Ideas and Society

Lucifer on the Loose
by Jack Anderson

Why all the violence? Teenagers give ten reasons.

National Alert: For half-a-century, the nuke has dangled ominously over America on a slender strand. Man’s capacity to rearrange the map has heightened the danger of living on it. Nuclear scientists have let the genie out of the bottle. Yet some strategists are far more worried about another danger. The greater risk is not from nuclear explosions, they warn, but from social implosions. Across America, violence is twisting out of control. The deadly toll from rampant killings, shoot-outs, road rage, drive-by shootings, and armed assaults have reached the epidemic stage. Five years ago, Dan Callister, from my South Potomac Ward spoke to me about launching a national campaign to reduce violence. He could get a financial start from a law client, the Kuwait-America Foundation. To find the right solutions, we decided to go straight to the source. We have now got our answers from the embattled children in America’s most violent neighborhoods.

Violence is a living, loathsome thing — a vile specter that stalks America. I’ve crossed paths with him on our dangerous streets. I’ve watched his movies and listened to his music. I’ve spotted his grotesque finger on corporate cash registers. And I’ve caught glimpses of him lurking in dark corners of the government.

I can identify Violence as the devil incarnate, doing what he enjoys most. I can also reveal whom He loves to do it to.  His favorite prey are innocent children, whom Jesus said populate the kingdom of God. The hellmeister takes malevolent delight in transforming benign children into juvenile terrorists who’d kill a fellow being with no more compassion than they’d swat a fly.

The massacre at Columbine high school has set off a national alarm. But for many cheerless urban children, the senseless killings in Colorado — and the anguishing question, “Why? Why? Why?” — have a hollow ring. Their own cries in the night have gone unheeded. “Is anyone listening?” they’ve been pleading. “Does anyone care?”

That devil called Violence commands a guerrilla force of 100,000 youth gangs (nearly two million tough kids, armed and dangerous) who are assaulting America from within. They control urban neighborhoods — pockets of devastation — in many of our greatest cities. In the nation’s capital where I live, Violence is my neighbor.

Washington still has a special magic. The tranquil beauty of its shaded avenues and curving shorelines, its many circles and squares set like oases among the brick and cement casts a quiet spell upon visitors. The sun splashing on white marble and granite, pricking through the foliage of Rock Creek Park, flickering over the ripples of the Tidal Basin, enhance the serenity.

But the aura of peace is deceptive. Not far from the throngs of sightseers lies another Washington — an ugly, garbage-strewn, liquor-smelling place, with obscenities sprayed on the walls, a place not safe for tourists to venture — which has all but fallen out of civilization. The wretched souls who live there are disintegrating in a hideous environment — where murder is a commonplace response to trivial irritations or wants; where children are systematically recruited for crime; where drug pushing, stealing, and prostitution are the only thriving industries; where hospitals are collapsing under the burden of too many injuries caused by too much violence; where the elderly live behind barricaded doors; where it is hazardous to venture into the next neighborhood. The city government, unable to contain this festering growth, was approaching break-down until Congress seized control of the finances.

For the deprived and the distressed who’re stuck here, meanwhile, the violence has already caused incalculable mischief and misery. To prevent their boilers from bursting, our National Campaign to Stop Violence has provided young teenagers with a vent so they can blow off some steam. Thousands of down-town, slum-bound kids have let loose their inner feelings about the nation’s capital and their hometown–D.C. which stands, they joke grimly, for Die City. I urge the politicians-in-charge, who devote so much time courting the rich and the powerful, to listen to these children. The politicians communicate through sound bites–dialogue that the street kids understand. They’ll respond with sound-offs:

* “It seems to me that the world gets worse every day… I scream out loud, but no one hears me.” Patrice Howard

* “Where I live is like a cliff. As long as I am on the peak, I am safe and secure. But the minute I make a wrong move, BAM! I am dead.” Rickelle Green

* “Although I haven’t been a victim of violence, I have seen a lot of it. I have witnessed approximately nine shootings, two stabbings, and fifteen gang fights in my short twelve years of life… The first time I ever witnessed a shooting was when I was six years old.” Ardenia Woodland

