Gang Violence: Roots and Responses

Some years ago I wrote an editorial in a local newspaper that addressed gang violence in a nearby community.  This was done because one of my students was killed by gunfire and I knew many more students whose lives were impacted by the pervasive violence and shootings in their neighborhoods.  Following is my article.  Unfortunately, not much has changed over the years. 

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Get to the Root of the Problem

In every area of human concern there is a hierarchy of response: 

First we take care of the ‘urgent;’ next the ‘important;’ next the ‘nice to;’ and finally, the back-burner issues.

Wise leadership assesses the issues, identifies the urgent, then mobilizes ALL relevant resources to meet and overcome the problem.  A half-way response by those who hold the resources cannot hope to solve the problems.  Neither will wise leadership overlook resources that have been unused or underused.

We have underused some resources.

Violence in our community is an urgent concern.  Our response must be equal to the challenge.  We need a collective community response.  Every resource we have must be mobilized.  Police cannot do it alone.  Schools cannot do it alone.  Parents cannot do it alone.  And yet each of these, plus others, and the youth themselves need to be involved.  

Every segment of the community with an interest in getting things under control must respond.  And that response must be unified, committed, forceful and sustained.  And, most important, the response must be focused at the problem. 

The problem is the distorted thought processes of the youth committing these mindless acts of violence.  There is a missing dimension in the personalities of the shooters and gang members and fighters.  That missing dimension is a spiritual and moral sense that has not been developed.  It is a flaw of character that we are seeing on the streets.

Character is taught or caught from close association with those who have it.  One catches what one is exposed to.  Where are our youth getting their character development?  What are they exposed to?  Who is teaching them undistorted concepts of decency, honor and respect, the value of human life and of property, and the necessity of law and community order? 

American philosopher Henry David Thoreau said, “For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil there is one striking at the root.”  We have not addressed the root problem.  Until we do, we must, of course, continue to respond to symptoms and keep hacking at the leaves. 

But the noxious plant will keep sending out new branches and leaves, and people will die and innocent lives will be ruined in the interim.

Responses: Here are a few thoughts on what we can do:

·        The Young People:  You must understand that there is nothing more cowardly than the offensive use of a weapon.  It is a show of great weakness.  It says that the person using a gun or knife does not have the intelligence, skill or wits to solve problems and prove themselves and achieve respect in other more appropriate ways.

There ARE ways to prove yourself to others in an honorable way that will bring you lasting respect: weightlifting, boxing, wrestling, one-on-one basketball, billiards, chess, team sports, music.  In these ways and others one can show mastery, skill, bravery and talent without destroying life and property or ruining lives, including one’s own.  If you want real, lasting respect, these are ways to achieve it. 

Young people must understand that their actions reflect on many more people than just themselves.  Young criminals have no idea of the shame, sadness and heartache their deeds bring upon their parents, relatives, and friends and those of innocent victims and their families. 

Shooters and gang members have no idea that what they do reflects very negatively on themselves, their families and neighborhoods.  Any honor and respect they think they have achieved is a complete delusion.  The community is disgusted and outraged . . . and not the least impressed with those who think they are so brave.

·        The Schools:  Hold assemblies and have the courageous individuals from other communities who have broken free from being used by gang leadership talk to students about these issues. Teach good citizenship and fundamental values of decency and respect for others on an ongoing basis.  Weave values education into all that is taught.  Expect, enforce and reward good citizenship. 

·        The Parents:  Understand the tremendous negative influence many of today’s TV programs and movies have on your children.  Provide guidance in your home without a double standard.  If you have screened a movie (and they should be screened) and said “no,” provide an alternative.  If you can, go to view acceptable movies together as a family.  Let your youngster invite a friend to also see them with you. 

Get harmful substances and influences out of the home.  If you have fire-arms, alcohol, tobacco, drugs or pornography, your children will get them one day and use them.  If you expect responsible moral behavior from your children, become the example of responsible moral behavior yourself. 

Involve your children in wholesome sports and activities.

·        The Church: And most importantly, get spiritual support and instruction for your family by regularly worshipping together.  Find a place of worship that stresses family solidarity and that has a strong youth program.  Attend together. 

