OVER THE TOP
California gang plan
The news of a proposed gang ordinance for Elk Grove was all over the local 11 p.m. television news on Wednesday. You can also read about it in our new politics reporter’s story appearing on the front page.
I did not attend last night’s meeting of the Elk Grove City Council and I am not familiar with all the details of this proposal put forth by community activists. But, there is one troubling aspect about the ordinance reported on the local television news Wednesday night.
Connie Conley, a local activist and co-author of the proposal, said the ordinance would in part penalize parents of gang members, with the possibility of misdemeanor charges leading to up to one year in jail.
What?
The last thing we need to do is take away the parents of troubled youth. Gang members and youths thinking of joining a gang need our help, and especially support and a safe home from their parents.
Taking a parent out of the house is not the solution. There are many good single parents; or parents who both work - sometimes more than one job each - and to punish them for trying to raise their children in difficult times or neighborhoods is not the answer.
Preventing gangs from gaining a foothold in Elk Grove is good; taking parents away from troubled teens is not.
Jeff Forward
25 January 2008
http://www.egcitizen.com/articles/2008/01/24/lifestyles/lifestyle001.txt