Sometimes I tend to spend a great deal of time watching The First 48, Crime 360, Notorious, Most Evil, City Confidential, Cold Case Files, Dead Men Talking (see a pattern here?) I enjoy these shows, but saddened at the same time. Each time I watch, the crimes become more vicious, more heinous as the episodes unfold.The depth and level that a person goes through to eliminate another person is astounding. The matter of death and murder alone are enough, it is disheartening when someone takes it to another level to cover their tracks. People literally carry firearms like they are carrying purses or the latest accessory to their outfits.
So much emphasis is not placed on a human life these days. Everytime I watch these shows I am often reminded of a line in Angel Heart where The devil (Louis Cypher) exclaims, "...who places a value on human life anyway? It is the soul that is immortal...." Am I to believe that the perpetrators of crime are trying to capture the immortal soul? Or...Is man bereft of morality and principles and the value of another life? Amoral beings unleashed upon humanity.
Our youth fall prey to the luster of life on the streets, the money, the women the cars, the prestige. In an instant it is all gone from a decision that will cost them a lifetime. Encouraged by friends, and forgotten by the same ones that prodded them into the crimes.
I saw an episode last week that involved brothers. Brothers...flesh and blood. One is dead and the other one will probably get the dealth penalty. It was so sad to watch him tell his mother why he did the crime. My heart went out to his mother. What a thing to learn. Your flesh and blood. Cain and Able. The question still remained...Why? He could not answer it and another life was lost.
I was just thinking about how it was when I was growing up. Sure there was crime, but when it was time to settle a fight, it wasn't done with weapons. We were taught to stand true and honorable. If you had to fight, you used your fists, most fights (as silly as this sounds) was handled with word skills (i.e. poetry slams) or break dancing (yes, the best dancer was not messed with). Nowadays, a person will grab a gun quicker than you blink your eye. Our children unsafe on the streets and in schools. Children seem to be quicker to react with violence than using common sense. Our youth we sometimes fear.
No one is immune to violence, and we need to find sound ways to break this vicious cycle. Life in any form is precious.