* “There is a place in this city. This place is ugly, dirty, neglected. There is a king. Actually a lot of kings. Their names are guns, knives, needles, money, drugs. They rule over many people, these kings.” Mark Parker

* “It gets hard sometimes to walk to and from school without thinking, ‘Is today the day I am going to die? Who’s going to kill me? How are they going to kill me, and with what type of weapon?'” Santos Torres

* “Bullets don’t have a name; they get whoever is in the way.” Vianca Lyles

* “One day, I wish I could stay outside without feeling I will get shot.” Lowell Edwards

* “I’ve experienced so much violence in my life… One girl, age eight, stabbed another girl just for a Barbie doll; a fifteen-year-old young man shot and murdered another young man just for a beeper. It looks like violence will never stop.” Hanni Torres

* “Among children my age there is a code of honor. If someone hits you, you must hit them back. If you do not hit them then you’re a punk. A child who is called a punk is the kid everybody picks on. Some kids are so afraid of being called a punk that they are willing to kill or be killed so they won’t be called it.” Dupe Akinuli

* “I had my first experience with violence last summer at the swimming pool. I was swimming, laughing, having fun until this black car with tinted windows pulled up and started shooting. I was so frightened that I didn’t know what to do. I saw everyone running to the shower room, so I ran too. I wasn’t sure if it was safe to walk home, go to the store or go anywhere.” Nakeisha Lewis

* “It is a scary time for all of us. The natural order of things is out of sync. People are afraid to leave their homes. Children are afraid to go to school. But the light is within us to shatter the darkness and end the violence.” Shevon Rockett

* “I was ten years old, playing outside with my friends. A neighbor was trying to rob a man where we were playing. He pulled out a pistol and shot at the man. He missed the man and shot me in my upper right arm.” Dominique Burke

* “[Violence] is the feeling that you get when you hear a shot break the silence, when a voice screams, when a child cries, when sirens wail. Every day I dream about a world without violence. Will my dream ever come true?” Sabrina Snell

* “I live in a bad neighborhood. I’ve seen a lot of murders. Just last week, we had a drive-by shooting; someone got shot. It scares me to think, I may be the next person to die.” Maurico Chavez

* “I recently lost my older brother to the streets and to violence. That hurt me, but also it showed me the way. I don’t want to end up like my brother. I want more from life.” Teddy Lawrence

To Find the Cure, Determine the Cause

The terror that grips kids at the seat of the federal government afflicts millions like them across America. They are the anonymous sons and daughters of the poverty-stricken — faceless street children in teeming urban neighborhoods between America’s shining seas. They live today in the middle of a catastrophe that is spreading remorselessly into tomorrow.

Those who man the swivel chairs in the granite-and-sandstone compounds of government drive past Washington’s violent neighborhoods on their way to work, where they are paid by the taxpayers to find solutions. Indeed, the first duty of government is to protect its citizens. Yet most federal problem solvers would rather study than solve problems.  Congress isn’t likely to grant them money to tackle problems that have already been solved.

We at the National Campaign to Stop Violence had found unexpected wisdom in the endangered children, who develop sharp wits simply to survive. We decided to solicit solutions directly from them.  From tens of thousands of written responses, we have distilled many ideas that we will present to Congress.

For solutions to rampant violence, the kids say, we must look first for the causes, then ways of prevention. “It’s much easier to prevent the problems of violence than to fix (them) later,” wrote young Heather Wanlass of Las Vegas. “It’s like putting an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff, instead of building a rail at the top of the cliff.”

Here, then, are the ten top causes of violence in the order that the children cited them. From here on, the words will come strictly from them:

1. The Media

* “Most of the TV programs today have the same elements — killing, profanity, and sex. Now, how do people expect us, the young children, to act if all we see and hear is violence? Today kids love music, but the parents need to restrict what they listen to…. I’ve noticed kids’ toys aren’t like they used to be. At one time kids liked building blocks and dolls; now they want toy guns and battle figures.” Qwondolyn Nelson, Washington, D.C.

* “It seems as if movies are made based upon violent acts, themes, or lifestyles. News is not news unless violent acts are not only reported but are videotaped for the view to observe the sensation. It is as if violence is acceptable.” Debbye Atkins, Washington, D.C.

* “I think the reason why young people use violence as a solution [is] that when they see movies that show a lot of violence, they think that its O.K. because if their favorite movie stars are doing it why can’t they.” Simyeon Murray, Washington, D.C.

* “One of the main sources of violence comes from entertainment.  A lot of children learn about violence from watching television and movies. There are a lot of television shows that produce violence, and children tend to repeat things that they see. Many movies that are out now are movies about killing, stealing, and beating people up. Many people like that type of thing and want to be like the movie. Many video games made today represent violence and other bad things. Most games out there are controlled with mechanical guns to shoot the enemy with.” Calvin Slay, Maryland

* “Me and the boys fought a lot, but fights were everywhere. I guess you could say we were living a movie. After every battle we won, we celebrated with blood shot eyes and forty ounces. Those drunken nights used to give me pride, and from the O.G. I gained what I thought was knowledge. We all stuck together and things were all good till the night of the shooting. The facts were scrambled and as always the media did there [sic] best to cover up any gang relations, but the results were the same–Earnest Ross lay dead and Edward and two of my other boys were on their way behind bars. I still ran the streets, but things were different without my crew. After the shooting, hostility was increasing all over the city. With pressure from the enemy and the cops, I had to hide out. Money making got hard, but as usual I came up with a scheme to make some grip. The only problem was without my crew, I had to be out in public too much, and the next thing I knew I wound up in [the] juvenile detention center.” Douglas Fisher; Arkansas

2. Substance Abuse

* “Drugs and alcohol all play a part numbing the pain and hardening the heart, not knowing if you’ll live to see tomorrow and call today yesterday.” Junie Smith, Georgia

* “I have lost a brother to the violence and crime that goes on in Washington, D.C. He got caught up with drugs and guns and thought he was big and bad. Then someone bigger and badder came along and killed him. I try not to make the same mistakes my brother made. I try to stay away from the drugs and other stuff he got into. I have been tempted to do it, but I thought about [it], and I changed my mind.” Marcus Binion, Washington, D.C.

* “It seems like no matter where I go, drugs are in the picture.  It’s hard not to give into the temptation of drugs.” Matt Anderson, Georgia

* “The doctor slowly walked over to my father. We could tell it was not good news by the look on his face. My mother was pronounced dead on arrival. She had overdosed on illegal drugs.” Amanda Casey, Alaska

3. Gangs

* “Everything gangs are involved in is in one way or another violent…. There are two places violence leads a gang member. Those two places are prison and or the cemetery.” Samuel Summers, Arkansas

* “Two of the bullets had penetrated my spinal cord, and I would be paralyzed from the waist on down…. My life was no longer normal because of some gang initiation.” Tamika Thompson, Houston, TX

* “Across town, a young man is beaten almost unconscious. Why? Simply because he was wearing a blue shirt in the wrong part of town . . .A lot of are [sic] youth are involving themselves in gangs because they are either taught that way or have nothing better to do. When I was getting in trouble it was mostly because I wasn’t involved in any kind of positive program.  When I would come home from school, my parents would be at work, so I had pretty much nothing to do during that time period. It then was my choice to cause trouble.” Timothy Schutt, Arizona

4. Unemployment

* “I also believe that some how we have to increase educational and job program opportunities for as many people who are willing to give up that type of lifestyle to make something better of themselves.” Jamar Gadsan, Washington, D.C.

* “My observation has been that crime begins in the homes of families where love, nurturing, respect, care, work ethics, traditional values, basic needs, jobs, and money are missing. People desperately need these things to be happy, healthy, and productive. Without any one of the above mentioned, life becomes difficult. Difficulties lead to frustration, which inspires anger, which of course, gives birth to violence.” Darruis Heath, Chicago, Illinois

5. Weapons

* “Around my neighborhood the type of violence I have to deal with is ducking the bullets that may be fired at someone.” Natasha Jackson, Washington, D.C.

* “She saw the boy get shot. She ran towards the falling boy. She wept and cried, mourning for him. ‘He’s dead, he’s dead,’ is all she kept shouting. He was only fifteen, why did this happen? She picked him up and carried him to her building. He was a good boy, but got caught up in the wrong game. He sold drugs and guns to the local street gang.” Sadonna Hill, New York

* “Back in [those days] you didn’t need a gun. Now kids are killing each other just for fun…. A gunshot rings out like silent thunder. Drive-bys laying kids down six feet under.” Brandon Bennett, North Carolina

* “I believe that today’s youth choose violence as a solution because they have not learned to resolve problems, and control their tempers.  Since it is so easy to get guns, you get angry, get a gun, and then resolve your problem by shooting someone.” Luis Barahona, Washington, D.C.

6. Poverty

* “Most of the people who grow up in the projects and the ghetto usually have a violent life because they are used to being around violence. When young people see others being violent, they also want to be violent.” William Haith Washington, D.C.

* “I was raised in a Bronx project, Christopher Court. I watched my friends become violent casualties. Bloodshed was a natural sight.” Rahiel Tesfamariam, Washington, D.C.

* “Violence is like a disease which is caused by problems such as money and materialistic things. People are killing other people over money. Money is not everything. Love and peace, instead are all we need.” Aaron Bullock, Washington, D.C.

7. Peer Pressure

* “Peer pressure is one reason why violence has overcome so many of our youths. A lot of young people are talked into violent acts in order to fit in, to be accepted, for protection, or just to impress someone.” Ohavyah Goodlow, Illinois

* “In today’s world, young people find it hard sometimes to cope with life, especially with peer pressure. Not always listening to what other people say is making the right choice.” Shonda Johnson, Washington, D.C.

8. Broken Homes

* “Later I found out that the guy who killed the lady was only seventeen. He had a bad childhood and no parents to care for him.” Zuzana Hlinkova, Washington, D.C.

* “I consider myself extremely fortunate to be blessed with a life that includes a living and supportive family and friends. I have been taught good values and morals that will enhance my growing into a respectable adult. Some people are not as fortunate, and I feel that has a lot to do with the crimes we hear and read about. There are so many teenagers who are from broken homes and others who have practically raised themselves.” Tiffani Fonseca, Washington, D.C.

* “Violence has had a big impact on my life ever since I was eleven years old. My memory keeps flashing back to that fateful day when my mother and father were screaming, hitting, and cursing at each other.  They finally decided to get a divorce, which made my life even more confusing.” Amanda Casey, Arkansas

9. Poor Family Environment/ Bad Neighborhoods

* “I will begin this essay about violence with one of my earliest memories: a short stay in Cabrini Green…. The first few days were really hard on us. We could hear gun shots all the time. We could hear crying all the time. Eventually, we settled into a routine, and all of these sound[s] became ordinary. I tried not to think about it.” Leonard Smith, Chicago, Illinois

* “I was once in a violent environment. I grew up in a place where violence was a part of life. Mostly every neighborhood near where I live[d] had families that were violent. Every night it was time for me to go to bed, I heard my neighbors yelling and arguing, and children crying. My family was also in a situation of violence.  Actually, the violence was caused by my father’s behavior. My father was a heavy drinker as well as a drug user. ..my father joined Alcoholics Anonymous. I was surprised how his behavior changed…. He became the father that I really wanted and the one for whom I had waited for such a long time.” Lisa-Marie Fuamatu, Hawaii

* “We don’t need a television set to witness all the fields of blood created by acts of violence. For some of us, our own living rooms set the stage for the violence in our lives.” Amanda Blackwell, Mississippi

10. Intolerance/ Ignorance

* “Sometimes, violence is started because people do not understand other cultures and if we took the time to learn more about other people, we would not have so much violence.” Vinh Nguyen, Houston, Texas

Postscripts

* “What happened in my house that was different? Mom thinks it was divine intervention. I think, though, that in my house this man, this intruder, this rapist, was treated with humanity. Mom talked to him kindly and politely. She talked to him patiently. She talked without fear, although, she later admitted to being terrified. She never looked at his gun, but rather looked in his eyes.” Jonathan Roos, Washington, D.C.

