Sunday, November 15, 2009

Every Day Should Be A Day Of Outrage! But Let's Start for Real On Monday

NATIONAL DAY OF OUTRAGE
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
2:00 P.M. (EST)


"National Action Network (NAN) will be leading a National Day of Outrage to call attention to the nationwide epidemic of violence in urban communities. On this day, thousands of concerned citizens will come together from Chicago to New York and from Atlanta to Los Angeles. They will stand with a unified message that vicious, senseless killing in our communities will no longer be tolerated."
For More Information Contact:
(212) 690-3070 or Shanayk@nationalactionnetwork.net
www.nationalactionnetwork.net


First off, as long as our youth continue to kill each other in epidemic proportions, every day should be a day of outrage. Ever since I wrote and published my first stories about the growing menace of gun violence, 'The City Game' in 1994, and then 'Street Angel' in 1998, I was sounding the alarm over our children killing each other. I had warned back then in my books and in my talks in schools that left unchecked, this plague of youth violence would only get worse. And it has.

I am encouraged to see that more and more people and organizations are finally stepping up and deciding that enough is enough. What the N.A.N. is spearheading this Monday should be the springboard in a major effort and mobilization in this tremendous battle. The reason I say it is tremendous is because just like the problems with our youth didn't happen overnight, solving this issue won't happen overnight either. The root cause of our sons and daughters killing each other is visible in so many areas of our society. Some blame Hip Hop music, violent movies and video games and the over-all culture of violence in the media. But you also have to look at youth unemployment, failing schools and a general lack of positive images in our current society. We tell our youths to not be violent, but we don't show them how. We tell them not to pick up guns, but in all of the popular media, guns are glamorized. In other words, a lot of us adults and parents talk the talk, but don't walk the walk.

Our children are so desensitized and used to killings and death, that it's almost as though they have become numb, unfeeling robots now. They no longer feel the human emotions of sympathy, empathy and compassion. Actually, it now seems that they no longer feel at all. And this, to me, is the most frightening thing of all. Because when you look into the eyes of a lot of these child murderers, what stares back at you is cold, detached emptiness. Like they are no longer human, but characters in a video game who are programmed to kill.

Let's hope the day of outrage spawns a national mobilization of fervor to attack this epidemic with the same energy and hopefully resources now used to fight the H1N1 flu. Let's hope that unlike the candles and flowers that disappear from makeshift shrines to the fallen angels, the N.A.N. and all who participate in this 'Day Of Outrage', will only see it as the beginning of the battle to save the next generations of our children.

Rob Batista
11-16-09

3 comments:

  1. Let's all Participate in this Day Of Outrage!

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  2. As a people we needed to address this epidemic a long time ago. Mr.Batista's position regarding this matter is well documented with the inclusion of his novelettes "City Game and "Street Angel.We need to be more proactive rather than reactive because this righteous indignation and outrage only seems to occur AFTER THE FACT.When are we going to teach our children respect of self encompasses the respect of others. The self-hate is so entrenched that there isn't any awareness of the perceptions that we hold dear are the same ones that are literally strangling the bare essence of who we can be and is the perpuation of the senseless violence that now permeates itself in our communities.The resposibility lies on the individuals in our community that has tne maturation of self-awareness to be able to really educate our youth to a reality that will truly empower them that doesn't include the desire and need to want to hurt others so they can feel better about themselves this is more than an outrage this has become OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!

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  3. Any and all efforts to confront this situation is needed. There will never be enough said or done until the task is complete and the children are not living in fear each day.

    "Our children are so desensitized and used to killings and death, that it's almost as though they have become numb, unfeeling robots now. They no longer feel the human emotions of sympathy, empathy and compassion."

    Rob: They feel it. They live in fear. They simply show and wear it a different way. They are not numb, they talk about it a lot. They are afraid.

    Your effort is appreciated.

    Passing the information forward.

    ReplyDelete