The purpose of this post is to relate Chicago Gang Violence to ancient times. Perhaps understanding origins may lead to wisdom, and over time, a reduction of gang revenge shootings and killings
King Solomon’s two most recognized wisdom verses come to my mind whenever I read the latest news of the carnage taking place in the “war zone communities” of Chicago.
King Solomon
What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverb 9:10)
What’s My Point?
The reality of gang revenge violence today is basically the same as it was 3000 years ago. Keep in mind, knowledge, and understanding are first requisites that lead to wisdom. Wisdom is sorely needed to help reduce the senseless shootings taking place, in my opinion.
The only change or difference in the history of gang revenge is modern weapons of guns and cars make confrontations less personal, less heroic, and more deadly, senseless. Often times innocent victims are harmed during gangland confrontations.
The power of fear of revenge is still the prime motivation in both ancient and modern times. Fear also is a motivation that leads to police power to control behavior and confront gangland activities. The absence of fear by gangs promotes gangland powe in communities.
The power of love is the greatest motivation for righteous behavior. Problem is when someone killed or harmed a loved one in ancient times, revenge became a duty of a family member. Love and duty in history are often times intermingled depending on prevailing customs and cultures.
For Example,
Read the following Excerpts from the previous posts, to understand how family revenge, and “eye for an eye” justice law was the common law practice one thousand years prior to Christian teaching of love, which sadly in the USA are forbidden by law to be taught in secular government run schools.
Excerpts
Punishment for Fools
“Solomon, how does allow avengers to settle domestic matters bring about the order in your community? I would surmise that the result of revenge as a remedy for family feuds that spew hatred would only serve to increase more revengeful actions.”
“Bilqis, you may be right, however, we have no way of knowing for certain. On the other hand, because we understand all domestic acts against their neighbors are subject to family revenge rather than courts, an Israelite will think twice before committing any offense against a neighbor.”
Moses Eye for an Eye Justice
“Our penalties originate from the Laws of Moses. The basic intent of his laws is to dispense justice in equal measures of a life for life, eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.”
“The premise of this law may sound harsh in tone; however, the intent is instead to obtain fairness and justice to the offender in an equal measure of the wrongful act. An enraged wronged person seeking revenge would be inclined to punish an offender with a penalty far greater than the crime. A prudent judge will determine the nature of the crime and the equivalency of the penalty.”
Fear of God leads to Wisdom
“We consider the relationship of Yahweh to be as a father is to his child. We fear our Lord same as a child both fears and loves his father.”
In My Opinion,
Affected Communities need to make wise short and long-term choices if they want to end gang power in their communities.
Short-Term Choices
One choice is what I explained in a previous post about drugs. Drug money and territory are the main core reasons for revenge killings taking place. People who buy drugs are complicit with the gang violence. Stop buying drugs is one way to end gang power. Our politicians will not accuse voters of being guilty of culpability for fear of losing their powerful positions in a future election.
A second choice is to allow police to stop and search suspected gang members for guns and drugs to prevent crime before it happens. Police presence will help only if the police have powers to prevent crime before it happens rather than show up after it happens.
Gangs need to fear Judges sentences once arrested. Releasing gang members on bail transfers fear of gang reprisal for any potential witnesses in affected communities.
Police need ongoing training to remind them about Constitutional Rights and professionalism to control their responses when making an arrest or dealing with the people they encounter,
Illinois Legislators need to pass laws to grant special police powers in gangland areas to prevent gangs from growing in numbers and power. Similar to sending in the National Guard in times of emergency and legal to prevent ACLU challenges.
74 shootings in one weekend qualify to me to be an emergency requiring special police powers such as unwarranted stop and frisk suspected gang members on walking or congregating in numbers of three or more or in cars driving around with known gang members.
Keep in mind the innocent victims such as the current trial for the murder of Hadiya.
Also, keep in mind that many youths join gangs because they want protections for other gangs. Also, gang leaders may require young impressionsble members to prove themselves worthy to be a gang member by passing an initiation practice of shooting or hsrming someone.
Community Activists need to discern what is more important. Rights or risks of death of both gang members and innocent victims. Dead victims and families are not concerned about Rights, only revenge, Wisdom and Love become only words to the grieving of their lost loved ones.
Long-Term Choices
In a previous post, I explained my opinion about school vouchers along with all the other long-term factors and solutions being suggested in the news. One factor is that many gang members are members of single-parent families growing up without a righteous father’s guidance.
Perhaps school vouchers allowing the mothers a choice to send their children to a parochial school will introduce the fatherless children to the guidance of an earthly father such as Father Pfleger, or our “heavenly” father.
If Interested,
Read the previous posts in the Source Links below. The posts also have additional Source Links.
Then discern if there is anything new under the sun to solve Chicago gangland revenge shooting other than fear and love for our families and communities.
You Decide
Is this post a statement of truth or a falsehood, or a wise or foolish discernment of Chicago Gangland Shootings?
Does anyone really care anymore about Chicago Shootings?
Will anyone with Government or media powers who reads this post in Chicago do anything after reading this post? Or will “nothing ever be new under the sun” to reduce gang violence in the short term in Chicago?
Or will the current customs and culture of gangland revenge killings continue in Chicago same as in ancient times?
Regards and good will blogging.
Source Links
School Vouchers
Fear of the Lord
Culpability
Hadiya
Activists
Moses
How Gang Killings are Reduced in Chicago
Chicago violence Series Post Ten
Excerpts Source Links
No comments:
Post a Comment