Today is Halloween and all over America kids are planning their night and excited about Trick or Treating. The children in the hood have to leave their neighborhood because its to dangerous in their own neighborhood. Parents don't want to leave but they are afraid of loosing their children to violence so they travel to the Suburbs and Trick or Treat in neighborhoods that are safer.
Braddock has an annual Halloween party and that is an alternative to leaving the hood when you have no money for bus fare or in my case no longer able to walk that far.
There has been a lot of push back by people in the Suburbs because of all the children coming into their neighborhood even though the kids do not cause any problems and just enjoy the holiday as most kids do. I wonder if the people who complain realize that these children have difficult lives as it is and this is the only way they can go trick or Treating safely. I can hear them complain on TV on why people can't stay in their own neighborhood. These children, all of them, have either lost a loved one to homicide; witnessed a shooting, or have multiple experiences with gun shots being fired in their neighborhoods. Our children deserve a night of fun too.
Most Hoods don't have an alternative to Trick or Treating. Braddock has one because of the Mayor, John Fetterman, and his wife Gisele Fetterman. I get why people complain but instead of complaining how about helping out at in the ghettos give them an alternative. Trust me if a bunch of middle class white people came and guarded the kids they could. Trust me no one will shoot up a neighborhood when the hood is filled with White Middle Class people. Maybe you could have an Halloween party in a community Center and take donations for prizes but especially candy. Hot dogs are a great meal for kids.
Think about what it would be like if it were your kids and grand kids. How sad you would feel if you weren't welcome in the Burbs and your parents wouldn't let you go Trick or Treating in their own neighborhoods.
Happy Halloween everyone stay warm and safe.
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