for that may be as vague as “you’re not in my same gang”. Yes, the gangs may be infringing on each other’s drug customers in the grand scheme of things, but I doubt they do an economic analysis of their competitors before they choose to put a cap in their ass.
That was made 40 minutes from where I grew up in CT. To me, this is just a sketch of a larger picture that absolutely must be addressed. However, populations increase, jobs decrease and\or are too hard to get, and you begin to create and live in a culture of not working and thus must support yourself in other ways. Sadly, it’s that easy. Acculturating a group of possibly millions is not an easy task, I like this film because it’s gritty nature reeks of truth. Hopefully you’ll stick around and get into some more good conversation…
Along these lines, I know there is a charity organization that tries to encourage drug addicts to get on birth control: http://www.projectprevention.org
Project Prevention was started by a woman who has been a foster mother to numerous children of drug addicts. She gives cash incentives to drug addicts who agree to start contraception or sterilization. Every time this organization gets any press, you guessed it - there is a lot of outcry about eugenics. Personally, though, I think the woman is just being pragmatic and realistic.
You can’t make people want to get clean, but you can try to limit the harm they do to other people.
I think by the time these kids get really involved with gangs, they are mostly lost. Not many are recoverable and the ones who aren’t are on their way to being career criminals, although most will be petty criminals who will be in and out of prisons all their lives. Regarding birth control, I think if the time doesn’t come when we hand out birth control pills in junior high school and watch until the kid swallows the pill, teenage pregnancies are here to stay. As to trade schools, what trades will we teach and how do we find jobs for the trainees given this economy? And, as with everything we wish we could do, how do we pay for it? My opinions are those of a life long Democrat who is now an old man who is very much inclined towards pessimism. I wish I could feel optimistic but I can’t.
For the record, my pessimism extends beyond race, color, creed, and national origin.
[Moderator Note]The first time you linked to your own video I questioned whether you wished to discuss the subject or promote the video. When you did it again just a few posts later it was obvious that you were just promoting the video. If you wish to talk about the (supposed) topic at hand, you are welcome to do so, but if you refer to your video again I will assume that you are only here for advertising purposes, and will take appropriate action.[/Moderator Note]
