OLD FOLKS NEED TRAINING JUST AS MUCH AS THE YOUNG

A lot of discussion has again been held over the past few days concerning where crime and violence committed by young black people originate? If you're like me, there is only one word to use to begin to start that discussion: parents. For thousands of years, human beings have depended on having both parents available to raise children. The need for daddy is as much ingrained in our DNA as the need for mommy.

And when both were present and functioning, strong children with a sense of self were raised to become honorable men and women. All one has to do is look at the biography regarding fallen Chicago officer Thomas Wortham, IV to see that idea in motion. He was the Chicago police officer who was slain by four thugs who tried to steal his motorcycle.

In the course of that theft, Officer Wortham's father-a retired Chicago cop-retrieved his gun and was able to shoot and kill 20-year-old Brian Floyd.

NBC Channel 5 interviewed Brian's mother, Lucille Floyd. What she said-even in the obviously edited report-I found very, very disturbing. She said it was a mistake on everybody's part, including those who died and those who did the shooting. Seeing that both Officer Wortham died, as well as her own son, just whom was she speaking about? Also, her son and his friends were shooters, as well as Officer Wortham and his father. And what's up with the other notion she offered; that four killers shouldn't have to pay for one person's mistake-that "mistake" involved taking another person's life. For her to say that the father defending his life and that of his son's is a mistake, well, that is the epitome of someone who hasn't grown up herself.

She then said we need to let it rest and go on with our lives? Her son tired to rob someone and ended up participating in the murder of an off-duty police officer, who was not only shot but dragged down the street by the murderous crew's getaway car-and we're suppose to accept it and just "let it rest." It's not that simple and murder is not an "oh well" moment.

Ms. Floyd was also critical of Officer Wortham's dad for not using his knowledge as a retired cop to shoot the boys without killing them.

Mr. Wortham wasn't just walking around with a gun and shooting four people for the heck of it. He was defending his son's life from a group of treacherous thugs who had nothing better to do. And what of Floyd's own son who participated in the even colder blood killing of a police officer? Calling those hoodlums "children" is an insult to the word. They are grown men. They were driving around while drinking. They then deciding to play a game of "dare"- let's rob someone they thought.

Brian Floyd didn't have the same concern for Officer Wortham's life that his mother feels the officer's father should have showed to her son-maybe Brian should have tried to shoot the officer in the leg or butt. That didn't happen.

Parents, I have looked at the Facebook pages of Brian (B4) Floyd; what I find very sick is the amount of sympathy being expressed by young people over his death with nary a mention of the underlying cause of it-the thug life.

Every time we have a horrific murder committed by young people, I have appealed to parents to take the time to speak with their children. But it seems that the parents are now in need of a "talking to" more than the kids. So I'm calling on every minister to have a Sunday sermon based on Proverbs 22:6-Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

It is obvious that we have many that are old and don't know how to train-the training must now first begin with them.