Hall, J.B. (1993, August 2). A boy and his gun: Even in a town like Omaha Nebraska, the young are packing weapons in a deadly battle against fear and boredom. Time, pp. 20-27.

OVERVIEW

Guns and gangs are believed to be a problem limited to the large cities of America. This Time article shows that the problem of teens and guns has entered middle America. Teens are becoming addicted to the power they experience by toting guns.

Crime and violence grip America. More and more citizens are arming themselves for protection, as the government pursues laws to control the sale of guns. While adults buy guns due to fear, teens buy guns for the power they feel that it gives them. Our country faces the kind of gun violence that has not been experienced since the days of gunslinging cowboys. Teenagers across the U.S. are arming themselves so heavily that, in other countries, they would be considered militias and guerrillas.

Hall shows how simple it is for teens to obtain their first gun in Omaha. A sophomore, Doug, purchases a shotgun from a dealer for $25.00. He earned this money by mowing lawns. As several boys stare at a trunk full of guns, someone says, "Power. Authority. Respect. All at entry level prices."

At sixteen, Doug is finally a force to be reckoned with at Flanagan High and in his white, working class neighborhood. Doug is not the stereotypical Latino or African-American gang member. He is a white teen from a middle class neighborhood. "If you have a gun you have power. That’s just the way it is. Guns are just part of growing up in America," says Doug. He attempts to saw off the shotgun, a process common to young gun slingers, as he says, "easy to hide and no need to aim. Just BAM!"

In four months, Doug figures he has done nine drive-by shootings, aiming mostly at cars and houses. His reason is revenge, but the power he experiences is the true source of his frightful activity.

The sound of Doug’s shotgun is the sound of a growing national tragedy. America’s easy availability of guns and the restlessness of today’s youth have finally collided with horrific results. Gunshots now cause one of every four deaths among American teenagers. Bullets killed 4,200 youth in 1990. These figures are up from 2,500 in 1985. Approximately 100,000 kids are carrying guns to school, according to the NEA. One poll found that 15% of students between the sixth and twelfth grade said that they had carried a gun to school in the last 30 days. Eleven percent said that they had been shot at, and 59% said that they knew where to get a gun if they needed it.

The worst schools are better than the streets; this is why summer is the deadliest season. For many teens with their undeveloped sense of mortality and craving for thrills, gunplay has become a deadly sport. "You fire a gun and you can just hear the power," says Doug.

Today, a semi-automatic firearm is the equivalent of yesterday’s shiny new bike.

The chief of police in Omaha says that the big surge in youth violence began in 1986 when L.A. gangs moved eastward to colonize smaller cities. Now, kids throughout his city try to match the fire power of the gang members. "If one kid brings a .22 caliber and another a .357 magnum, then guess who has the power...For some reason this particular generation has no value for human life and don’t know what it is to die or to pull the trigger."

Compared with most American cities, Omaha may not seem too dangerous. But if the battle against youth violence cannot be won in a city with an unemployment rate of 3.3%, the rest of the nation is in trouble.

The reasons for carrying guns at a young age vary. Some carry a gun for protection; others carry it as a status symbol. Some days, guns are just defense against boredom that emerges from a lack of guidance. With a $25.00 investment, the teasing of a classmate stops cold. "Parents just don’t understand how it is," says one young man, "you don’t just slug it out on the schoolyard anymore, whoever loses can just get a gun!"

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. Can you understand the need of a young person to experience this kind of power in our culture?
2. How can family, schools, the government, youth programs and the church meet some of the needs that teens feel only guns can fulfill?
3. How would you respond to Doug, the society, and the chief of police?

IMPLICATIONS

1. We are living in an increasingly violent society that is losing its value for human life.
2. This epidemic will only grow if some real solutions do not arise.
3. This is an issue that baffles educators, politicians, and the police. A comprehensive, societal response on gangs is crucial.