Re: “Basketball controversies: In the name of protecting kids, there’s a movement to take their sports equipment away” by Mick Dumke and Kevin Warwick, September 22
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When you do not allow an outlet for kids, students to play basketball, you’re allowing gang violence to win. Basketball gives kids something to do. Taking it away for reasons like possible drug dealing/gang recruitment sends the message to gang members that they hold the power in this town. How about asking for more community involvement, from the alderman on down? Police should be keeping drug dealers and gang recruiters off the streets in the first place. Taking the kids’ hoops down makes it evident that the city has lost control. You cannot tell me this isn’t racially motivated, especially in Lincoln Park. Kids are gonna fight, kids are gonna do drugs, and they’re most certainly going to turn to gang involvement if there isn’t anything better on the tables for them to do with their time. —Nicole A. Winter
Gotta say, crime has fallen since the hoops have been down. The ends justify the means. —Uptown Neighbor
