America Eats It's Young: When Does Violence Begin?

Violence begins when a male infant witnesses his mother being raped or physically abused by her boyfriend or husband.

Violence begins when a child is born into a household where he is not nurtured, valued or given the affection that he needs. Oftentimes, this particular child has a father in his life.

Violence begins when a mother allows her sick boyfriend to sexually molest her male child, thus creating a sexual predator.

Violence begins when men in a family don't step up and nurture/train the fatherless males in the family.

Violence begins when a male infant is told in so many actions and words that he will not amount to anything by his parents as well as those who teach him.

Violence begins when a lawmaker creates laws targeting and entrapping poor black and brown people (i.e. Clinton's Three Strikes Law).

Violence begins when you put a massive amount of people in areas where there are food deserts, lack of resources, very few job opportunities, drug infested, and underfunded schools.

Violence begins when a male child enters school and thrown in 'special education'; not because he's slow, but because he can't read at grade level and no one has the patience to assist him.

Violence begins when a male child watches hours upon hours of images of violence and bloodshed via video games and TV.

Violence begins when a child is not taught how to respect human life at an early age. He hears others talk about it, but he rarely sees it displayed via action.

Violence begins when a male child hears his mother talk about his dad in a negative light. And anytime the child misbehaves, he hears that he's just like his 'no good daddy'.

Violence begins when a male child is brought up to worship material goods and that his self-worth is intrinsically tied into having 'nice' stuff (shoes, clothes, electronic gadgets, jewelry, etc.).

Violence begins when a male child is brought up to view his female counterparts as sexual objects. Also, when a male child is taught that its normal to refer to his female counterpart as 'bitches', 'hoes', 'THOTs', 'gold diggers', etc.

Violence begins when a society fears black males and thinks that the only solution is incarceration or death. And when the same society trains Black males that they are worthless.

Violence begins when a group of people laugh at a male infant cursing or misbehaving. Instead of correcting the behavior, they (consciously or unconsciously) encourage the infant to continue to misbehave.

Violence begins when a female child is taught that her self-worth is tied to her physical appearance and that the only way to keep a man is what 'deeds' she does for him.

Violence begins when a male child is not taught his cultural heritage and what his real value is to his people.

Violence begins when a people allow their sons to be taught by others who (for the most part) see the sons as prison fodder.

Violence begins when a child is taught weekly that the image of his deity is not of his own, but that of his former slave master's.

Violence begins when a male child is taught by his parents and society that his only value is to excel athletically or entertain. And when he doesn't reach his goal, his world is shattered.

Violence begins when there are no alternative options for those male children who don't pursue higher education and don't have marketable skills to earn a living.

Violence begins when men as a whole don't see the need to help other children who are not their own. They think that their only concern is their household as if the world will not influence or affect the lives of their children.

Violence doesn't begin with males on the streets pulling triggers at innocent bystanders. Violence begins in the womb, in the schools and in the homes. And until we take corrective measures to help raise a village of men/women, violence will continue to affect us all.