Success?

Well, the National Night Out event was an overall success. Or was it? There were nearly upwards of 500 parents and children in attendance. Courtesy of the Atlanta Institute for Males, backpacks were passed out to all children whom attended 2 ten minute sessions on various topics ranging from Gang Prevention to Crime Reduction.

The FBI, ATF, and APD were all on hand to meet and greet the citizens who make up the surrounding neighborhoods. I must admit I was somewhat dubious of the idea for this event. But, after attending, I feel less suspicious of the true intentions of the event.

As suspected, very few teens attended the event. This was mostly an outing geared towards the younger children. I guess it is appropriate for Atlanta Weed and Seed to sew some early seeds; however, where was the weeding.

More needs to be done to further point these teens in the right direction. The Atlanta Institute for Males has pioneered a great program for young men, spearheaded by Dr. Carter. They help provide the tools and mentorship every young man needs. I repeat, it takes a village to raise a single child. The people who work for that organization are sincere, serious, and passionate about the change they seek to make in the lives of our youth.

As we all know, very seldom does any event turn out as planned. Unfortunately, many of the parents displayed childish behavior. They were cutting lines and fighting over food. This is a great example of how important it is to hold these parents accountable for the direction these children are heading. How can we expect such a drastic change if the parents are not changing themselves?