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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Writer Asks Why the Violence Among the Youth

Dear Source,
I'm a graduate from the class of 1996 at the St. Croix Education/Vocational Complex.
Since I have graduated I have moved on to pursuing my career for which I earned a degree in computer information systems.
I currently reside in North Carolina and I am a successful Financial Research Analyst.
I am commenting on the incident that took place at the beautiful facility in which I was able to earn my high school diploma. It is very sad how a young man lost his life at such a young age. It is ridiculous to hear of all the crimes that are taking place.
I hear the news and wonder where are the parents of these young kids that are committing these acts of violence among their peers. I feel that the problem starts when you have young teens having kids at a young age, and by the time the child is 15 or 16 the parent is only in their early 30s. This mentality is passed down through the generations.
I feel as not just counseling but also prevention needs to be taught to most of the kids now so that we all can live longer and be able to raise our kids in the right way. The reason I say this is because during my childhood days my parents used to be on me like a hawk. My friends who moved back home tell me that when ever she goes to a show or a dance most of the kids are in there smoking, drinking and dancing all nasty, especially the little girls. Where are the parents? What happened to wait till you are 18 then you can go to some of these functions? I am not saying that the kids can't shake their waist now and then, but separate the teens from the adults. This way the kids will know their space and not try to act grown and do grown folk things.
The guns; they need to stop. Why are young 17 year old walking around with guns? This is ridiculous, this is why I ask where are the parents? They are there but most of them are too young to understand. They allow their kids to get out of control some parents know what their kids do but they just don't care. I think that we need more police and not the crooked ones either. I'm talking about the ones who want a change.
I sometimes ask myself what is St. Croix coming to. Is it going to be the next LA or what?
I'm asking the parents to step into their children's life and take control of the surrounding that they are in, know what they are bringing into your house. Maybe if we had a tougher jail system and Golden Grove was not like a motel and it was like real prison. Most of the kids will not be committing the crimes. If most of you look at the media and see the age group that is either being killed or committing the crimes you will see what I'm talking about. It seems like some of the older guys on the island have had enough. You don't hear too much of guys in their late 30s early 40s committing serious crimes. It is more the younger ones.
This is to all those in prison if you want to make a change in your life, even if you are in jail for murder maybe it was something that you did and have regrets for, now maybe you can all get together and let the outside world really know what it's like not to have freedom, privacy, see your kids everyday. Tell the youths of today the truth about the system and hopefully one day St. Croix will be the one I remember while growing up, being able to leave your mother's back door open so you don't have to be stuck outside waiting till she comes home from grocery while the school bus drop you off.
Come on, the people of the Virgin Islands, Please make our Island what it used to be and not a crime spree place. We are Paradise under the sun.
I love My beautiful Island don't destroy it.
Valencia
North Carolina

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