Pubdate: Tue, 01 Sep 2015
Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)
Copyright: 2015 The Baltimore Sun Company
Contact:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/37
Author: Thomas M. Neale

BALTIMORE'S BANE: DRUGS AND SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS

It was with deep regret and sadness that I looked closely at the 
pictures of each of my 45 fellow Baltimore residents murdered in July 
("45 murders in 31 days: Looking back at Baltimore's deadliest 
month," Aug. 29).

All but two of them share one common trait: they are people of color. 
Where are "Black Lives Matter" or Al Sharpton now?

The ostensible reason for a large number of these murders is the 
proliferation of drugs and their insidious effect on human behavior. 
But what is the core reason for this?

I would suggest that the primary issue is the continued predominance 
of singleparent households and the virtual absence of fathers in far 
too many inner-city communities.

Without a caring father and mother, which results in far too many 
teens and young women becoming single mothers, children are condemned 
to lives of poverty with no consistent parental oversight or 
traditional familial mores.

Until we diminish the availability of drugs and address the true 
reasons behind these horrific murder statistics, Baltimore's 
reputation of being one of the world's most dangerous cities will never change.

Thomas M. Neale, Baltimore
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom