Many of us are who are not from Tallahassee are accustomed to big-city life. No matter what city we are from, issues with homelessness, traffic and gangs are not foreign to us. But who knew these would be issues in Tallahassee?
Yes, Tallahassee is coming up as a city. Sadly, gang activity is also on the rise here.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat Web site, with the city’s growth “there is an increased involvement here in youth gangs, which are criminal in nature and sometimes affiliated with national gangs. More than a dozen gang-related shootings have occurred in the area in the past 20 months; there is a surging interest in Tallahassee from national gangs; and more than 100 local youths are believed to be involved in gangs.”Getting caught in random gunfire from gang fights wasn’t in any of our plans when we chose to come to Florida A&M University. Are we going to be in fear of getting shot on account of what color clothes we wear in the future?
We should make it our business to help the city of Tallahassee in its gang prevention efforts. People look up to us as college students. We should lend a helping hand by doing community service, such as joining Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Someone once said, “He who does not prevent a crime when he can, encourages it.”
Let us not encourage gang activity.
Siraaj Sabree for the Editorial Board.