Mad Memphis

I have been exposed to death and murder countless times so I am a bit desensitized to it. I definitely did not know the boy who was shot, but it is terribly tragic. He was so young. Shooting deaths are common here in Memphis, but this wasn’t the usual gang related crime that took place in the ghetto; this boy was a student and football player at the University of Memphis and he was murdered on campus. It was mentioned on the news that earlier on the evening that he was killed, the young man had been at Tunica and had won a large sum of money. It scares me that perhaps he was being watched at Tunica and was then followed and gunned down for his money. That is all speculation at this point but that will always be at the back of my mind anytime I go there. This young kid was just out having a good time, living life, certainly not expecting to be shot and killed as he was walking back to his dorm. Why did this happen? Why does this kind of violent crime happen on a daily basis here in Memphis? As students we should feel safe on campus, but Memphis was recently named the most violent city in America, so we cannot really feel secure anywhere in this city. I am not an expert on the psychoanalysis of violent criminals and why these people commit the atrocities they do, but I think we need better public education. It seems to me that knowledge and understanding are the only tools that can effectively deter someone from committing such a violent act against another human being. Most of these criminals have had little to no quality education and have usually had a poor upbringing because their parents were mere children when they started having babies. It is a vicious cycle of ignorance and neglect and hate. Something has to be done about this. It is probably the single most important thing that needs to be addressed in this city which is rife with so many problems.