Take a stand against Fear.

Child hit with stray bullet in Fla on  Jan 2nd, 2012

   When I was growing up in New York, it wasn't unheard of for some one in our building to get on to a child they witnessed doing something wrong.   It was normal for neighbors to know the name of the children in the neighborhood.  For mothers and fathers to gather together on the weekends and have a block party, connecting your child's friends with their parents.  When we moved to Florida as a family, my parents knew my friends, and my friends parents.  Not one of us 5 children, went to someone's house if my parents did not know the parents of my friends.   Phone numbers were exchanged.  Home locations were known.  Involvement and interactions in school, and with teachers were not uncommon.  So what happened?  Why have things changed?

17 yr old Boris Cikovic from Toronto was killed in robbery Oct 13, 2011

 Quote taken from Toronto News web site regarding a student who was with the shooters..

"Four days later, an emotional Araya told his Grade 12 English teacher at Silverthorn Collegiate, Cordell Brown, that he was in a serious bind, Travers alleged.

Araya told Brown he was at the Buttonwood Park shooting, but he had not fired a gun.

“Mr. Araya told him that he and his group had discussed what they should do and that he had said ‘no,’ but they did it,” Travers said.

Araya wanted advice from his teacher about what he should do and Brown told him he had no choice but to go to the authorities, Travers added."

"Travers and fellow prosecutor Sarah Leece do not allege he is the shooter, but that he was one of the four robbers, and thus a party to murder.  A party to a murder is just as guilty of the offense as the person who actually fires the fatal shot,” Travers said.

   I hear often "Times aren't the same now as they were back than".  "People are different now than they were back then".  Has the interference of today, effected how we raise our children tomorrow?  When we were growing up, respect was instilled into each one of us.  Not one of us would ever think of yelling at our parents.   Not one of us would roll our eyes, or talk back, or even use a curse word.  Such behavior was not tolerated  in our household, and not for just for the 5 of my parents children; but for anyone who entered my parents home.  RESPECT, a simple word that carries us, for a lifetime.

    Get involved.  Show your children that unacceptable behavior will not be allowed.  Get back to the basics of life and live by the values you were taught.  Stand your ground.

    Last night I was watching 48 hours, and there was a 17 year old boy who was shot in the head and killed.  The mother of the young boy was beside herself with grief, understandably, and my heart broke for her lost.  Her young son lying in the street, a life taken to soon, and a families hopes and dreams shattered in a single night.  While the investigators were questioning the 17 yr old's mother, I was shocked to hear her response to their questions "Who was with your son tonight?"  "I don't know" she cried   "Where was he going so far from home?" she was asked "I don't know, he has so many friends." she replied  "Why would he be wearing surgical gloves?" another question came "I don't know." again she cried   I was shocked.  YOU DON'T KNOW, was all I could shout at the television.  You don't know????

   What happened to the 17 yr old boy you ask... Well, he called his friend, another 17 yr old boy, and told his friend he planned a robbery for them both to do together.  Now, lets stop right there.. why didn't the parents of this 17 yr old boy not question where he was going and stop him from going out late at night is far beyond me. The two boys, with gloves on that the second 17 yr old brought with him, pretended to shop at a street vendors spot.  When the Street vendor was loading his truck with his merchandize to leave, the first 17 yr old pulled a gun and yelled for the other people shopping to run or the two 17 yr old's will start shooting.    The vendor and the first 17 yr old boy fought over control of the gun, the gun was dropped and the 17 yr old started beating up the vendor, another child shopping with his friends picked up the gun and shot fearing the vendor will be beaten to death.  This single shot hit the first 17 yr old in the head, while his 17 yr old friend ran.   Sad right?  A life taken, before it had even begun.  The end of this child's life, brings the end of his 17 yr old friends life as well.  The robbery, a felony, caused the life of one child and even though the 17 yr old friend did not have a gun and never handled the gun, he was charged with the death of his 17 yr old friend, because the planned felony, of both boys,  resulted in death.  One 17 yr old boys life ends in death, and the other 17 yr old boys life ends with a charge of murder and life in jail.

