OT: Hand's teammate murdered
Thought because everyone is following Hand's recruiting so closely, most people would want to hear this.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:38 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:41 PM ^
Christ
September 25th, 2013 at 10:19 PM ^
This is all you can come up with?
September 24th, 2013 at 10:45 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:47 PM ^
We haven't gone off track. We started barbaric. What's sad is how far we haven't come.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:59 PM ^
Eh I like to think we've come pretty far in terms of living in a peaceful, ordered society, but awful things like this sure make it feel like we haven't. Very sad, and so unnecessary.
September 25th, 2013 at 2:16 AM ^
Violent crime has plummeted and continues to do so. There has never been a safer time to be alive. That doesn't mean it's perfect, obviously, but let's not extrapolate too much here.
September 25th, 2013 at 7:45 AM ^
Our tech has changed, from stone tools, to metal tools, to plastics and beyond. Ultra-fast communications etc...these have changed but we (humans) have not changed. Look at the first codified laws, or any very early set, we still have most of them on our books...why...because people haven't changed. Age upon age, we remain the barbarian within the trappings of civilization.
September 25th, 2013 at 7:45 AM ^
Our tech has changed, from stone tools, to metal tools, to plastics and beyond. Ultra-fast communications etc...these have changed but we (humans) have not changed. Look at the first codified laws, or any very early set, we still have most of them on our books...why...because people haven't changed. Age upon age, we remain the barbarian within the trappings of civilization.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:10 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 11:34 PM ^
It is going in the right direction, but very slowly and with lots of bumps in the road (at least that's my optimistic view). I don't think we will ever fully change the violent and selfish nature of our race, but we are getting better.
September 25th, 2013 at 12:05 PM ^
As a genuine answer to your previous question "what can I do?"
I believe in the data that shows a strong correlation between higher "inner city" youth literacy rates and lower crime rates in those same areas. I spend a few hours a week tutoring reading/writing to the youth of the "inner city" near my current town and (in my opinion) it is one of the most rewarding things you can possibly do. It helps build confidence in the children and snap the trend of higher illiteracy rates in our lesser privileged areas. Higher illiteracy rates trend towards higher drop-out rates trend toward higher crime rates and there have been studies shown that the years between 1st and 3rd grades are the most important years for setting up a child to be a good student for the future.
Boom. Question hopefully answered.
United Way School of Hope or any city volunteer org usually have grade school tutoring programs. Well worth the time for everyone involved in my opinion.
September 25th, 2013 at 2:13 PM ^
Thanks Dudeness, I also work with kids. I appreciate your offering a solution. There will always be evil in our world, but we can make a difference. Not to sound like a PSA, but few things in life have the lasting benifits of investing in the lives of children, the child's life is improved as well as the adult and society as a whole.
Good suggestions for volunteer opportunities, I would also add that pretty much any church would love to have help with their children's programs. (assuming you can pass a background check)
September 25th, 2013 at 5:18 PM ^
I appreciate the thoughts and suggestions. I raised the question because it's been on my mind since I moved here a few years ago. One of the things I've started to explore is assisting with low-income housing for single parents. The hope is to create a relatively safe area near schools and community centers so that kids don't worry so much about having to walk through violent areas. Ultimately, I'd like to start afterschool programs (tutoring, DJing, dance, sports) and have real options to pursue education and careers rather than some of their current options. I've spoken with one of the Alderman's offices on the South Side, and I'm looking at connecting the housing with a potential youth center to create and share after-school projects and tutoring.
My hope is to have a business plan together sometime soon, and I'm in the process of creating a non-profit. If anyone is interested, I'll be happy to share details once the non-profit is created and I have a business plan together.
September 25th, 2013 at 2:44 PM ^
If you take a look at violent crime statistics http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=2221 It's pretty clear that we as a society really are moving forward. The issue is that death and destruction sell ads for media. People go to CNN more when there's a mass shooting in Chicago or bombers in Boston then they do when there's a report released that says; hey just FYI things are getting better. At some point confirmation bias takes over and things look pretty bleak. Thankfully, it's entirely inaccurate to say there's more violent crime today than say 30 years ago. I can't imagine it helps this kids parents with what they're going through, but we're heading the right direction.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:27 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:45 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:49 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:53 PM ^
I can't even imagine losing a friend and teammate like that. Very tragic. Thoughts and condolences to Hand, his team, the victim's family and the community at large.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:54 PM ^
...the victim was part of a group who went to try to get revenge for a drug deal gone bad, but then the situation went horribly wrong for him.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:55 PM ^
Prayers are with them
stay strong in this crazy world
September 24th, 2013 at 11:03 PM ^
Holy crap man, that's crazy. Gonna be sad to watch on first and 17.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:05 PM ^
For the family in their pain.
