Dear Sir,

Should an article that was biased and geared completely towards the youth and their rude behaviour have been published? Or should an article that discusses the ruthless and unthoughtful murders of young black men everywhere have been the topic of discussion?

An article that was more than likely published by a non-parent failed to show enough remorse and sympathy of the bigger picture here (RG: In our Opinion, “Real tragedy is this could happen every day”, September 11, 2015). A young man, a young black man was robbed of every opportunity he ever had to right his wrongs and blossom into a prominent individual with a bright future.

A situation that has been a serious problem since emancipation, civil rights and up until now. Young black lives aren’t valued or taken seriously. To say, “The tragedy is things like this can happen every day,” is unfair and in some ways, I believe, inhumane. For simple reasons such as, had the deceased lacked a certain amount of melanin in his skin, lived in Tucker’s Town, had his last name been Trimingham or Gosling, and he attended Warwick Academy, the public’s response, approach and outlook would have been completely different.

There would be no articles that subliminally disrespected mothers and their efforts to up bring their young. There would be no remarks of “young people showing disregard and disrespect”.

Instead of questioning the tactics of how one mother raised her child, the publisher failed to question the character of one mother who can pick up an object and harm another’s offspring when she has her very own. Opposed to ridiculing and the turning our backs against young people because of their behaviour, there should be questions as to, where did they learn this behaviour? Where did they pick up certain bad habits and characteristics?

Also, why are not enough people (adults/elders) using their free time to try to understand, help and give young people insight.

Times have changed and Uncle Russell who was cool because all the neighbourhood children were allowed to play in his backyard and around his home now has a sneaky, mischievous smile along with a pair of eyes that portray dishonesty and ill intentions. There are no longer any Aunt Normas who warned Erica about the bad attention her too short and tight skirt would bring her.

There are now Aunt Roses who enjoy watching little Ericas ruin their lives because they’re too busy being envious of their youth to turn her attention to the bad path she’s heading down.

There are no longer friendly neighbourhood functions; they are replaced by funerals where we mourn the loss of our families, friends and loved ones due to unnecessary hatred and violence.

We have always been losing the battle against the system of justice, which is unjust.

Somehow, the winning battle of a village helping to raise and produce well-rounded black men is and has been, for some time now, losing.

A mother lost her one and only son and will never get graduation pictures, grandchildren, a warm hug from her son and hear what should have been a deepened voice from maturity, say “Mama, I love you.”

A mother’s baby, 16-year-old son was murdered in one of the worst and most violent ways possible. Yet she receives no support from her community, while she has to sit back and listen to loud whispers of how a grown woman’s actions and reasonings for taking her son’s life are justified.

So, no, this article should have not been published because it comes from a shallow-minded point of view, which knows little to nothing about the environment, lifestyle and everyday struggle us young people have to live in.

SHIMEA IRVING