In a civilized society this would be a tragedy. In our society however, this is common place. Sad, but nothing jarring. This statement wouldn't be so sickening if we were talking about dog fighting. It wouldn't be so horrible if we were talking about drag racing or graffiti defacing imagery on a church. We're talking about the brutal, mob-style killing of a 16 year old boy.

This isn't a random act of violence from provocation, this is the result of an escalated war. Just one incident caught on tape that took the life of a young man far too young. Chicago became infamous for it's mobsters and gangs, but somehow the mythologized sharp dressed, tommy-gun toting images you see in celluloid fail to make murder less impactful. Does a history of violence make turning a blind eye worth condoning?



UPDATE: Four teenagers have been charged with first-degree murder in Derrion Albert's beating death.

Silvanus Shannon, 19, Eugene Riley, 18, and Eric Carson, 16, all of Chicago, were charged as adults ordered held without bond. Eugene Bailey, 18, was also charged with first-degree murder and will appear in court Tuesday.

Prosecutors declared Albert an "innocent bystander" in the fight that led to his death.


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/27/beating-death-of-derrien_n_301319.html

Derrion Albert was literally minding his own business when he walked by the Agape Community Center only to be struck in the back of the head with a 2x4. Holding his head, he may have been able to walk away from the senseless carnage if it hadn't been for the continued assault of numerous instigators of the fray who proceeded to beat him with planks of wood, punch at his lifeless body and stomp away at his broken frame. The horror is only further cemented in tragedy as bystanders and youth workers at the center attempt to drag his body to safety in vain. Derrion would pass away before the ambulance could arrive.

So what does this mean? Another 16 year old dies. Someone's baby, someone's nephew, their son, their cousin, a grand-baby and even someone's student will never see his dreams fufilled because of hate fueled violence that an entire city if not a nation has become too desensitized to intervene upon.

As someone once told me, everyone falls victim to bystander syndrome. That paralyzing fear and guilt leading to inaction when faced with peril or impending doom for someone you have the ability to save. The date of this entry is September 30th...citizens of Chicago's Far South Side said the violence slowly crept to Roseland gradually since August. Just another memorial site with candles and teddy bears to pass by on the morning commute until it reaches out and hits the affluent neighborhoods.

Had this been a savage beating of a 16 year old boy by a group of white assailants, you couldn't fly Al Sharpton there fast enough. Sadly he was hosting WWE's Monday Night Raw coming out to "Living in America" and promoting his Education Reform. No one has seen Jessie Jackson in a while, surely his alliteration and rhyming ability could shed some light on the situation and keep hope alive for the hopeless. Again, nowhere to be found.

I guess our political activists can only be found when the violence is racially motivated and underrepresented peoples are being marginalized and oppressed...

I would argue that a mentality so often heard, fueled by decided indifference to "let the animals eliminate themselves" is quite racially motivated. Where's the public outcry for black on black crime like there is for hate crimes between races. Do we pick our battles deliberately? Or does our shame behind the action of our own people lead to private disdain instead of open defiance. There were mass rally's and protests behind the Jena 6 who stood accused for violent acts they actually committed. While I too stood against the lopsided justice of the Jena 6 case, in hindsight; have we become the obnoxious parent who scolds the teacher when the child misbehaves?

The same parent who tucks their tail between their legs when there's no way to ignore the incomprehensible actions of their offspring? It takes a village to raise a child and the village is failing. The village has become spectators to tribal warfare with no one willing to step in as chief to work towards a viable solution.

I'm from Indianapolis. I say this not to step on anyone's toes; but a peace in the streets rally is great,...yet largely ineffective. Balloons, hot-dogs and face paint with a signature pledge on a piece of paper is an empty promise to make you feel good for a day. But it's still just one day.

School assembly's to talk about how to curb violence is a great thing. It's also a great way to get out of class for 30 minutes to an hour. Sadly, that's mostly what students remember it for. Scared straight works wonders for many at-risk teens, but in a society where jail time equates to street cred, I don't think the penal system bears the same menacing effect as it once did. Especially not when we're catching students on their second or third bid in juvenile detention.

