en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/470625 Comments by bodhisattva32 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/43013517.html#IDComment18865021 I see that ignorance still prevails in these forums. Unlike some of you that sit at home on your computer making uneducated judgements, I attended the meeting. It was very productive and the overall tone was similar to my opinion in regards to the Office Davis tradgedy. It was about race, socio-economic status, and violence in this city and the lack of community efforts to find adequate solutions. Even the police chief said that more incarcerating and increased police presence wouldn&#039;t solve the problem and Ruth White was very astounding reminding us that tax payers pay every time a young person is incarcerated so we need to be finding solutions to keep them from going down the wrong road. Adam Belz Gazette article gives a more accurate portrayal of the meeting in my opinion...<a href="http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090415/NEWS/704159956/1006" target="_blank">http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl...</a> Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:40:43 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/43013517.html#IDComment18865021 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42778287.html#IDComment18500051 Well said. I was raised Baptist...people with beliefs like this pastor are the reason I began to question christianity which led to an adoption of buddhist principles as my &quot;religion&quot; and oh yeah JC is still my homeboy! EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY! Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:26:46 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42778287.html#IDComment18500051 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42778287.html#IDComment18499886 Ha ha :P Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:22:17 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42778287.html#IDComment18499886 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18053817 I am STILL waiting on the opposing viewpoint to give an educated response...maybe your reponse would be valid if we exclude the history of this country. This is coming from a young black girl so please spare me the woe is me talk. I didn&#039;t become a productive member of society and a more balanced individual by feeling sorry for myself. But part of solving a problem is recognizing what may have created it in the first place. I advise you to expand your knowledge base so this redundancy won&#039;t make you appear anymore ill-informed than you&#039;ve already made yourself out to be. Fri, 3 Apr 2009 03:34:26 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18053817 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18029328 Serious consequences...that is entirely relative. You assume that everyone is afraid of dying and want to live. It may be hard for you to believe but some people are so down and out that they could care less about consequence. That is the whole point...mentors can teach young impressionable children the value of life and community and how important it is to do things to strengthen themselves and their community versus destroying themselves and their community... Thu, 2 Apr 2009 17:25:56 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18029328 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18029164 Again, I am not excusing these boys from consequence and am becoming exhausted at repeating myself. Most poor do not turn to violence??? I would like to know where you recieved that bit of information b/c you are deeply misinformed...being poor increases the likelihood that you will resort to violence. And this kinds of acts of violence happen all the time. We&#039;ve been locking people up for years...something else needs to be done...look deeper into the issue b/c obviously simply getting the kids off the streets is not working. Another young person is coming up in the same sort of environment...thus the cycle continues... Thu, 2 Apr 2009 17:21:39 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18029164 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18021678 Race matters because blacks are dispropotionately represented in poverty...violence also thrives more in times of economic hardship which for many african americans in this country, they have been poor for generations. No one is excusing these boys of consequence but looking forward...How do we lessen occurance of events like this? Why do people including police officers have to be subjected to violence for someone to wake up and say something needs to be done. Many of your solutions are NOT solutions. They are quick fixes and driven by anger and hate. Anger and hate will not end a cycle of poverty and violence...Parents need the tools as well as these kids. They need to convert their way of thinking before they can begin to help themselves... Thu, 2 Apr 2009 14:50:46 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18021678 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18020081 No one is saying that it is an excuse but it definitely doesn&#039;t help the matter. Poor is also a state of mind...If we continue to go on with this logic of extermination or cleansing we will continue to have this violence in our city. Thu, 2 Apr 2009 14:40:39 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18020081 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18018963 That is so entirely wrong in so many ways...ignorance is bliss I see... Thu, 2 Apr 2009 14:19:11 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment18018963 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment17984026 Wonderful! That is what I&#039;m talking about :) Wed, 1 Apr 2009 22:01:39 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment17984026 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment17983977 Yes we can keep incarcerating these individuals but that still doesn&#039;t solve the problem...that is my point. It&#039;s being reactive instead of proactive. I&#039;m very dissapointed in the lack proactive thought on this sort of issue in CR...why aren&#039;t there city programs or organizers? I&#039;m sorry 15 year olds have A LOT of growing up and learning to do. There is plenty of time for change... Wed, 1 Apr 2009 22:00:18 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment17983977 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment17980012 We continue to ignore the poor or those who may not have the tools to help themselves...It&#039;s like the saying goes...we are only as good as our weakest. We should be doing everything possible to stregnthen our community and give all kids a fighting chance and opportunity to do something with their lives... Wed, 1 Apr 2009 20:24:00 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/42236052.html#IDComment17980012