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March 13, 2010

Editorial for March 14, 2010

Anonymous CNHI The Jacksonville Daily Progress Sat Mar 13, 2010, 03:18 PM CST

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville is one of the most unique, special communities in the state — and yet in so many ways our problems are the same as everyone else’s.

But they don’t have to be.

Our community actively seeks ways to renew, rebuild and rejuvenate itself. From the Blue Ribbon Committee searching for a “grand scheme” of the future of our town to the small groups who volunteer to clean up roadsides, you can find someone from just about every age group and social strata doing something to better the town.

There are some things we can’t stop completely, like the need for kids — especially teenagers — to feel like they belong to part of a group.

This week the Daily Progress had an article about vandalism in the guise of gang activity in Jacksonville, no doubt the result of teens looking for a group to which to belong.

Police Chief Reece Daniel said there is no organized gang in Jacksonville — the vandalism we see around the city is the work of gangster wannabes seeking a sense of belonging within a gang.

While this may be true, the photo of a sycamore tree “tagged” by some of these wannabes says a lot.

Kids will be kids, and surely since the dawn of writing, kids have used something to make their mark, literally, on the world — show they were there.

The “kids will be kids” excuse is tired — because vandalism is a crime — and we as adults and parents need to take a stand and teach a sense of respect and pride.

No, it’s not a problem that can be solved overnight. It may not even be solved in the course of a generation.

But it has to start some time, somewhere.

This week, when the kids will be out of school for spring break, take some time to teach them a sense of respect and pride in our community.

Take them out to clean up roadways where people have tossed their junk.

Point out the tagging on our buildings — and trees.

Then relate it to their world — ask them how they would like it if someone threw trash in their bedroom or spraypainted bad words on their belongings.

Because when someone vandalizes our town, it’s the same thing.

It goes beyond just making Jacksonville look pretty. It boils down to teaching our children a sense of pride and responsibility that goes beyond just them.

Without each one of us caring about something and someone outside of just ourselves, our community would be a shambles.

Let’s teach our kids, the future of our community, how to take care of Jacksonville, so they, too, will teach their kids.

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