Resources are out there.  Let’s start using them.  Strike at the root and save our young.

Thoughts to Ponder

Here are a few thoughts that make good sense to me; two from Americans we should know of, two from people unknown to me.  I sometimes wonder if our current political leaders have ever thought along these lines?

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 “I will pay more for the ability to deal with people than any other ability under the sun.”  John D. Rockefeller

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“The highest and best form of efficiency is the spontaneous cooperation of a free people.” President Woodrow Wilson

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I think I can;

I think we can;

We think I can

We think we can;

I know we can.   

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If you want one year of prosperity – grow grain.

If you want ten years of prosperity –grow trees.

If you want a hundred years of prosperity –grow people. 

Teenage Kids

(This is an adaptation of an article I had published in a professional journal while I worked as a public school teacher in California.)

   
        They can be charming; they are often infuriating.  They can be perceptive; yet they frequently seem obtuse beyond words.  They can give 110%; yet they will try to get away with anything and everything to avoid effort or responsibility.  They are the children in that unfortunate stage of early adolescence--youth between the ages of twelve and fifteen.

          As one who had taught early adolescents for over three decades and who sometimes had to learn the hard way, these observations are written to alert and help prepare the adult who is charged with the stewardship of these youngsters' education.  Theories of adolescence abound and they should be studied.  But what follows are some of the stark realities of social behavior that the books don't mention and that sometimes catch the novice unaware or unprepared. 

          Besides the most obvious visual signs that a young person has moved into this, fortunately, temporary condition--the sudden physical growth changes (larger), body contour alterations (more adult-like), voice, skin, hair and sudden raiment changes (often bizarre)--are the behavioral changes (most assuredly not  adult-like) which accompany it.  A few examples are tendered to alert and explain:

          Early adolescents are LOUD.  They talk loudly, like their music loud and seemingly cannot stand the sound of silence.  Silence must be filled with their talk or other self-generated sounds. Or it comes from the sounds of their music from stereo or walkman (now, I guess, telephone) or if all else fails at least the popping sound of their chewing gum.  They are either turned on or off (to be taken in several contexts): their mechanism seemingly having no volume control other than "on" and "up." 

          Adolescents have their own language.  Now it seems to be especially abbreviated, maybe not so colorful as in my youth but more cryptic--especially their texting language. 

          Youth, especially boys, are very PHYSICAL.  Movement from place to place seemingly cannot occur without touching, pushing, chasing, perhaps tripping or at least jostling.  For a boy to reach around and surreptitiously touch someone on the shoulder or back of the head and then feign complete unawareness of the other person's  annoyance as to who touched them is very amusing to the perpetrator.  Disagreements among boys often lead to pushing matches, which, with the encouragement of one or both of the antagonist's friends (which can be expected), may lead to a verbal, or fist, or foot fight.  And when a fight does occur it becomes a signal for every other adolescent in the vicinity to immediately run to view the violence.  For these children fighting is exciting!

           To flush a toilet or put up the lid when appropriate; to remember that what you said about the use of vulgar  or crude language (which, incidentally, most  youngsters this age are trying out) as not really impressing anyone; to understand that cutting across the grass in the same place or pulling on the volleyball net as one goes by it, or closing a door on a classmate, or laughing when someone has a mishap are not behaviors which will win them points--all of this, and more, must be repeatedly taught.  Telling an adolescent once is like not telling him at all. 

Students this age are easily influenced by their peers--for good or for ill.  The teacher will find that one or two "difficult" students can quickly contaminate a class.  To save the class these students must be dealt with promptly and privately.  Consequences must be clearly explained to them and then carried out with consistency should the need arise.  Isolation is a powerful change agent for many of these difficult youngsters.  Being away from their friends is "harsh" treatment in their eyes.  To take away their electronic devices, for a while, is tantamount to 'cruel and unusual punishment.'

          Early adolescents are easily influenced by changes in their usual environment.  Distractions very easily capture their attention (unfortunately much more, often, than a teacher's careful planning).  A little weather, a little wind, a dropping barometer and a teacher or administrator can be sure behavioral aberrations will escalate.  The teacher does have the advantage, albeit a small one, of knowing what the youngster will probably do before he or she does it and theoretically can take proactive steps to reduce the incidence of the inevitable.

