escalating violence in our cities. Taking place particularly in the South Bronx, his recounting of
the virtually obligatory acts of violence that he witnessed committed on the streets of New York
is truly an eye opener. He provides an earth shattering account of the truthful conditions and
causes behind the atrocious acts committed by today's poverty-stricken youth, and offers the
well-thought out solutions and opinions of a seasoned professional who has dealt with these
issues first-hand.
Geoffrey's first encounter with the violence that would soon come to dominate his youth
took place during his early childhood years in the South Bronx. As small children, we expect our parents to shield and protect us from all harm. They are our guardians and we rely on them for support. So when another young boy bullied Geoffrey's brother out of his only jacket, the boys expected their mother to march down to the playground and retrieve it for them. But their mother was aware of the circumstances in which her boys' childhood would be taking place, and she knew that they would never learn to stand up for themselves and be men if they relied on her to come to the rescue each time they had a confrontation with another child. She scolded her son for losing his only jacket, and his elder brother for allowing it to happen. She then sent her children out of their apartment, with instructions to use whatever force necessary to retrieve the jacket, or face punishment when they returned home. With the looming aspect of a whipping from their mother, the boys returned to the playground and "ganged up on" the bully. …show more content…
They ripped the jacket off of him and paraded home with their prize. That day,
Geoffrey Canada was taught a lesson that he would utilize for the rest of his childhood. If one did
not respond to violence with violence, something worse would await.
In the set of solutions that Geoffrey has outlined in his novel, he testifies from this
experience that adults who believe in violence produce children who believe in violence. He
argues that to eradicate violence at the root, parents must preach peace and problem-solving to
their children instead of an "eye for an eye." Our communities must teach the youth of today that
violence is not the best path, so that this knowledge will be imparted to the youth of tomorrow.
Another issue that he mentions is the lack of decent gun control in America. Guns are
everywhere; in homes, on TV, displayed proudly on the shelves of many stores. Children today
are lured into a reality in which guns are symbols of power and social acceptance. Their favorite
tv shows depict the characters that they idolize blasting pistols in every episode, their parents
rant continuously about the government stomping on our right to bear arms, and their friends think that handguns are "cool." With all of these influences around them, what child wouldn't fall into the illusion that guns are wonderful devices? These children learn the brand names, ammunition type, and steps for loading and firing specific firearms. Guns are readily available for sale on the street and licensed vendors require little qualification for their sale. In crumbling neighborhoods where people are often fearful for their safety, a gun can be a godsend. All of these variables, when brought together, are a recipe for disaster. Geoffrey expresses outrage at these conditions. He specifically describes steps that will prevent and reduce the amount of gun related fatalities in America. He proposes regulations for fully operational video cameras in each establishment dealing in firearms, with strict punishment for failure to comply with these regulations. Serial numbers placed on all guns, on individual ammunition, and gun exchange programs are also a part of his plan. But without the necessary funds or people in power willing to listen, his dreams are just that, dreams. We cannot eradicate gun violence from our country without the willing compliance of the majority. At first glance, it seems that harsher punishment for offenses could be the answer to these issues. But when faced with higher stakes, criminals are not deterred. They have simply been challenged.