Letter: Community Must Support Anti-Violence Efforts| 11:34AM / Friday, August 07, 2015 | |
To the Editor
On the fourth of July a horrible tragedy happened and someone was killed and people were injured. Then again on July 31st another shooting occurred, but this time in daylight, a child was killed who was still working his way through school at the new Hotel on North.
Unfortunately, that came to a crashing halt on Tyler Street.
The place that we call home is becoming a poverty war zone. People can be heard saying that they hate living here and wish that they had the means to leave. There are many people that are afraid for their safety.
This has become much bigger than some neighborhood watch program and some blight property issues, which by the way are just excuses for what is really going on here. This is becoming a real problem here. Our children are obviously not safe and innocent bystanders are not safe either. It just take a brief moment for a bullet to stray.
It is not always gangs or drugs that escalates violence. Sometimes it's just people feeling like they haven't got anywhere else to turn except to the guns and violence.
The shooting on July 31st wasn't anyone from out of town. They were all local boys that have grown up on these Pittsfield streets and went to the local schools and taught by the teachers here in Pittsfield.
We as a society need to support these children at a young age starting with education in the schools. The younger grades have DARE and at this time they should also have anti-violence classes as well. You never can be too young to start. In the high schools, physical education is mandatory and anti-violence classes should be, too. Don't just put at-risk kids in the program either because it is an issue for everyone.
Unfortunately, these shootings are becoming a frequent occurrence and people are afraid of retaliation by the person or persons responsible in these individual shootings. Some just don't want to get involved and they want to deny a problem. It's easier for them to turn a blind eye to the problem at hand.
I know as a parent raising my children, it's a very nerve-racking situation here. You are afraid to get into an argument with someone in fear a gun will be pulled out on you. You don't even want to let your children out of your sight. You certainly can't keep them in the house forever but at the same time you are afraid to let them leave the yard.
The only hope in the community fighting these senseless crimes is uniting together as a society and put pressure on the courts and schools to enroll these juvenile offenders into programs of prevention and take a stronger stance. Let's not just give them a slap on the wrist. The courts need to be held more responsible and require that anyone entering into the courts to have a psychological evaluation. It is sad that it takes someone to be incarcerated to receive the help that they need.
In conclusion, let us not forget that the victims of these crimes have families that are mourning their loss. No one comes out of this untouched in some way. Let's not forget someone lost a child, a friend and a relative regardless of the person's past.
The city officials each have to stop worrying about their "pet" projects such as blight homes and blight businesses because they don't affect the way people act. It's an excuse for people to complain. We need to find more logical reasons why these crimes are happening. These are unfortunately not isolated incidents. There isn't anyone leading the community in a different direction and giving residents a feeling of safety.
People need to feel like they are being heard and they don't feel it. Foot patrols aren't the answer either. People don't trust people even if they wear a uniform. This is just all so tragic and it seems to be one right after the next.
We all need to band together and put aside our differences for the future of this city. We need to ensure Pittsfield is a city that thrives and our residents are once again proud to call this place home again for generations to come.
Lastly I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to everyone effected by all of these tragedies.
Tammy Ives is running this November to represent Ward 1 on the City Council.
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