* “To value myself, to be honest, to be respectful, and in general are the rules given to me to live by. To have self-worth, to have aspirations and goals in life and to have high self-esteem and not to be influenced by peers are values that continue to echo on my ears as my mother stresses the importance of these values in everyday living.” Erica Cowley, Washington, D.C.

* “That’s when I realized that my favorite place to be was school. At school there were people who wanted to make sure I was safe. Through teachers and reading, I was able to learn about place(s) that were safer and cleaner and prettier than my own home. All the while, my teachers kept reminding me that if I tried hard at school and succeeded at my lessons, I could have all of these things. School gave me the most important tools that a person needs to survive in a situation like mine. Hope and faith. That’s why I believe that one thing that can change violence in the world is education. I know that there is no simple cure for the problem of violence in the world. If there was a simple answer, then there wouldn’t be a problem. But education seems to be a good place to start.” Leonard Smith, Chicago, Illinois

* “Your conscience is another thing not to ignore. Like Jiminy Cricket says in Pinocchio: ‘Let your conscience be your guide.’ It always knows the right thing to do. You must trust it. Also believe in your heart that your goodness will shine through. You will have a better chance of being immune to violence. Practice and share these tools with others.” Amanda Cordova, California

* “In the long run, the greatest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit. The situation has become our responsibility. We have to make some important decisions in our lives to control the violence before it becomes our children’s responsibility.” Robert Wildes, Mississippi

* “And I quote what Eleanor Roosevelt once said, ‘For it isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. One must work at it.’ What it means is you just can’t sit there talking about what needs doing, you have to get up and stand tall and do whatever you can do.” Stephanie Sims, Washington, D.C.

Of course, any real solutions are bound to stir up controversy. It’s much safer to just point out that there is a problem. For instance, what is the appropriate way to deal with media violence? Censorship? (At what level?) Boycott and petition? Found a parallel industry? How about the availability of weapons? Ban weapons? Arm and train everyone? I’m sure you see what I mean.

It is, of course, vitally important to start at home. But I don’t think it’s sufficient. No matter how well we or our families are doing, the violence in society around us will reach out and involve us against our will, as in the Columbine case.

An observation: most of us don’t want to get involved with the kinds of people and places where the problems are the worst. It might be a good idea to point out that making a real difference probably isn’t possible from a distance.

I have a friend who was “raised” by the “Crips,” and it’s been interesting and sometimes scary to be involved in his life. Most of the members of the ward have a hard time accepting him, or dealing with his outbursts where he accuses everyone of not being his friend or threatens to leave the Church because we’re all racist or declares that people are out to get him.

At first, my inclination was to shun him like many (not all!) people do. Only when I reached out to him, and involved myself in his life, and offered him haven at my home if he ever felt the need, and “stuck” to him, even when he was acting stupid, did some of the walls between us start to come down. And that’s just one pair of people. How can we help communities if we don’t involve ourselves in them?

Most of us try to isolate ourselves from violence, violent people, and violent locations. But when we do so we are ignoring the problem. Alma stepping down from his governmental post to do missionary work would probably be an appropriate scripture. It shows an example of both the fact that government (any form and action) is essentially powerless in the face of this sort of problem and an appropriate and vivid example of what will probably have the most impact.

Anyway, I hope that you will do a follow-up article on what people can do to combat violence (now there’s an oxymoron).

Alan Grover
Austin, Texas

I felt the quotes in Jack Anderson’s article “Lucifer on the Loose” were very sad and thought- provoking. However, I must disagree with some of the ten conclusions.

First, poverty and unemployment are not in any way a factor in the breakdown of society. America has only really been prosperous for about fifty years. Prior to WW II, the majority of Americans had no idea what prosperity was. If poverty is a cause of violence, then the Depression of the 30’s would have seen carnage we can only dream about.

