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A plea to black men: Help stop the violence
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Calverton Middle School eighth-graders Joshua Tittle, right, and Micaiah Wheeler help escort guests at a call to action for black men to get more involved with their families and communities. – Arianne Starnes/Examiner
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Weeks after a 13-year-old tried to rape an assistant principal at Calverton Middle, activists delivered an impassioned plea from the city school Wednesday for 5,000 black men to mentor children, volunteer in their communities and start an anti-violence movement in Baltimore.
“A city that’s afraid of its children is doomed to fail,” said Brian Morris, city school board president.
Following Philadelphia’s lead, Alvin Gillard, director of the city’s Human Relations Commission, and other community leaders organized an event for June 15, Father’s Day, at the Baltimore Convention Center. They’ll call on 5,000 black men to gather and sign up to volunteer at schools and outreach organizations.
Fed up with a rising murder count, nearly 10,000 black men met in Philadelphia in October to organize patrols of the city’s roughest neighborhoods. Baltimore radio host Larry Young asked whether the same could happen here.
The real work will occur after Father’s Day, said Richard Rowe, founder and president of the African American Male Leadership Institute.
“We have to move beyond superficial posturing and walk away from the glare of TV cameras and of photo-ops and work,” he said.
Rowe wants to mobilize black men for neighborhood patrols, send men to work as school hall monitors and create resource kits that teach troubled men about social and educational services.
Several boys listened to the men as they promised to make sure the city’s youth avoid drugs, jail and violent deaths.
“I was shocked to hear kids assaulted an adult and broke into the school,” said Mohamed Sow, a seventh-grader.
“Kids don’t have anyone at home to teach them.”
After a video of a student beating a city high school teacher grabbed national media attention last month, schools chief Andres Alonso asked for 500 school volunteers.
So far, 700 signed up.
kvolkmann@baltimoreexaminer.com
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A giraffe dies said:
Another liberal feel good story. I agree, it sounds good that we'll actually do something about the violence, but is throwing 5,000 men into schools with young children really the right thing to do? Think about it, nearly all studies on child molestation backed by state and national sex offender registries indicate that the overwhelming majority of child molestation is committed by non-relative men. With the current hype to do something now, I do not believe a thorough screening will be done on all "volunteers". This is a disaster in waiting as it is a golden opportunity for child molestors to gain access to a target rich environment. And even if everyone was checked thoroughly and no incidents really occur, how long do you think it will be before the kids figure out that all they have to do is say a guy touched them wrong or said something inappropriate before the court system is bogged down with molestation cases?
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Examiner Reader said:
Baltimore is filled with dangerous, loud, rude, self-centered people. Guess who ensures my children are not that way? My wife and I.
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Reader said:
Marty is the man. Help stop the violence.
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Examiner Reader said:
All I can say is that i am shocked by the comments listed here. It is this exact ignorance and hate of one another that allows this to go on. Instead of judging any one group of people, look at your own. Reach out and help instead of calling someone lazy. There are lazy,selfish and ill mannered fols in every ethnic group, so lets stop throwing rocks at others and EVERYONE take responcibility for their own and bring each other up!
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Examiner Reader said:
Any guesses how successful this will be? Whether it's crime, sloth, or just plain rudeness, today's low-income blacks have selfishness and complete disregard for others bred into them. Ever see a group of young, urban blacks behaving calmly and quietly in a mall? Me neither.
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Reader said:
10:16 Good one. Genuine concern and a good talking to comes from 1 good mother and 1 good father with a mutual understanding and love. Rare.
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Examiner Reader said:
How about 5,000 mothers and fathers.
2 agree | 0 disagree
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TD said:
I don't see where race is a blame on this part unless someone said this to you. However, it is a breakdown in family structure, discipline and respect for others. I don't see where blaming white america has anything to do with this particular act. Blaming white america for anything has their own demons and problems to deal and GOD will deal with that nothing more. Black america or families is definitely waking up and taking matters into their own hands one step at a time. We have two generations that are lost and need saving that takes time and healing and it will be fix through efforts by the people and unity for all.
0 agree | 1 disagree
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TD said:
I hope this pledge for help works but its not the only answer. The city needs to put back the recreation centers and provide affordable after-school programs or set up fund raising campaigns for arts and music programs. Why should 5000 volunteers help take care of another parent or parents problems. ACCOUNTABILITY. If anything, the parents whose children are committing this acts need to take responsibility for their children not the community. Provide those parents some support or resources to help deal with this situation that their child has put them in. Maybe these parents have lost hope for their own children and are scared of them and don't know what to do. Those are the probing questions that need to be asked and look into. Oh! and also rally behind the school administrator that was attack. Where is her support?
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Examiner Reader said:
finally. accountability. its about time to stop blaming white america and take matters into your own hands and help your race succeed from within. it's the ONLY way things can change.
1 agree | 1 disagree
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Reader said:
NO matter what race you are accountability is a oersonal responsibility. I fyou do not teach your children teh number one rule, witts and brains before fist's. You get what you deserve, nothing! When all parent's looks out for all the children of the world, meaning it takes a tribe to raise one child. Love thy neighbor did not happen, but it should have. That is why soooo many homes are in foreclosure. Stress is at an all time high and crime rates increase. Does this makes sense? NO Trust your great leaders to make sense and restructure the whole system. Leader's without a heart should be kicked to the curb. Common Sense!
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Wallace said:
Could someone please post where I can sign up to volunteer? I don't have children, but I believe that everyone should invest in them. Even if we have lost a generation, doesn't mean we should sit on our hands and watch future generations fail...I can't believe the callousness of some of these comments! It makes it hard to believe we are pushing towards one united America. Some of the old barriers will probably have to die with the old people that keep this divisive slave mentality alive!
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Wallace said:
Please spare me the idea that all black men can be judged by what the media portrays us to be. Many of us have not abandoned our communities. Many of us have not abandoned our children or families. Many of us are more educated than our critical white peers. Many of us are far more accepting of other people, particularly people that span race, sex, and a host of other differences. Many of us give back and are involved with the betterment of America. Please don't get so caught up in the "stupid box", that you actually believe everything that comes out of it. I have never asked "anyone" to give me anything, other than a fair chance, which I must say I have been granted. I have also had to keep my end of the bargain, by doing all the things necessary in being a good human, a good American - not just a black man or mimicking a white man. There is no one race that has a monopoly on being good, moral, or just. Don't throw all of us in a barrel. It is so easy and lazy to be bitter!
1 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Agreed, too late. The blacks let generations slide into being nothing using every idea possible to bum off government. When you cant write or speak what is going to change. They have no respect for nobody -it all about give me give me or I will take it or destroy it.
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Independent Marylander said:
Is the commitment there? It hasn't been up to this point when it comes to being fathers. One of the broadcast media stations ran a story this morning about a dead-beat dad who owed $29,000 for six children by five different mothers. No a mis-print, folks...
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Examiner Reader said:
too much, too little, too late. we have lost a generation or two.
1 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner something said:
How about those 5,000 men being fathers to their myriad children. It's great to march around and demand accountability, it quiet something else to actually live a responsible life and demand better from your very own children. Lead by example for your own children first.
4 agree | 1 disagree
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