I couldn't help but think back to the day when my children would hang out with friends at the mall.  I would tell them "behave yourselves, be mindful of what is around you and what your friends are doing.  Their actions will reflect on you simply by association."  My children would reply with the "Come on mom, we will be fine."  But, I always added "Hear what I am telling you, if you are with your friends and they shop lift from a store, you are guilty as well because you are with them.  Remember that.  Pick your friends carefully.
Watch your friends carefully.  Lease you find yourself in the middle of a mess you had nothing to do with."

Now I am not saying my children were perfect.  Far from it.  Lines drawn were pushed.  Nights sleeping on the sofa was an often in my home, just to keep anyone from sneaking out.  Tape and alarms were added to windows as well as, bells were added to doors to ensure my children remained in door when I turned in for the night.  I knew parents & teachers, plus went to plenty of school events to make myself known.  Everyone; teachers, students and parents alike knew who I was, knew what I drove, and knew where I lived.  It still didn't stop my children from going through their teenage years, but I can tell you this.. when they did something, I knew about it.  9 times out of 10; I knew before they came home from school and right when they committed an unacceptable act.  I invoked my right to be informed.  To take control, and not let FEAR control me.

Bob and Nancy Strait attacked in their home 03/14/2012

Quote taken from political forum website...  "Bob and Nancy Strait fell in love after World War II and had been married more than 65 years."  "TULSA, Oklahoma - Family members of Bob and Nancy Strait, the elderly couple attacked in their home one month ago, say they are still heartbroken.
The motive was robbery but 85-year-old Nancy was raped and beaten to death. Ninety-year-old Bob was beaten and shot with a BB gun. It has affected a lot of people in our community.   

Andra says her daughter and her sister are having nightmares and she's not sleeping. She always understood crime could happen to her family but now that it has, it changes things.

Andra no longer takes her morning walks and she has a new alarm system on the house. They just can't understand why a robbery turned so vicious.

"If they were there to steal, they could've put them in the bathroom and shut the door. No one would've heard them," Andra said. "Daddy couldn't hear, mama couldn't see. It was pure meanness. The people who did this are just evil, wicked."

Andra and the rest of the family think of Nancy all the time. Her granddaughter got her school pictures recently and Andra thought, mom will want to see these, before the realization hit."

I don't think times have changed that much.  I don't think people are any different now than before.  What I do think is, that we have let FEAR take control.   Children are running the streets, beating up and bulling the older and younger alike.  Children are following in the footsteps of their parents and violence has become their second nature.  Families have become so engrossed in working, that all to often their children are left to raise themselves.  You CAN'T take it with you when you die, all the green in the world wont bring you back when your gone.  Sure, you leave your children a nest egg, but they can't take it with them if they are killed in a robbery.  It does them no good if they are spending life behind bars.  What they can take with them is Morals.  Values.  Respect.  That is the greatest gift you can leave your children.  The legacy of how to be HUMAN.

 I don't mean to rant.  But, turn on the news and open your ears, heart and mind to what is going on today.  Children are being killed in drive by shootings, and FEAR is keeping people from turning these shooters in.  Children are being shot miles away because someone decides to shoots in the air, FEAR prevents them from coming forward and being responsible, or prevents someone from turning them in  Come on, face the pain you have cause another family.  Our elderly are being targeted; beaten, raped and killed... yet neighbors see nothing, hear nothing; FEAR preventing them from coming forward or from evening forming a relationship with their neighbors.  GET INVOLVED.

US army Soldier beaten as he walks home 5/13/2012

Video of an US Army Soldier beaten in Tampa Florida.  This 24 yr old soldier was walking home after his car broke down.  Sad to think you can't even walk the streets to  get to your own home.  Video from Youtube.

The only thing to fear, is fear itself.  If you let fear control you, the people committing these crimes will control you as well.  Take a Stand Against Fear.  Take your neighborhood back.  Take your child's school back.  Take the playground back.  Take a stand against fear and, make the place where YOU and YOUR family live safe.

 Let me tell you something.  If a car pull into the front of one of my neighbors houses that I haven't seen before, you can count on me calling them and making them aware of it.  If someone pull into any of their yards and mingles, you better believe I am calling their cell phones with one hand and getting ready to dial 911 with the other.  Banding together is what it is all about.  Know who is around you and take a stand against fear and the scum/thugs who are thriving off of your fear.  Don't you think we have seen enough crime?  Don't you think it is time to take back our streets?  Don't you think it is about time to stand up against fear?