I read an interesting article that was originally published in the Southwest News Newspaper Group on April 7, 2021. The article was an opinion relative to the shooting of Adam Toledo, a 13-year-old boy shot by Chicago Police recently.

The writer’s opinion is that the parents of children in these situations should share the responsibility for the outcome. In other words, if the kid got killed by Police the parent should also bear responsibility. I am like-minded to this Writer, but believe the responsibility need have further reach.

A child finds an unsecured weapon in the family home and shoots the neighbor kid, who is responsible? You cannot blame the child, he was not responsible for the securing of the weapon. The adult that owned or had possession of the weapon should be held accountable.

The child involved in mass school or similar shootings using a firearm that he has ready access to while not yet an adult should be a parental responsibility. You as a parent should be aware of your childs mental state long prior to anyone else.

Lately it appears as though everyone that the Police have to interact with and do so less than favorably, the family and friends say “He has mental problems” as though such problems should be a Police problem. It’s a family responsibility to care for and keep these people safe, not your neighbor or law enforcement. If your family member cannot go to the corner store without getting into trouble, a family member should be with him/her to ensure their safety. Every person that suffers any sort of mental crisis that possibly make them a threat to themselves or others needs supervision by someone and primary responsibility is the family. Such people should be designated as such in a law enforcement accessible database so information relative to their conduct might be available to first responders prior to contact.

It is not the local government’s responsibility to allow people to beat up on their police and other employees. These people are not paid enough to have to wrestle everyone they have to arrest. This responsibility is to us as individuals. If you resist a law enforcement officer, he didn’t make the decision to take you down and possibly hurt you while doing so. You made that decision, and you should take responsibility for your bad decision. Rather than having to train law enforcement to be lawyers, doctors, and mental health professionals, wouldn’t be easier to train the public how to act right when approached by Police?

In today’s society, it has become acceptable to blame everyone other than yourself for your shortcomings and presently the finger-pointing is aimed at racism. People of all colors believe the strife they are living is only being suffered by their race when that is not the case. Racism exists because money can be made from it and all of us suffer from it. Grow beyond skin color . . .