I wake up grateful that I'm breathin first
Cause dudes'll kill you, they don't need a reason first!
These ***** still hit em
They know the hood is too poor to hire CSI, and Gil Grissom
Ol School Mouse - Joe Budden
Not been in the blogging mood lately to be honest. Life's happening and I'm not really in a blogging zone.
But yesterday a 15 year old was gunned down in the halls of his high school here in the T.Dot and folks keep asking me what my thoughts are. I usually wait until all the info is in to process whats going on but this time I'll just shoot (bad but not intentional pun) without all the details so here goes.
On the one hand I wouldn't say that I was shocked that this occurred because black youth have been getting killed in Toronto at what to me is a ridiculous rate in the last couple of years but on the other hand I really feel for the loved ones of this lost one.
Cranky is surprised that no one saw anything or has come forward yet. Me not so much. The don't snitch, see n blind hear n deaf attitude is prevalent in Toronto as much as it is anywhere else in North America if not more much to my chagrin. Or maybe its just an atmosphere of fear where you keep quiet because there is threat of retaliation. I really cant say as I don't move in those circles. Whatever it is its a shame however you look at it.
From my perspective the story is also quite scary. Yes its really scary that this happened in a schools hallways and all but its also scary for another reason.
I used to worry about becoming a statistic a lot when I was a bit younger now I'm more afraid for my son. Yea he's still a baby but dammit if I ain't already fearful for his future. I mean its bad enough in my opinion raising black kids especially sons in this society where they are undermined, looked on as thugs, and told they aren't good enough at every turn but now you got to deal with the possibility that at some point they could just get randomly killed because well just because. And don't give me the its a ghetto thing argument cause that's not true because there are black families from all socio-economic strata in this community dealing with these issues and fears.
My wife thinks I'm joking but I'm giving the issue of packing up and leaving this place some serious thoughts. Yea shit like this could happen anywhere you go but that don't mean you need to accept it, stay put and court danger.
Sometimes the public assumes that these kids and young men must be guilty of some crime somehow and that's why they got killed. I tend to think that many of them are innocents or kids who just got caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time or who were killed for some trivial argument that really shouldn't have gone past a raised voice.
They are now saying that he may have been killed over some firework prank he pulled the previous day. You have got to be kidding me.
Its messed up out there man.
Anyway when Jane Creba got killed there was crazy outrage and demands for change. Lets see what happens here. Rest in peace Jordan.
12 comments:
I think that "see and blind, hear and deaf" mentality is so detrimental to the black community. The Game recently came under heavy fire because he said if he knew there was a serial killer in his neighborhood he wouldn't tell the police. He later retracted his statement saying it was taken out of context. Umm, what else could that have possibly meant.
We need to get out of the mentality that reporting a crime is a bad thing. A friend of mine says he doesn't "snitch" because he's not going to contribute to putting another black man behind bars. Honorable intent, but for whom? Where is the justice for the family of the victim?
Dutchpot had a post on her blog the other day about how crime is handled in one culture...maybe it warrants a deeper look.
This is a tough one, because I don't see this as only a 'black' issue. My brother's friend got gunned down and he was a cute phillipino kid, who they later made out to be a gangsta...
I think that boys between the ages of 9 to 27 are simply vulnerable to being at the wrong place at the wrong time. And really if you think about moving your son to some hick town where crime is down, who you think they are going to blame when something does happen? The one black kid in town (I know terrible)
I'm not shocked that no one's come forward with info, I am just disappointed. We seem to have such low morals these days.
It's a shame because some people (Black people) are saying 'if he didn't do something foolish, he wouldn't have gotten killed.' A fireworks prank isn't a reason to kill someone. Someone stepping on your shoe isn't a reason to kill someone. Someone talking your name isn't a reason to kill someone.
We do have low morals. Our society is one of low morals. We glorify the lowest morals we can find and look down our nose at having high standards. It's not just Black kids but it hits us the hardest.
