Killadelphia - The city of brotherly love?

The Streets of Killadelphia

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/10/11/mattingly.killadelphia.cnn

You still think Philadelphia is the city of brother love? Shaunta McDuffie wouldn’t agree with you. She lost her 14-year-old son to a violent, senseless killing this year. He was riding his bike with a couple of his pals, when the driver of the car behind him honked his horn, then shot and killed him. Cnn.com covered a report about the disturbing turn of events in Philadelphia. News reports show at least a homicide a day, with at least 300 people dead and counting during 2006. Living in perpetual fear, residents say that people get shot for something as mundane as a parking spot.

“Twenty years ago, people had disputes, and fights but they settled it with fists, now they use bullets”, says Mark Lamont Hill, an anti-violence expert. The problems are less about gangs and violence and more about individuals living frustrated unrewarded lives. Its more about frustrated individuals with guns.

Lawmakers believe that the revitalization of the city and economy would go far in curtailing the reports since, it would give people jobs and economic freedom. It would lessen the burdens people are under. People are so frustrated with their lives, the smallest issue could spark killing sprees in traffic, supermarkets, and neighborhood parks.

The educational system leave much to be desired - Philadelphia ranked 92nd in the a study of the number of adults with college degrees, according to a study by the Brookings Institution's Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy.

Thoughts? The media and lawmakers are quick to point to gun proliferation as the chief cause of city violence. Hardly any thought is given to how the problem could go deeper than simply a knack for violence in trigger-happy gangs.

To me? Part of the problem, is the fact that people are obsessed with the need for speed : the need to get the most in the fastest possible way. Everybody is in a hurry to get nowhere fast, and nobody is immune from the onslaught, even a 14 year old kid.

Jasmine - On Philadelphia