We've got taxpayers eager to build more jails but inner city schools fall behind the national average because they can't afford the resources necessary to make their students competitive. So the catch 22 becomes, we either pull the bricks and mortar apart and use the money to buy books and computers, which means less room for criminals and violent members of society. Which also means that honor roll students with exemplary attendance can be victims of random acts of violence just like Derrion Albert. Or...we continue to build more prisons and spend increasingly less money on our children who feel as though society and little else cares about them. They know little about the world and less about themselves, eventually finding school to be meaningless and developing their identity while embracing the streets. Lashing out at a system that failed them and becoming rebellious and anti-establishment eventually adopting criminal tendencies. So the schools empty and the jails continue to fill.

Blacks and Latinos already make up the largest percentage of the prison population. At this rate, it will be the chief demographic with whites trailing even further behind.

So what responsibility do we have?

I am by no means a pessimist. I value efforts of those trying to do something, I just know that a dog and pony show is not a deterrent, it's a publicity stunt. A pledge is best suited for allegiance to the flag, and both are empty because the latter is rarely if ever tested. For a paradigm shift to occur it's going to take more than a 90 minute special from Oprah or even an address from President Barack Obama, both from the Chicago area. Although either or both could be a stepping stone. New York emcee and Def Jam recording artist NAS actually responded sooner than any of the aforementioned political figures:

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Dear Young Warriors fighting the wrong wars! Killing each other is definitely played out. Being hurt from the loss of a love one was never cool.

Dear Young Warriors fighting the wrong war! I know that feeling, that frustration with life and needing to take it out on someone, anyone. But….

We chose the dumbest things to go the hardest for. I remember seeing deaths over 8 ball jackets, fila’s, and name plate chains. Deaths over “he say she say”!!!!! “I’m from This block or I’m from that block,” or “my moms n pops is f*cked up now the whole world gotta pay!!!”

I remember feeling like I was the hardest “n*gga” breathin. And I couldn’t wait to prove it. But let’s think. What r we really proving?? And proving what to who?? Everybody knows Chicago breeds the strongest of the strong but I just feel, me, being ya brother from another state, feel your pain as if I grew up with you in ya very own household.

You have the ability and mindpower to change the way we are looked at. Look who’s watching us young warriors, look who’s throwin us in jail constantly, look at the ignorance in the world. Look at the racist dogs who love to see us down. Lovin to bury us in the ground or in jail where we continue this worthless war on one another. Young warriors…. We are WASTING more and more time. We gotta get on our jobs and take over the world. Cuz this movie left the theaters years ago, Juice, Menace, Boys n the Hood, Blood n Blood Out, Belly!

When we see each other why do we see hatred? Why were we born in a storm, born soldiers, WARRIORS….and instead of building each other up we are at war with each other.. May the soul of this young person find peace with the Almighty. I’m with you young warriors. You’re me and I’m you. But trust me! You are fighting the wrong war.

This sh*t sucks !!

-Nas

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Thank you, Nassir Jones. It was someone who cares stepping forward for something other than personal gain or popularity motivation. But is it enough?

To change a dynamic of violence we must strive to lessen it's influence daily, not just when tragedy strikes. I've been witnessing and actively seeking a solution to teen violence ever since my Sophomore year of high school when I attended an Teen Anti-Violence Conference where teenagers from across the nation were flown in to sign off on a pre-approved resolution constructed by legislators. Sadly, I along with many others refused to sign a document absent of our input and vehemently protested the ruse behind which our attendance was sought. We exchanged e-mails and phone numbers declaring we would draft our own resolution...

I don't think a single call was placed. E-mails were distributed trying to get something going, but essentially we squandered the opportunity. The violence has only escalated since 1999. It's time we joined the fray armed with something other than guns, handcuffs or silence.

Join me...