Dennis — ‘Stop rewarding irresponsible behavior!’

There were two daytime murders in Jersey City last week, and five others were shot. One of the murders occurred in front of an elementary school. Parents and students are obviously concerned and are calling for more police patrols near the school.

About 100 people gathered at Lafayette Park across from the school to bring attention to the violence. There are several circumstances that lead to this kind of environment in our inner cities. The number one reason is OUT OF WEDLOCK BIRTHS! No fathers in the home! The breakdown of the family unit!

The numbers are staggering. Over 75 percent in some groups. The government is the main accomplice. We keep on paying people to have babies because they've made BAD LIFE CHOICES! Out of our compassion to help mothers and babies, we have created an assembly line of a continuing cycle of rewarding IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR! Cut it out and CUT IF OFF! You breed 'em, you feed 'em.

We have tried the welfare state for over 60 years and the level of poverty has remained the same and the level of irresponsibility, dependence and entitlement have risen sharply.  Let compassionate people, organizations and religious groups do good works and help out, but get the government out of the "rewarding bad behavior" business. Sure, there are other factors leading to the violence: the illegal drug trade, the trafficking of illegal guns (and the prohibition of legal guns for protection); but it's mostly from bad choices and a complete breakdown of the family.

Let's stop fooling ourselves and thinking that marches and candlelight vigils and bullhorn speeches by hustlers is going to do anything. It's so frustrating that we don't have the leaders with the balls to call it like it is and work to do something about it. To the government "get out of the enabling business" and to the people in these inner cities: get your s**t together!