          The reader is cautioned to not get caught in the trap of thinking because a student is now in the middle school years that the young person is suddenly a young man  or young woman.  Of course it is the teacher's job to encourage them to become the young man or woman that they will someday be, but one must recognize that they are still years away from social and emotional maturity. 

          The fact is that with the trauma of skeletal growth and sudden hormonal changes, for many there is a probable regression.  Brains are not developed at the same rate as their bodies.  Sixth graders who were showing encouraging signs of responsibility and industry often suddenly regress as a result of the stresses they encounter from their body and from their new environment.  The typical middle school experience with many teacher and room changes, tardy bells, and new classmates from numerous feeder elementary schools along with the physical and social changes common to the age all contribute to the young person's disequilibrium. 

          Young adolescents need consistency and role-models--maybe more so than ever.  They work better with a routine and with something and someone with whom they can identify and count on.  In the lives of many adolescents there is much in their life-experience they cannot count on.  The family as historically the most important socializing agent in a youngster's life is not something the teacher can now automatically count on either.  The teacher finds that a custodial function comes with the teaching contract.  It is simply not enough for a teacher these days (if it ever was) to be only a subject-matter expert.  The inculcation of acceptable social behavior and mores and of universal moral values is an important part of the job.  And that Is a hard sell these days since the enthronement of 'diversity' and 'tolerance' as contemporary societal values.

          What all this means is that the teacher must count on his or her young adolescent charge being still far from being socially developed.  Many of these youngsters are diamonds in the rough, but at this age the typical young adolescent is very, very rough indeed.  Socialization of young people (the modern word for "civilizing") becomes one of the biggest challenges the teacher will face.  

An intuitive understanding of the consequences of one's immature behavior escapes the typical young person of this age.  They just are not focused on what an adult takes for granted.  Impetuosity, self-centeredness, self-justification and irresponsibility are unfortunately part of the age.  Without your explaining, reminding, modeling, and rewarding innumerable times one simply cannot assume that the average young teenager will remember to do what you might otherwise think should come naturally to a reasonable person.  Acceptable social behavior, in short, is not a natural endowment.  It must be learned and it must be taught and it must be reinforced.

          The point of this article has been to alert the adult who takes anything for granted in the lives of an adolescent is immediately in for a challenge that most sane adults would rather do without.  For challenges will come anyway--they are the essence of the age.

            And yet, teaching (or parenting) can be immensely rewarding.  In the final analysis, I found that all I could do as a teacher was to always stay composed, prepare for the worst, hope for the best and make plans in my spare time for another profession for later in life when I would find that I no longer possessed in full measure the patience of Job, the charity of Mother Teresa and the strength of Superman. 

In case you are wondering, I am enjoying my retirement and my teaching of adults.   


 

The Pattern of Human Intelligence (part 2)

The brain is a memory system that stores experiences in a way that reflects the  structure of our world of perception. It is a system that remembers sequences of events and makes predictions based on these memories. We then have the liberty to take action on our predictions. According to On Intelligence author Jeff Hawkins, such a system is the basis of human intelligence, perception, creativity, thoughts, behavior, and even consciousness. His hierarchical temporal memory prediction model also goes a long way to explaining all kinds of human behavioral phenomena that one can observe in everyday life: interpersonal relations, cognitive development, learning processes, false belief persistence, communication, miscommunication, personality disorders, mental illnesses, even dreaming.

His theory shows that the brain doesn't ''compute'' answers to problems; rather, it retrieves the answers from memory. Moreover, it only takes a few steps to retrieve something from memory. In short, the brain is a memory system. It isn't a computer at all.

There is no such thing as "a" thought in a cardinal sense, he says.  It is all dynamic; it is all process; it is all interconnected neural activity. He makes the point that human curiosity is not purely cognitive; it is biased toward the survival utility of information. Proximate and changing objects are more likely to affect the subject in a short term, thus attracting far more attention than they would for their contribution to predictive power alone.