Second, the availability of weapons also is not a cause of violence. Back in the 60’s and 70’s, many high schools sponsored rifle teams where the students would actually bring their guns to school to practice their marksmanship, yet miraculously we never had anything like Littleton, CO. Guns are far more regulated now and far less accessible than at any time in the history of our nation, yet violence is rising.

Sincerely,
Chris Gleed

I am a teenager in Washington state, and I recently read your article on violence and really found it thought-provoking. I believe, however, that causes such as media and toys are merely a reflection of two things: poverty and lack of education. Poverty leads to broken homes and desperate people. When people don’t know where their next meal is coming from, lives have little value. With poverty comes lack of education, and I believe education is everyone’s best weapon. The more I learn the more I see God’s hand in my life. The more I see His reflection in life, the more I want to be like Him. I believe first we must set up work programs in the poverty stricken areas and then programs to reunite families and to educate them. The solution lies in filling needs.

Sincerely,
Sarah Morgan
Vancouver, Washington

I haven’t known how to contact Jack Anderson. I’d like him to know that I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in January, 1974, and he was my Gospel Essentials teacher, my first teacher in the church other than the missionaries. I didn’t stay there long, but went to BYU where I met my husband. We had three great children. (Our son died at age six, and I doubt I could have survived that without the gospel). Our oldest daughter went on a mission to the Philippines, met her intended at a fireside [the month she got home], and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Now we’re going to have our first grandchild, and thus the teachings of the gospel will continue in our family.

I’d like Brother Anderson to know that there are things that he taught me in that class that I still remember (such as it being my responsibility to be an agent for the Savior) and that I appreciate the work he put into teaching me and the others. My dad was a journalist in Washington, D.C. too, so I know the kind of schedule he was on; yet he gave of his time to give really good lessons. Again, I’d like to thank him for what he taught me and how he helped get me started on the right path in life.

As for his article on violence in the inner cities and how we tend to overlook it, I remember doing some one-on-one tutoring of a 2^nd grader from the closest public school to the White House about 30 years ago. Because I was helping her, I was welcomed into the neighborhood where she lived by people saying hello and waving to me. Yet the “big tough men” with whom I worked at the Department of Labor were scared to walk alone to their cars parked just on the fringes of that neighborhood.

Also, my tutoring group had the children spend a weekend at my family’s farm/camp outside Leesburg, Virginia, and the children were delighted to see cows, ride horses, etc. As a result of my experiences with children from similar families, I’m especially glad to know of Brother Anderson’s interest in the individuals in D.C. whom he quoted in his article.

Sincerely,
Barbara Stanford Mason
Tahlequah, Oklahoma

I’d like to mention something I’ve believed as a teen myself. if you have the time, you might like to reread some of the comments [made by children in the article] and think of my idea as you do.

Teen centers, child centers, whatever…give them something else to do!! Maintain variety, like a roller rink on bottom, bowling, video games, etc. upstairs. . . Maybe a putt-putt outside, a pool, a playground, medition garden, basketball, baseball diamond. Outside, of course, needs to be fenced in and well lit, so they can feel safe. Where high security is needed, get it — however they can be safe to relax, have fun, not worry, play, talk, and be kids.

Everything presented should be moral, educating, safe, and community-promoting activities.

Thank you for your time and trouble,
Terri Deitsch
Osgood, Indiana

I agree with most of the article [“Lucifer on the Loose”]. My one contradictory thought is that the author mentions the tragedy of Columbine High and the root cause violence as poverty and neglect of our youth. Unfortunately, the “boys” who committed the unspeakable act in Colorado were not from poverty, but from very “well-off” homes. The parents were not neglectful. They were actively involved in sports and scouts with their kids.

Perhaps they were too respectful of their sons’ freedom of self-expression (black clothes, dark music, etc.). Keeping in mind that these youth were active users of the internet (“bomb-making” know-how and personal websites), perhaps they fell prey to a new breed of twisted adults who use the internet to corrupt children.

Sincerely
Mrs. Vivian Lehman
Commerce, Texas

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