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Violence in Oakland

Listen to this Commentary!

By Monolito Tyman

In recent violence in Oakland, a Youth Radio student, Kenny Rankin, was killed. Kenny was part of our outreach program at Camp Sweeney. As recently as August, he was at our studios in Berkeley, listening to music with other kids, and hosting our Thursday afternoon show on KPFB. Now he’s gone.

I am disgusted with the violent way that my town communicates. The Oakland homicide count is already up to 85 deaths this year. There are way too many killings going on.

I remember first hand the fear that comes to mind when you hear about or witness the death of a family member. When I was in seventh grade, I heard that my uncle was shot in the leg by the school I was attending at the time. I thought he would end up like my mom. She was gunned down in a drive by shooting when I was only 18 months old. You have no idea the pain I felt growing up without my mother around. I lost my mother forever.

There are better ways of handling situations than violence. There has to be some kind of change in our judicial system. Mayor Jerry Brown thinks that raising taxes to hire 100 new police officers will help. But with Oakland’s history of police brutality, I don’t think that’s the answer. The best course of action is to put that money toward more after school programs and recreation centers in community parks. This would be a good chance to keep kids off the streets and out of trouble.

Instead of just putting more people, especially youth, in prison, they need to help the inmates reform so when they’re released, the violence won’t happen again.

Luckily, I had a father and loving grandmother to take care of me and make me the successful person I am today.

Please take into consideration the fact that the next killing in our hometown of Oakland could be your loved one. Keep your children safe and away from that lifestyle.

With a perspective, I’m Monolito Twyman.

HOST BACK ANNOUCE: 15-year-old Monolito Twyman attends Skyline High School in Oakland. He comes to us from Youth Radio.