Gang Violence in Chicago

Recently ABC News did a special series on "Hidden America called Don't Shoot: I Want to Grow Up." I really enjoy how ABC News tries to bring current issues that Americans are facing in this time and age. Don't Shoot: I Want to Grow up is a special in which it is interviewing "38 former and present gang members to discuss what is going on." ABC says, "there have been more than 400 murders in Chicago this year, with the murder rates four times what it is in New York."

I was watching the special yesterday and Diane Sawyer was interviewing a 7-year-old boy, named Ralph, whose grandmother was killed just standing outside her house. It broke my heart that Ralph had to go through a family loss at such a young age. In the special he was wearing a shirt that had "R.I.P. Grandma" on it. He told of memories he had with his grandma, which involved eating noodles with her and whenever his grandmother fixed him something they would share it and how he loved it. It is moments like that when individuals who participate in gang violence should think about the other individuals involved, especially children. Children are our future, they are innocent and they have the whole world in front of them to live out their dream. Sadly, due to gang violence this is sometimes taken away from them. I really enjoyed this special series and I can't wait to watch the second part of it today. 

Video shown during the special series 

Link to Article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/18/abc-world-news-hidden-ame_n_1982264.html