Riots in the Streets

Living in former “Murder Capitol of the US” is a sad reality. Philadelphia residents suffered 391 murders in 2007, the highest rate per 100,000 residents among the nation’s 10 largest cities. It is a demoralizing banner and a shameful indication of how violence is simply a part of life in my urban world.

Last week I watched the Greek Riots in amazement and awe. I could hardly believe that a shooting death of a teenager sparked national protest and chaos. I was previously unaware that Greece is one of Europe’s safest nations. Their criminal notoriety is limited to pickpockets, drugs, and gigolos preying on tourists.

The slain 15 year old, Alexandros Grigoropoulos, has become a national hero of sorts. He is the martyr for police abuse, and a political system weakened by scandal. Public demonstration in fairly commonplace in Greece, the government is reportedly full of corruption. However the current situation eclipses anything Greeks have experienced in decades. The damage is reported to be over 1.3 billion dollars US.

Surely I don’t want to believe that Greeks hold human life in higher esteem than Americans. I prefer to believe that we are simply desensitized to violence until it hits close to home. We as a culture emulate prison culture, walking with our pants hanging like we are in cellblock D. Propagating “don’t snitch” as a mantra for the weak minded.

We have genocide in Darfur and daily shootings across the US, yet one boy’s death can unite a nation of youth. How do we fix this?