Before and After

Black And White

I don't know how anyone else feels about this but I do alot of thinking about how life was when I was younger. Sure there was problems with homelife, but I overcame that. The thing now that bothers me is how ugly life has gotten, since I was a child. It use to be kids in school, played pranks or tripped you when carrying a lunch tray or even stole your lunch money. Now a days children are bringing weapons such as guns and knives into school, and actually hurting or killing their classmates and teachers, and buying and selling of drugs. Then you hear of college girls who live on and off campus being killed, raped set on fire. It's to the point where I am terrified to even think about my daughter and my grand daughter going to school and then to college. Where does all this hatred and out of control behavior in this world we live in today come from? It's not just children who do all this, adults also are involved in such crimes. I lived in a state a few years back where 13yr old children in 6th grade were quitting school and just sitting around doing drugs, drinking alcohol, and having sex with anyone willing.  Where was the school system then? Why don't they step in to put a stop to this. Everyday on the news I see people who are missing and later found dead, people who are shot, stabbed, burned in their own homes. Children  kidnapped, bomb threats, driveby shootings, hit and runs, what the heck is going on? Alot of people I know blame all this on the government. Well, I for one don't. What you make of your life starts at home. How you want your children to grow up, sits on your shoulders, not the governments. I hear people say the government is so messed up it's hard to find a job nowadays. Maybe that is true, but the government is'nt stopping you from going out to look for work. I'm saying all this because I live in a city where I see people everyday abusing a system that is too easily made available. I have neighbors across the street (for example) both parents are home all day and night, there's 4 children in the home, parties going on everymonth, huge big screen TV and side by side refrigerator delivered. Where they getting the money for all this? From what I see, Welfare is supporting them, along with the drug activity going on in their home. And I know it is, because I've witnessed it personally. That kind of activity was the cause of the death of a 17yr old boy who was shot and killed right out front of my house in the street 2 years ago. And the shooter/killer was a 15yr old boy. I see parents in this city who have kids just for the hell of it, so they get a larger check each month from welfare or a bigger tax return at the end of the year. They don't seem to care that their children are out roaming the streets half the night, selling or buying drugs, partying, having sex. Don't they even care? Is it so hard to set a curfew, teach your child right from wrong, and when needed show a little concern or disipline? Am I the only one who feels this way? Am I crazy? All I know is I want my children to be proud of the world they live in, show respect to others, and above all lead a healthy happy life. Is that wrong? My children and my grandchildren are my life, and I only want for them to be safe! In my opinion if you don't want your children having guns, lock the guns up or get rid of them. Drugs and Alcohol, hey stop using them and set an example for the children you have or care for. Am I right? I'd really like to know how others feel about this.