News Item:
Philly seeks 10,000 men to guard streets

The inner city is drowning in a sea of senseless murders this year at a rate of more than one a day.  The number is already pushing 300.  The situation has gotten so bad that it has Chief of Police Sylvestor Johnson grasping at straws, and he’s called for 10,000 citizens to step forward and patrol their own neighborhoods.

The idea is similar to the Guardian Angel concept.  Volunteers won’t carry guns, or make arrests.  Instead, it is hoped that more eyes and ears on the streets will help in conflict resolution.  A sizable number of the homicides are committed by young males.  A trigger gets pulled as a result of a simple arguement, and this is where Johnson hopes the local residents can intervene.

The Guardian Angels have been active in the city for some time, but limited membership has reduced its focus to a single park in North Philadelphia that is a haven for prostitutes and drug users.  The head of the local chapter admits that within the last two years only seven new members have been recruited.

The problem lies in the Don’t Snitch attitude in the neighborhoods in question.  The casual violence that has taken hold puts people at risk.  If enough do get involved in the 10,000 Men idea, it may show that adults in the city really do give a damn, but 10,000 might be stretching it a bit.

News Source: Fox News

Cartoon from Sid in the City

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