The real cause: There are other concerns to examine as violence increases

Another day and we have another report of a shooting involving young adults in Goldsboro.

And as soon as we hear yet another story about random — and seemingly not-so-random — gunfire injuring or killing another city youth, we wonder what the world is coming to — and what we can do about it.

The increased reports of gunfire are nothing new — not here or in any city anywhere in the country.

The question is: What are we going to do about it?

The problem is not just that there are more youths and young adults choosing to use violence to solve their disagreements. The prevalence of drugs and other hopelessness caused by criminal activity and extreme poverty factor in, too.

Our first response should be to send a message that violence, drugs and other crimes will not be tolerated here. Our law enforcement personnel are making sure those messages are heard, loud and clear.

But after that, we need to look at the factors that lead young people to choose these sorts of lifestyles, and how the community, parents and schools factor can affect those decisions.

Goldsboro has problems that are not unlike those of many other cities across the nation. What will set us apart is what we decide to do about them.

Understanding the underlying causes and then determining the best course of action is the first step.

Published in Editorials on September 6, 2006 11:29 AM