Caught in a trap

 

 

"People should not have to live like this. In fear. With no hope. Not in this country."

Years ago, I would occasionally listen to Dr. Laura Schlessinger on a local talk station. Once when a caller asked question about a race and stereotype issue, she gave a very interesting answer. The question was why so many white people are afraid of young black people. Dr. Laura's answer was simple - they are not. She went on to say if most people were walking down a darkened street at night, and approached by a group of young black men, dressed in suits and carrying Bibles, most would pass them by without a second thought. However, if it were a group of heavily tattooed young white men wearing motorcycle gang vests, most would cross over to the other side of the street before they passed by.

Stereotype? Maybe. But her point did usher in some truth. If you are going to dress and act like a thug, no matter what race you are, many people will assume you are a thug. Appearances and how you act matter.

Many people who do not live in the inner part of major cities get apprehensive when venturing there. Why? People read the paper or watch the news. It is a commonly known fact that certain areas of large cities have more crime than in the outer suburbs. People dress and act different. Like Dr. Laura talked about. Some regardless of race, look like and act like thugs. Many youth hang around on street corners. Cars drive by with stereos blasting. But this is where people live. Quite a few people actually.

Does life in our larger cities need to be scary or dangerous? Why is it in America, in the year 2015, we are warned to stay away from this part of town, or that part of town? Why is it some areas of town are so devoid of grocery stores, they are called "food deserts"? Why do some of schools look so old and dank, they might a set in a horror movie? Why do many parents teach their kids should they hear gunfire, to hit the floor and stay down until the danger has passed? Why do people live in areas like this? Because many are caught in a trap.

The more I look into issues which infest our largest cities, the more worried I become. Again, in America we should not have to fear traveling to, and into, any part of any city. But we do. There is danger there. And there is danger for those who live there. There is crime, poverty, hunger, inadequate housing, and so on, and so on.

Someone asked me not too long ago if there was any hope to bring some political balance back into the Twin Cites. I said I believe there is. That is, if you can give people hope. A way out. People should not have to flee where they are living, we should be able to fix where they live to make it more livable. Failure to do so will keep people searching for hope. Feeling trapped. Feeling as if caught in a trap.

As a country, as fellow citizens, as brothers and sisters, we owe each other better. Nobody should have to live without hope in this country.