Dear Editor: We have too much gang violence and not enough gun control. It’s not a race thing. It’s a “G” thang, which stands for a “gangs and gun” thang. There’s more black on black crimes around the Henry Horner Homes than there’s unity in the community.
The area in which I live is already looked upon as the projects. It’s not the buildings, it’s the people who live in them that make them so bad. I don’t feel that I live in a project, though. I live in a Public Housing Development.
Guns have invaded our lives and taken over our minds. We think that guns solve all our problems. Gangs and guns gotta go. That’s the “G” thang.
Yemisi H., 8th grade Chicago
The rainforest – what do you care about it? It has nothing to do with you, right? If that’s what you think, you are wrong. The rainforests help you in so many ways you wouldn’t believe it. Most of the world’s oxygen comes from the rainforest. Can you imagine how much oxygen could be lost? Then global warming would start and the Earth would get very hot and there would be a water shortage. There would also be a lot of crops dying. We also need the rainforests for medicine – like curare, a muscle relaxant that comes from a tropical vine. The rainforest is a home for animals, too. Many endangered ones live there so if their home was cut down, then the animals would probably become extinct. Some of the people who destroy rainforests are developers, poachers, farmers, ranchers, scientists, ethnobotanists and loggers. You can help, though. You could recycle paper so not so many trees are cut down. You could also stop using products that hurt the rainforests.
Tiffany A. Chicago
PUT-DOWNS
To me, all rappers are not the same. Eazy-E, for example, always puts other people down, talks about them bad and calls them names. Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre are my favorite rappers.
Katrina H., 14 Chicago
CLOWNING AROUND
I read the article “Class Clown” in the Nov. 2 KidNews (cover). I thought it was very funny. I never knew about a school for clowns. That would be neat to go to a school where you learn how to juggle and how to walk on stilts and learn how to just be silly. That is one of the best articles I have ever read in a newspaper. I would give that article three stars.
Debbie G., Woodridge
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Regarding Tough News (Nov. 23), I don’t know why those boys just laid in the middle of the road. Why didn’t the driver of the truck stop? He or she must have seen them. It’s very tragic that some died and some were injured. It’s depressing but real. Does our world have to be this depressing and scary?
Megan J., 13 Hillside
CHEW ON THIS
Baseball players in the major leagues shouldn’t be made to stop chewing tobacco. If tobacco were taken away, it would be taking away part of the game. Players have been chewing tobacco ever since the game commenced. If you’re a real baseball fan, when the camera pans across the dugout and different players are spitting it doesn’t bother you. Some parents say their children are influenced by players to chew. Listen, juveniles can’t purchase tobacco legally anyhow.
John F., 7th grade Northbrook
Just punishment
In response to Mark V.’s letter, “Abuse is wrong” (Nov. 30 Backtalk), spanking is not abuse. It is a form of physical punishment. Spanking does not teach children to hit others if it is used as discipline. Also, if a little kid does something he or she is not supposed to, you can’t really ground them or deduct money from their allowance. A child will be more apt to remember the meaning of “NO” if they get a painful swat on the rear. Also, Mark, are you saying that you think a child should grow up undisciplined? Maybe that’s how you’d raise your child, but personally, I don’t like spoiled brats.
Sarah C., 12 Clarendon Hills
JACKSON’S ODD BEHAVIOR
After reading your article, “Jackson sued by boy charging molestation” (Nov. 30 Tough News), I didn’t know what to think anymore. Every newspaper, magazine and TV news are telling different stories about Michael Jackson. When the allegations first started, I didn’t think Michael really molested the 13-year-old boy. But whenever I went to a grocery store, the cover pages of most of the magazines and newspapers were blaming Michael. Half were probably lies. Not a lot of magazines and TV shows said anything nice about him. They said they interviewed Michael’s young friend and they said he didn’t do that to them. Isn’t it possible the boy might be lying but can’t admit it because the whole world knows about it now? The latest news is Michael ran off to Switzerland for his drug problem. But isn’t it kind of strange he’s trying to postpone his court date until the year 2000? If you were innocent you would want to go to court to clear that you are innocent, not postpone it for years. Don’t get me wrong here, I still think Michael is innocent but, I don’t know what to believe anymore. Do you?
Elvin Y., 13 Lincolnwood
STOP THE KILLING
I think that the TV movie that was on, “There Are No Children Here,” was very right. What is happening in the Henry Horner Housing Complex is terrible and I wish I could do something about it. You know people see what happens. When are people going to wake up and do something about it? If I were older, I would do something about it. That’s why my family moved out of Chicago in the first place. Geez, why can’t people stop killing? Some people wake up in Chicago every morning and wonder if they will live or die that day. Please stop the killing, please.
Kristin R., 12 Brookfield
Why are so many children getting killed for something as small as a jacket or a hat? I think some kids are looking to get killed. They are the ones who buy or choose the apparel.
Russ R., 13 Northbrook
CREDIT DUE?
I am really upset about how everything we do has to do with our race. The Nov. 23 Holiday section of KidNews had Native Americans and other people talking about how Native Americans never get any credit on Thanksgiving. I’m sorry, I must have been under the wrong impression because I thought everyone was created equally. I don’t understand why Native Americans are so upset. Whenever I think of Thanksgiving, I think of being grateful for the Pilgrims and Indians getting along, not about who gets the credit. If people did not think like the people in the article the world would be a lot better off.
Colleen B., 12 Alsip
CRITICIZING CRITICS
Critics’ ratings on movies are unfair to the public and to the movie. Since the movie gets a low rating, no one wants to see it, so the movie loses money. I think that is unfair to the movie. Or, people see a four-star rated movie and get disappointed when they see it. The movie was not as fantastic as they expected. All people do now is ask Siskel and Ebert for their opinion on a movie. In my opinion, they have real rotten judgment. I’ve seen movie titles that really catch my attention, but when I see the movie received unfavorable ratings, like two stars, I hesitate to see it. Then I go to see it and it is the best movie I ever saw.
Mike B., 7th grade Northbrook
SICK OLD MEN?
Do you know what people do at high school football games? They come at half-time and watch the cheerleaders do their routines. When the girls are done, they leave. You know what’s disgusting? Elderly men come and watch the girls and leave when the players come out. I think it’s rude for them to do that and it means they are sick old men.
Katherine M., 7th grade Northbrook
———-
Write to Backtalk, Room 567, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago 60611. We won’t use your last name, but you must include your full name, age and phone number (we may call to make sure you wrote it). You can contribute by computer (screen name KidNews) if you subscribe to Chicago Online. Call 1-800-922-0808.
