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In Bob Dylan’s song, ‘Don’t Fall Apart on me Tonight’ he sings a line that explains a major reason why crime is rampant in the U.S. “The streets are filled with vipers who’ve lost all ray of hope.” Bingo! The genius got it right . . . almost. He wrote that verse in 1983 and back then, it was probably completely true, but nowadays, not so much. That verse, in 2022, should be something like—the streets are filled with vipers who’ve never had a ray of hope.
In many areas of America, there are tens of thousands of little children who grow up seeing drug abuse, dishonesty, immorality and nothing but immediate gratification. No goals, no purpose, nothing to strive for other than physical survival and immediate gratification. Moreover, here’s the real bad part, they’ve never seen anything different. Consequently, they don’t have hope in any wholesome way of living because they have no clue what those may be. Work ethic? Nah. They’ve never seen it. Treating your neighbor with kindness and respect? Nope, what’s in it for me? Goals to be a doctor? Absolutely not. A lawyer? No way. A business manager or business owner? Nah, never seen how that develops or works.
Senseless crime is also rampant in other places, as an example, in South Africa. An American doctor friend who now works as a specialist at one off the top-rated hospitals in America grew up as a missionary’s daughter in South
Africa. As a youngster, she saw countless dead bodies in and out of coffins on the side of roadways. They were near cemeteries waiting for any kind off burial because of the mass death rates of the AIDS epidemic that decimated many areas of South Africa. She believes the complete shock off that epidemic killing so many people started a no hope spiral in much off the populace. Many people did not have hope to survive for very long in life. Many had no hope for a good future. No hope for help from the Creator. She believes that not having hope in much of anything and that lack of hope spiral never ceasing, is the root of the senseless crime going on in South Africa today.
Not having hope is terrible, here in the States or in Africa.
Same old same old?
The lack of enforcement and prosecution are just two parts off the exploding crime rate mainly in urban areas across the country. The main reason is that kids and young people do not even know what good is and what respecting others and hope is all about. They have no clue that there’s a decent world and decent people outside of their circle. No clue that there are untold beautiful possibilities for them. Excuse making and supposedly trying to help these young people has ruined a generation of kids and creates a dangerous mess that keeps on giving.
Coming to a neighborhood near you
Crime is bleeding out into once safe neighborhoods and many people are arming themselves who heretofore, would have never considered it. Criminals are brazened, non-caring and brutal to the core.
Moreover, I’ve had experienced social workers with decades of working in poor and dangerous areas of urban America tell me a frightening viewpoint. They don’t believe the out-of-control behavior and crime is ever going to get better. Wow! I’ve never had professionals tell me that what is happening in America is NEVER going to get better. They say the behavior on the streets is unappareled and getting worse day by day and they don’t see any realistic hope of it getting better. One experienced supervisory social worker believes that perhaps with some sort off grand reset, like an alcoholic must hit rock bottom before things change for the better, might stop and turn around what’s happening. What that rock bottom might be, he didn’t have a clue.
Meanwhile, people are moving to less crime ridden areas. Areas with morals, areas with less woke nonsense and areas that value strong family commitment. In addition, more people are arming themselves.
Can you make a difference?
If you want to contribute in making things better, you may want to join organizations that strive and help fathers be responsible in their children’s lives. Or join the great and statistically helpful ‘Big Brothers of America’ that helps kids without dads. Or be active in groups who foster hope and different viewpoints in children and finally, back law enforcement and prosecutors who will hold criminals accountable.
And don’t forget:
1- Be aware off your surroundings. That means take about five-seconds to scan all around you for anything different from the norm in your area of vision and of course, for anything seemingly dangerous. Do this whenever going to and fro.
2- Know what neighborhood you’re going to and stay away from the bad ones. Some young people who have recently moved to Chicago tell me that they stay clear of the crime ridden areas. The problem with that is that our society is a mobile one where criminals who live in the worst areas can be in the best areas in less than 30 minutes.
3- Learn self-defense.
4- Learn to properly use and carry pepper spray.
5- Get trained in their use and safety and carry a handgun.
6- Vote for reasonable politicians who will enforce laws and the prosecution of criminals.
Keep your hope alive and possibly spread some off it to others and above all—stay safe.
Steve's a three-time survivor of violence in his youth, a former police supervisor and a graduate of The Police Executive Leadership College (PELC) and was also an award winning part-time college Criminal Justice instructor.
For several years, Steve did written and radio political and current event commentary and was the former host of the long running 'The Kovacs Perspective' Internet radio and TV talk show.
Steve presently owns a small businesses in Ohio--The Mayfield Academy of Self-Defense.
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