For the team in their uncertianty.
For the criminal, that his heart might soften.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:19 PM ^
how could murder be the answer. sad and disgusting
September 26th, 2013 at 11:24 AM ^
Even if they are tempted to try it, for whatever insane reason, how do they think they will not get caught?
September 24th, 2013 at 11:27 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 11:30 PM ^
It never ceases to blow my mind that a kid is capable of murdering another kid. That's all on the adults.
September 25th, 2013 at 2:23 AM ^
It's true that people are a product of their family, society, genes, etc., but I don't understand why everyone thinks it's more incomprehensible that a 17 year old could commit a terrible crime instead of someone older. It's not like there's a magic switch when we reach 18 or 21. We don't undergo metamorphosis.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:36 PM ^
Stories like this make me think a lot about the neuroscience behind crime among young adults and the development of the human brain. If one's brain is truly undeveloped in terms of being able to fully understand the severity and consequences of actions at this age, who is to blame? Has to be the parents.
September 25th, 2013 at 1:38 AM ^
Our society is to blame really. Prohibition of Marijuana leads to illegal drug dealing. When there is a dispute, it can not be solved through the legal system, so disputes are solved by individuals. In this case it proved to be deadly for the victim.
If marijuana were legalized, this would not have happened, because it would be purchased from a reputable establisment for 1/3 of the cost, withouth the posibility of getting ripped off, which would have avoided the confrontation later on. Also, don't fuck with drug dealers, everyone should know this...
September 25th, 2013 at 2:23 AM ^
September 25th, 2013 at 6:12 AM ^
Oh, wait, it didn't.
Criminals and crime will always be. Legalize weed(which I concur with) and they will find something else to kill and steal for. You should stop deluding yourself that the answer is so simple.
September 25th, 2013 at 7:02 AM ^
September 25th, 2013 at 9:47 AM ^
Whatever your feelings on policies that may or may not have affected this case, MGoBlog isn't the place to be discussing them.
September 25th, 2013 at 11:20 AM ^
nobody listens. Next post having anything to do with marijuana legalization will be Bolivia'd or result in a ban for the poster.
September 25th, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
I was offering a response to the posters question about who is to blame. I'm not a marijuana advocate, and I do not even smoke weed. I was discusing what I think is relevant information in trying to figure out "why" something like this happened. Perhaps you should close the thread down altogether instead of throwing out threats of the ban hammer or trips to Bolivia.
September 25th, 2013 at 7:38 AM ^
so we shouldn't enact policies that stop some of it."
Gotcha.
You should stop deluding yourself that these crimes will happen without a cause. The devil is in the details, and had MJ been legal for the last two weeks, Diaz would be alive.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:56 AM ^
....from say a plane crash because a pilot was high off MJ?
I all for legalizing it but lets not delude ourselves in that it would not have some (if not lots) of negative unintended consequences.
September 25th, 2013 at 11:06 AM ^
And who would be dead...
....from say a plane crash because a pilot was high off MJ?
Exactly 0 people.
September 25th, 2013 at 2:12 PM ^
September 25th, 2013 at 3:59 PM ^
best reply possible.
September 25th, 2013 at 6:43 PM ^
I had to address this because of how stupid it is. What about all the stories you hear about drunk pilots? Should booze be illegal?
Also, this isn't the place for the topic of legalizing weed. They'll just find something else illegal to deal (meth or heroin and I don't think anyone can make a convincing argument for leagalizing those other than IT'S MY BODY I DO WHAT I WANT).
September 27th, 2013 at 2:23 PM ^
If you actually look at the data about places where drugs (even hard drugs) are decriminalized so that addicts are more likely to get treatment than jailtime, I suspect you'd change your tune about what position has convincing and non-hysterical arguments behind it. Just saying.
September 25th, 2013 at 11:12 AM ^
The details change which is why preventing crime has bedeviled every society.
September 25th, 2013 at 12:30 AM ^
September 25th, 2013 at 6:55 AM ^
September 25th, 2013 at 7:40 AM ^
September 25th, 2013 at 9:27 AM ^
September 25th, 2013 at 9:30 AM ^