This won't get as much sympathy as Jane Creba for a few reasons: 1) Jordan was a Black child. 2) He was a Black boy. 3) People are looking for reasons to explain away his killing -- he was part of a fireworks prank while Jane Creba was wholly innocent.
Look at Chantal Dunn. Does anyone even remember her?
It is a scary thing. I know of the school. It used to have a good reputation (it certainly wasn't known as a "ghetto" school in my day) so it's discomfitting when something like this happens where you least expect it.
But, comparatively speaking, Toronto, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in North America (yes, go look it up), is still really safe by any measure. I've given a lot of thought myself to where might be the ideal place to live for a Black man with North American sensibilities and Toronto always floats to the top.
Two years ago there was a mad run up of gun murders, but last year it went right back down to "normal." It was an abberation. I say this is likely to be the same. That is my hope anyway.
Jdid, if you were to pick up and move, where on earth would you go? Seriously, I'm really curious. Sweden??
First, please allow me to identify myself as a white male who lives near the Dec. 26, 2005 fatal boxing day shooting of an innocent 15 yr girl.
I'd like you to know that I feel just as much sorrow for the May 23, 2007 fatal shooting of innocent 15 yr Jordan in the hallway of his own school, 2 days before the school's prom. I stopped in my tracks & turned up the TV instantly on May 23, 2007 at 6PM when I first heard the news on City TV. Tears came to my eyes when I heard this news too, & I do cry for his family & friends....'May the love of the planet strengthen you.'
Hey, I might just be some average white guy, but hey, I CARE ABOUT EVERYBODY, & I want black people to know that there are white people who care about them because we're all equal.
And yes, I DO know who 19 yr Chantal Dunn was, & 4 yr Shaquan Cadougan, & 18 yr Amon Beckles. They were all innocent victims of senseless gun violence.
The creator of this blog seems to be a reasonable person, & I'm glad this place was made so people can comment.
At first, I didn't really have a specific comment to make here, but in after-thought, perhaps I should say that hey, I'm just a white guy, but I still care about EVERYBODY.
If everyone thought like this, we wouldn't even be leaving messages here, we'd all be hanging out together & having good times.
A MESSAGE FOR ALL TRIGGER PULLERS...
LET'S ALL TRY TO LIVE LIFE & HAVE GOOD TIMES. 'Cuz dudes, hey, I want you all to be around to party with & hang out with too.
That's my statement, & I hope it can help make a needed change.
These types of news are not surprising to me anymore; maybe I have become desensitized. The world has become such a dangerous place now, even for the youths.
We are suffering here with the "I'm not an informer" mentality that has taken over the youth. Sad.
Don't move here then...as of this morning 115 murders in 2007.
@CP, I agree with you, that it's not just a black issue...I was speaking about the mentality of "informing" or giving pertinent information to the police.
Historically, people of color have more mistrust of law enforcement than do our white counterparts, so they (especially those in lower socioeconomic communities) are more likely to be uncooperative with the police when it comes to giving information that could potentially help to solve crimes.
I think those kids will tell what they know, because Jordan was a good kid. People are sick and tired of this gun bullshit, and some are willing to take a stand.
Everyone is rallying behind the kid and his family too. That momofuku should be shitting himself/herself right now. By Monday, they will have a suspect in custody. I just hope that its the right one, instead of just any black one.
The one thing I'm worried about is making the schools in Toronto into a police state. No, we do not need metal detectors. No, we do not need increased police presence. Cameras are good, and so are hall monitors. More attention to certain areas would help alot too. No need to treat all students as criminals until we graduate, at least...
Sad. Just too many youths getting killed for trivial stuff.Here in St Vincent it is so depressing-seems like everytime you turn on the news it's some heinous thing happening..sigh
It is horrible what had happened to that young man. Well, boy really.
As for packing up and leaving, I can completely relate to that. An incident that was too much of a close call for me regarding a shooting in Scarborough (wrong place at the wrong time), was the push that made us put our place up for sale and leave for another town. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made.... and better yet, I even found a town that people actually still smile and say hi to you on passing, whether they know you or not. Who would have thought?
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