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The
Boston Herald
Some Hub youths making a stand as peacemakers
By Marie Szaniszlo
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Politicians have made
speeches about it. Police have waged war against it. But until yesterday,
Boston’s rising tide of violence has continued to swell with hardly
a word from the very people who make up many of its perpetrators and victims.
After the bloodiest week in the city this year, hundreds of youngsters
gathered at the Boston Day and Evening Academy yesterday to wrestle with
what role they will play in a battle with seemingly no end in sight.
“No one’s coming in from the outside and doing this to us,”
Elyas Harris, a 15-year-old freshman from Dorchester, told his classmates.
“It’s like a civil war right now. And we’ve got to stop
it.”
From Jan. 1 to May 7, 137 people were shot and 21 were killed in the city,
and only six of those homicides resulted in arrests, according to Boston
police statistics.
Last week, seven people were murdered in as many days. And on Tuesday,
Police Commissioner Kathleen O’Toole announced she is stepping down
to take a post in Ireland.
Yesterday, students at the third annual Pilot Youth Leadership Conference
said the city’s new commissioner will have myriad forces to contend
with: from the gangs that are surrogate families for many youngsters,
to the illegal weapons they wield.
However, students said police alone will not ultimately stop the violence.
“It starts within yourself,” said 14-year-old Jay Cottle. “If
you don’t know yourself, you can’t help yourself.”
“We’re fortunate because we have a school that supports us,”
said Bianca Feliz, 18, of Jamaica Plain.
Paul Alves, on the city’s team of street workers, urged youths to
take advantage of the Boston Centers for Youth and Families (617-635-4920)
available in each neighborhood.
Copyright 2006 Boston
Herald Inc.
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