Recent inputs to our senses are relatively more predictive than the old ones by the virtue of their proximity to future inputs. This is why it is important to review or practice if one wishes to stay ‘sharp.’ Thus, proximity or recentness should determine the order of a memory search within a level of cortical prior experience. Memory searches are unconsciously made though often volitionally started. This is why, in my opinion, that prayer and regular scripture study and review is so important; it is proximal, but stimulates retrieval of that which is stored and therefore reinforces it. 

Mr. Hawkins gives us a physical example of how this works.  He is saying is that the brain does NOT calculate the flight of a thrown ball, for example, but instead recalls from memory similar flights of balls while at the same time recalling again from memory the muscular workings of the body as it went after and caught or did not catch similar balls in flight. After a bit of practice (storing and retrieving memories) a person can get very good at catching balls.  In other words the brain predicts where the ball is going to be not through a laborious and lengthy calculation (that is why robots cannot catch balls) but through rapidly accessed memories of similar events.  By the same token one can get very good at playing the piano or dancing or doing public speaking or mathematics or doing virtually anything. Even spirituality is a ‘talent’ that can be developed. Nerve ‘pathways,’ which go both ways, are being activated, connected, and conditioned. 

This is a startling insight. Hawkins shows how everything we do is based on our brain's ability to use memories to predict events and thus take appropriate actions based on previous experience. To review in a little more detail how it works:

First there is a "sequence of patterns" of past events stored in the brain. These come from past experience with the pattern we inserted in our cortex or from the ‘software,’ the algorithm,  that was provided us sometime before birth. These can be ‘direct’ experiences, ‘other-modeled’ experiences, ‘perceived’ experiences, or even ‘vicarious’ experiences.  Patterns can correspond to concepts as well as the output of the physical senses.

Second, the brain has an ‘auto-associative mechanism’ that allows it to "recall complete patterns when given only partial or distorted inputs."  Information is stored in ‘invariant form,’ so that a face, for example, can be recognized despite the lighting, angle, partial exposure, and so on; these stored ‘invariant representations’ of actual, or what has become ‘actual,’ events, objects, or concepts in memory  predict solutions, (facial identification in this example), and continuously compares results to predictions to validate. "Prediction," as Mr. Hawkins asserts, "is the primary function of the neo-cortex, and the foundation of intelligence.... Intelligence is measured by the capacity to remember and predict patterns in the world. Our sense of self is even a pattern.

These predictions are about everything in our lives and they involve all of our senses. As Hawkins puts it, "All regions of your neo-cortex are simultaneously trying to predict what their next experience will be. Visual areas make predictions about edges, shapes, objects, locations, and motions. Auditory areas make predictions about tones, direction to source, and patterns of sound. Somatosensory areas make predictions about touch, texture, contour, and temperature."  So it goes with other sensory areas. These different brain areas or regions interact by making connections as necessary to the retrieval of the pattern or algorithm that leads to the solution of the problem or bodily response.  If the prediction is incorrect, then this information is moved up the hierarchy and learning may occur as new and often more general kinds of classifications (invariant representations) are made dynamically.

I would submit that the algorithm that is the very essence of the human spirit, when activated in a physical body is what makes us a living soul (body + spirit being the ‘soul’ of man). We are given ‘the breath of life’—the algorithm of life, if you will, when we become a living soul. 

The cortex is always processing spatial/temporal patterns of impulses, whether these originated outside of the cortex, as sounds, images, touch, smell; feedback from the body's own activity such as moving or lifting an object (proprioception); thoughts generated within the cortex; or cognizance of  the initial endowment or algorithm  of what makes us human—again, the gift of human  life.

Succinctly stated, human intelligence is predictive pattern-matching. When what we predict matches what we observe, we ‘understand’; when our prediction is incorrect we are confused.  Understanding is intelligence.

 What I add to this discussion is what scripture tells us: “The glory of God is intelligence— or in other words, light and truth.” As we diligently seek further light and truth I postulate we will activate connection with the pattern that is already there. Holy scriptures record that the Roman procurator Pilate, who had a great contempt for the Jewish people and their religion, standing in the presence of Christ asked, “What is truth?”  Unfortunately he left before hearing the answer.  I suspect Jesus might have said something like this: ‘I AM; keep it in mind.’