tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411020402776399691.post130168107890781761..comments2008-01-06T16:20:32.806-05:00carl@carlsharif.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05072434612238760318noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411020402776399691.post-4126396109058651112008-01-06T16:20:00.000-05:002008-01-06T16:20:00.000-05:00Carl, you are absolutely right. Working in the child welfare arena, I see it everyday. Young people looking to the local drug dealers and gang members as a source of earning money. Children are competing with adults for menial jobs once relegated to children as a means of earning “pocket money”. <BR/>Everyone, including our teens wants the so called “American Dream”. Youngsters without exposure to anything else other than the poison that they see in the fantasy life portrayed in music videos, come to believe that there is no other means to attain money other than illegal activities that lead to incarceration and recidivism. When young people are locked out or blocked out of the opportunity to get money and feel productive, they like any other person will do what is necessary to survive. <BR/>As a society, we need to focus more on providing alternative opportunities and exposure to other facets of life so that we do not loose our young to the labels that have been cast upon them by the mass media because they are young, minority, and predominantly male.Reneenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411020402776399691.post-42582364019331045952007-12-20T19:27:00.000-05:002007-12-20T19:27:00.000-05:00Carl, I love this idea of creating avenues for kids to work. I think you are on to something here--- let's make it work.Sakinanoreply@blogger.com