It's No Longer A Joke

I was reading the newspaper earlier,and I read a story that made me think of some new menace-to-society possibilities. The influence of street gangs stretches far beyond just our innocent children. Though youngsters provide the primary recruitment source. The effects of gangs are prevalent among grown people as well. A large number of gang members grow up to be adults. Have you ever wondered where they are?These people aren't going from drive-by shootings and Pitt Bull fighting to raising families and working forty hour work weeks. We better start taking this issue far more serious than we are right now. That former gang member could end up being in charge of something important. Like your livelihood or the law where you live.

You would think once given the opportunity to do something different they would. Obviously that's not the case. Look at former pro football player Michael Vick for instance. He lost a 110 million dollar contract. Keeping it real with his home boys. His defense for his actions was that he did it growing up. If all that money and prestige didn't change his habits. How can a 10 an hour job make them turn their lives around? Whatever they end up doing, they take their homies with them. Last year they removed an up and coming young attorney from his position as a substitute judge. After it was discovered he had ties to a local street gang. Ties which influenced some of his decisions on the bench. That's connections in pretty high places. We won't even mention the dirty policeman. That's why I was in favor of recruiting outside Shelby county. For that very reason.

We are living in a society where it doesn't matter who your friends are. Some people think your associations don't bare any reflection on you. But I beg to differ. That factor is coming into play locally as well as nationally. Look at what Barack Obama is experiencing these days. One indication of where someone might be going, is where they've already been. You can't be judged for something you did twenty years ago. Twenty days ago is a different story.
1 Timothy 5:22
Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure