Teen Violence: Why Are They So Angry?

Shootings, beatings, knifing...killings. These are the words we are hearing alongside the word "teens". Our news programs are proliferated with story after story of teens fighting one another, then bringing weapons to "finish the fight".

In Chicago, Illinois, where I live, there have been 23 teens killed in one manner or another. 18 of of these were by gunfire. Last year, more than 30 were killed, 24 by gunfire as well. That is 42 teenagers killed in two years. A total of 53 altogether were senselessly removed from their families and friends, never to be returned.

One young man was beat about his head with a baseball bat in an attempt to help break up a fight between party-goers in his neighborhood.

Allegedly, this happened as police officers watched. Not that the police did not do anything, they did apprehend the perpetrator, but that was after the shock of what they had just witnessed had worn off.

Can you imagine being a cop, arriving at a crowd scene with angry teens and adults and as you attempt to defuse the situation, a man strikes another in the back of his head with a bat? Right in front of you. Shock is an understatement, to say the least. (The man apprehended has now been charged first degree murder wit bail set at $1.5 million dollars).

And school isn't even out yet.

And now we hear of eight teens ganging up on one girl and beating her almost to death. Just to gain notoriety on sites like "You-Tube". A young girl is now, possibly, permanently disfigured so someone else can become famous. She was even threatened with additional physical violations if she were to call the police to report this incident.

All of this violence, where is it coming from? Greater still...the anger that leads to the violence. That's what needs to be addressed.

With teen deaths on the rise in many cities across our country, this question begs the attention of every counselor, teacher, student, parent, public official and whoever else cares about the future of our youth. Someone needs to take a serious look into all aspects of this insanity before it takes yet another life.

I grew up in the 70's. In the era of "free love and free sex". A time where dreams of a nation fulfilling its promise to a disadvantaged people (Blacks) were at the forefront. A time where the ideas of space travel was slowly coming to fruition. Where ideals were real, and violence was a Saturday afternoon movie thrill.

I remember my mom watching westerns on television, and myself watching The Three Stooges. All of it was staged for our amusement and entertainment.

That doesn't mean I wasn't exposed to violence, because I was.

I grew up in Englewood. An area on the south side of the city of Chicago.

An area notorious for the violence it exhibited all to regularly.

Where I lived was in the middle of gang territory - the Disciples, Peace Stone Rangers, Vice Lords and the Satan Knights all battled to see who controlled the area. It had gotten so bad , for almost a decade, we children of the neighborhood were not allowed to go to the park. Ogden park, on Loomis and 65th Street, was only about six blocks away from my home, was off limits. From day-to-day it was never known who would be in a "rumble" which often included guns and knives.

It wasn't easy being a kid back then, but I turned out all right. I did not get entangled with any of that activity.

I certainly wasn't exposed to any of the deep-seated anger some felt.

Too bad we can't say the same for the teens of today. These young men and women are exposed 24/7 to anger, violence, mayhem and death. They see it in movies, video games and simply by looking out their windows. The very windows where many have lost their young lives to a stray bullet meant for someone else.

We have all heard the adage, "bullets don't have any names on them" -- well, it's true. Just ask Blair Holt, Chavez Clarke, and Miguel Pedro. These were not the intended target of the "nameless bullets"...they were innocents caught in the middle.

But why are these teens so angry? Many have things others do not.

Or do they?

Maybe this is something else that needs to be discussed and explored. At least it's a place to start.

Some of the perpetrators are disadvantaged youths. They come from broken homes, if they have homes at all.

Many of them come from single-parent households where there may be more children than parents and the one parent is overworked, stressed and incapable of good parenting based upon there own life-experience with their parents. "If you've never known love, you can't show love!"

Some are in street gangs that they have been mislead into believing are their "families".

They provide them with support, friendship, and trust they don't have at home. But they come with a huge price - loyalty. In a gang, you have to "prove" your love for "the family" by performing duties, or committing crimes. Crimes that include: physical violence - beatings, shootings, theft and even murder.

We look to the schools and law enforcement to help us, but we outnumber them. Schools are for their education not moral upbringing, and police and courts are filled beyond capacity with too many teens who have lost their way too many times. Parents...where are you???!!!

It will be inside the home where children will learn respect for self and others. They will learn love for the same. They will receive the discipline many of us were raised with that prevented us from becoming the "angry generation". Or did you forget the "whoopin's" you got as a child when you even thought about mouthing off to an adult, or raising a hand in defiance to the one who "brought us into this world, and has the authority to take us out!"!

I remember again, growing up in Englewood, walking to and from school - two blocks from home - and greeting almost all the neighbors in between - BY TITLE and NAME. "Good morning, Mrs. Jones", "Hello, Mr. Smith". There was never, "Hey!" Not if you wanted to be able to sit when you got to school, or again once you got home.

I was no angel as a child, but I knew when I got "out of hand" at school, before I reached the front door, my mom would be waiting for me at the foot of the steps with belt in hand, and a look that said, "Your butt is mine"! And I knew she was for real.

Today, children are allowed to cry "DCFS!" when mom or dad or Grandma/Grandpa even suggests a smack upside the head.

And they have the nerve to be angry. Get real!

To those between ages 13 - 19...let go of your anger. It's only going to hurt or kill you or someone you love.

To those who care for and about these teens...show them you care. Take some time to sit down with them and discuss (not argue) with them what is on their mind. What's bothering them. Why they are so angry. Offer some ideas and solutions to their issues. They are valid because these children are valid.

Their lives do have value!

Let's stop the violence before another child dies...because next time...it could be yours.