Bad Lesson from Chicago

I suppose it's the desperation caused by the rising crime rate, especially the violent one, and the fact that something must be done to curtail it, but good money is spent on questionable ideas, programs and projects. Like paying young people to be good or do good. Sort of rewarding them for staying out of trouble, which is what a $55 million program in Chicago has been doing. It's the American way: throw money at a problem, and hope it will go away.

Except, it hasn't. The crime rate is on the rise, and a lot of people question the assumptions behind the program. First of all, you can't buy virtue. Once there is money involved, the motivation is not the right one. Furthermore, paying someone for a make-shift job is also a bad idea because that person perceives that it's an artificial thing that is being done just to help. What people need are real jobs that pay decent wages, so that they can feel that they are not receiving a handout by another name. You don't build up a person's self esteem by engaging them in ridiculous practices.

Those $55 million would be better spent in improving the economy, so that young people have a fair expectation of a better life by working and not resorting to crime.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Belgian Buggery

The Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal won't go away; instead, it keeps growing every day.  Take the story out of Belgium, where a report has been issued that details what went on, including more than a dozen suicides linked to the abuse perpetrated by priests and  a cover up that continues to this day, when a Belgian bishop suggested that a complaint be withheld until 2011, when the bishop who covered up for the offending priest will retire.  With each passing day, it becomes more and more difficult to hold that this behavior was just the work of a few rogue priests.  There are just too many cases all around the world, for anyone to believe such a thing. This is clearly a major problem which the church tried to hide from the authorities and recklessly let it continue, without any regard for children elsewhere, by transferring priests.  There is no excuse for this unpardonable sin.
Read more

Chinese Capitalism

The fact that Asia now boasts of having the biggest number of millionaires in the world is a sign of the times. The predictions of a few years ago have come true: China is the world's next superpower, and the increasing wealth of its economic elite shows it. The sleeping dragon has awakened.
Read more

No Honor

As a firm believer in independence for Puerto Rico from the United States, I sympathize with independence movements all around the world, as well as with the recognition of those who have fought for it. Having said that, I find it absurd that India plans to spend $33 million on a statue twice the size of the Statue of Liberty to honor one of its independence heroes. Especially so, when that is twice the expenditure for girls' education and $8 million more than what will be spent for women's safety, in a country in which the rape of women is brutal and commonplace. It makes you wonder about what Gandhi would have said about something like this.
Read more