From thousands of miles away, here is a blog post on a group of Palestinian kindergartners who struggle learning to just be kids and have a little bit of fun, because of the ongoing problems in the Gaza Strip.  It’s interesting how different (and similar) their situation is to the children the Chicago Sun-Times surveyed about violence in Chicago.

Chicago Sun-Times

Kudos to the Chicago Sun-Times for their extensive piece on how the increased violence is affecting children in neighborhoods where much of this violence is taking place.   Although I thought it could have gone further in-depth in writing about the violence as a generational cycle, they did a great a job in letting the children speak for themselves, as evidenced by the responses they posted from children saying what they would do if there were no more guns in the city.

Reading about 11-year-old Maria Rivera’s fear of playing outside reminded me of moments in my own childhood.  For the most part, my neighborhood (Chatham) was a safe place, but it had enough negative elements to make my mother and grandmother limit where I was allowed to play.  I could never walk anywhere by myself, even to the park that was just three blocks away.  The farthest I ever went was my old elementary school playlot across the street from my house.  But each time over there I found myself looking over  my shoulder every now and again; something that slowly became a normal routine.  A good chunk of my playtime was relegated to playing baseball or catch by myself in the backyard.  It was probably the one place other than inside my house I felt safest.

It took awhile for me to appreciate my family’s protective nature.  Getting robbed one block from home at the age of 14 might have sped up that realization, but better late than never.

Gangs possible cause for rise in murders

Some Chicago-area radio stations are working together to help send less fortunate children back to school with all the proper supplies they’ll need for a successful school year.  The effort is led by the Feed The Children organization, whose infomercials might be familiar to some of you.  The Violence Project donated $18, enough to give one child a backpack filled with paper, pencils, notebooks and other supplies.

To donate, simply click here.

Sonia Clark

This past week the New York Times published an editorial on the rise of child prostitution in major American cities, in particular Atlanta. The paper of record called action beyond stiffer criminal penalties, such as expanded treatment and resources for the young people caught in this cycle. Atlanta is one of 14 major U.S. cities cited by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Also on that list? Chicago.

The Barton Law and Child Policy Clinic at Emory University recently published a report on the commercial sex trade involving children in Georgia, but it included comparable information on similar laws in Illinois.

Illinois has adopted a strong criminal statute that allows the prosecution of the johns and pimps who commercially sexually exploit children. Its strong sentencing provisions appropriately reflect these crimes’ grave nature, and its provisions coincide with federal law, which will permit international victims to easily take advantage of federal immigration protections.

Illinois’ anti-human trafficking law clearly recognizes that prostituted children under the age of eighteen are victims rather than offenders. However, under Illinois’ prostitution statute there is no minimum age for commission of the offense, so these child victims can still be arrested and charged as juvenile delinquents. Moreover, the trafficking statute does not affirmatively require services to be provided to victims, and does not fund efforts to develop services. Thus, though their exploiters may be subject to more punishment, the immediate needs of child victims of commercial sexual exploitation are not met under Illinois’ anti-trafficking approach.

Illinois does attempt to address victims’ economic problems by providing for restitution and civil actions against their exploiters. However, because assets earned or used in the exploitation are forfeited to the state, it may be difficult for the victim to collect any judgments they receive. Thus, while Illinois’ efforts are admirable and may be very effective from a law enforcement standpoint, they still leave child victims of commercial sexual exploitation vulnerable and underserved.

Now, why would such an issue be talked about on a blog named The Violence Project? Because, like youth violence, the roots of child prostitution lay at the same foundation: broken communities (poverty, lack of access to resources, inadequate education, broken families, failure of institutions). It is time we begin looking at the big picture and connecting the dots before it is too late.

I wanted to give a special nod to the Chicago Tribune’s recent investigative piece on taxpayer money targeted for after-school programs being squandered on things not related to school or after-school.

The juicy details:

Powerful Senate Democrats quietly gave out the money to handpicked nonprofits, schools, businesses and churches. The lawmakers funneled the money through the Illinois State Board of Education, which rubber-stamped the choices.

But a Tribune investigation found that nearly half of the 48 groups that got money this past school year were running dubious programs, or declined to show how they spent the money. Only 11 of the grants went to established programs with a history of tutoring or mentoring school-age children.

Singled out in the article is Illinois State Sen. Rickey Hendon, who is the main sponsor for these grants in question. Hendon responds further in the article by saying, “yeah, I take chances on people. I’ve had success and failures.” If half of the 48 programs are squandering their $20,000 grants or are not able to show how this money is being spent, we come to a situation beyond a simple success or failure.

In a year where close to three dozen young people in Chicago (not counting the suburbs) have been killed, it is an outright shame to find such little disregard from a public official we elected to serve in our best interests, not his or his friends and associates. What will Sen. Hendon have to say if a child in his district is shot because they had nowhere else to be other than the streets since the money for their promised after-school program is in someone else’s pockets instead? Another simple failure? Try telling that to the child’s parents, or the parents who have already had to live the nightmare of losing a son or daughter.

Third teenager since June shot within several blocks on Far South Side

Teen slain on Albany Park street

2 wounded in South Side drive-by

Mother, 18, charged with murder in newborn’s death

Chicago, IL, July 29, 2008 — The first annual film festival dedicated to peace and non-violence premiers Labor Day Weekend at the new Victory Garden’s Biograph Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Friday August 29 - Sunday, August 31, 2008.

PEACE ON EARTH FILM FESTIVAL (POEFF), is presented by a non-denominational conscious awareness group, New Thought Chicago, and is not intended as an anti-war forum; its focus is to present realistic alternatives, setting the tone for a culture of peace through possibilities for change. “Our thoughts set in motion actions; thoughts can change when alternatives are entertained; we choose to foster a new imagination through the art of filmmaking, to entertain a culture of peace for all humanity,” states Executive Director and retired film actor and television star, Nick Angotti.

The art of filmmaking can promote peace and non-violence to citizens around the world. POEFF encourages filmmakers, videographers and animators to build peace by telling the stories of people who have opened themselves up to new ideas, made a change, and have positively impacted society. Documentaries on environemtal issues, Chicago students addressing guns and gang violence, films on women’s rights in Iraq, a new direction for post civil war Rwanda and a broad sweeping inter-denominational cooperative to supply drinking water to remote villages in Indonesia are some examples of the films in the festival.

For up-to-date and detailed festival information, visit:

www.peaceonearthfilmfestival.org

Kidd Russell “Dear Shooter” from Courtney Harris & Eric Almond on Vimeo