“First off, I’m not arguing. I simply asked a question, which he then didn’t answer.”

If I had a dollar for everytime I wasted answering his questions then have him tell me that I didn’t answer or in his words provided a “non-answer”, I’d be very rich.

I’m surprised he thinks he learned enough about debate to step out of his little sandbox and try to play with others, without his backup.

What perplexes me however is how anyone could have arrived at such a conclusion from our discussions..

Hmmmm!!!

Perhaps you should apply to me… Never, ever asume you know a person’s lot in life without knowing the person..

Oh, bra is imply bro in your speak..

I am out..

Jones speaks quickly to our undeniable racist past, however places siginificant blame on the current govt.. Take off your protectionist,lost in time glasses and see the world for what it is and what it most definitely was under the old guard.

I know the brother and he has many problems with this current leadership and views their elitist behaviour as being as onerous as what was experienced by many blacks during the UBP’s tenure. Save your concern bra you will need it as you continue to come to grips with power lost..

this debate ends now as our positions are the extreme opposites .. so i bid you a good & safe night..

Facts are that education or lack of same, coupled with single family / dysfunctional homes, has a very profound impact on what happens later on in life..

Come on, based on your back ground I am convinced that you know this..

Were did you see entitlent.. Is that like a new word learned in the past week??

: )

So you do you believe that young men that are molested ( very prevalent in ths country – one of our very dark secrets ) have difficulty forming relationships with women, suffer low self esteem, are often very angry and depressed and are known to do the very same to other defenseless youngsters?

Do you for a second believe that these indviduals and those that are sleep deprived, under fed, physically abused at home, live in drug infested homes, have no supervision and live in crime ridden areas are less likely to do well in school and more likely to turn to crime then those that don’t suffer in the same manner? Many of the young men caught up in gang related activity are from foster homes and after a certain age have no where to go. They sleep in old cars and wherever nights finds them. They are easily lured into the gang life as a means of protection, support and brotherhood, as sad as that sounds there is more then a hint of truth to this.

Have a discussion with a social worker, parole officer, righteous priests, caring teachers and let’s discuss again when you have…

Way of life. Sad but true.

So we can leave it to chance or unfounded theories or we can address the education, housing, INCEST and drug problems on this island or move to Chicago and get a sneek preview of were we are heading..

just sayin..

As can be seen by this recent attack on two men it is all about control and a take over of the profits of drugs, turf, et al.

Both in their forties and some don’t like the deal/s being made. Just an opinion on my part. But be assured this has nothing to do with anything else.

A blessed day to all.

Ps. Much has been said here on this topic as can be seen by the frustration and back and forth. It will continue and when it gets beyond the ‘one on one’ with the gangs then there will be more than ‘pen to paper’ or fingers to keyboard.

Now, please don’t think I’m not defending these guys… I’m not.
But I AM sick of this shit happening on my island and want to at least TRY to help figure out a solution… or at least be part of a discussion on how to figure out a way forward.

However, I firmly believe that they are in a situation created over years, by other people and THAT society, the society that they are involved in, is a dangerous one, and one in which the choices aren’t as black and white.
One where it could be a choice between doing the wrong thing and living or doing the right thing and dying.

or a choice between going out and shooting someone or being shot yourself.

Don’t get me wrong… all these guys should be locked up if they commit a crime and are found guilty.

But trying to figure out WHY they’re doing it, then how we can FIX those reasons is the only way it’s going to change.

Unfortunately, crime DOES pay. It’s too lucrative to, as some have suggested, wait until they all kill each other. There’s too many of them and, because it’s lucrative, more joining every day.

The ONLY way to fix this is as a society.

NB. I do not condone crime, period, just stating the facts.

However, isn’t figuring out the reasons for this behaviour – not blaming, just addressing – the first step in figuring out a solution?

To simply say “It’s the individual’s fault” is fine – if misguided, in my opinion – but it doesn’t help us to solve the problem, does it?

As for “picking through your comments sentence by sentence”, I was simply trying to understand where you were coming from and to address your points as you made them, and not out of context.

I was trying to engage you in a discussion. I wasn’t attacking or trying to silence you or anything.

Just an attempt at a conversation.

Sorry if that made you defensive.