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Far too many children in this country deal with staggering levels of gun violence. I
recently visited Hart Middle School and talked to a fantastic group of students there and
tragically every single one is dealing with this in their day to day lives. Several of
them have had family members, not just shot, but killed. These children deserve more. Their
stories are both inspiring and heartbreaking. Together we have to create a better climate,
a better country and a safer place for them to live and learn.
Where do you feel safest - in the community or in the school?
I feel safe at home. I don't feel safe in the community.
You don't feel safe in the community? I feel somewhat safe at school.
To be honest since that day happened in Connecticut, I don't feel safe at school. To be really
honest, I don't. I'm going to tell you, in my old school I
got expelled from that school for a reason because I was involved, because I kept getting
bullied. So I took a deadly weapon to school and I used it and somebody got hurt. I go
to a counselor and tell him all my problems and tell him what is going on and this and
that. Sounds like you learned something.
Once I get it out I feel a little bit better. You do?
Why is that? Because I am actually releasing the anger.
Talk to me a little about guns in the community. How many of you know somebody that has been
shot? All of you. Tell me about it.
Most of the time, it's older people approaching minors killing them for shoes.
My stepdad had just picked my brother up from school and took him home. He had walked to
the store for my mom and on his way back someone tried to rob him and he said he didn't have
anything so they shot him and then my mom had ran
"They shot your stepdad? Yes. My mom had ran and she was crying.
Did you stepfather die or did he survive? He died.
He was killed. On my whole father's side of the family like
they were shot with guns. For no reason cause he wants some shoes like she said for money,
cause they want him dead or they hated on the person that had it. Just wanting to be
the man. It's a lot. What are you thinking?
I don't know have no feelings about guns. People use them for the wrong things like
just to say they big and bad or they gangster or something like that they just use guns.
Do you worry about growing up? I worry about me not being able to be grown
up and to be a man in this world. What if I die tomorrow you never know what's going
to happen tomorrow or the next hour. What if I die as soon as I leave the school.
I just worry about my little brother and sister. They're seven years old and a lot of things
have happened out here in the world and I don't want them to get involved in it.
You want to help protect them and be a role model for them?
Yes. I try to be a role model but then I end up falling for the wrong things as well.
Sounds like you are learning from it I try to redirect myself and look at the positive.
If I die, what can I do about that. But, I mean, just because all this stuff going on
around me, it's not really going to stop me from getting what I need done. I mean, if
anything, it should actually encourage me to want to do better.
"Life - you've only got one life and live it while you're young. Live it the right way
and not the wrong. Kids only mirror what they see. It all starts
from where you are from or what's happening at home.
The thing that makes me really sad and angry is that for all of you, 100% of you to know
someone who has been shot, to me that's crazy. Like that's not how you guys - how old are
you - 12, 13 or 14, you guys are little kids. You should be having fun and for that to be
the norm for all of you to have that as a big part of your life, doesn't have to be
that way. It's not fair - it's not fair to you guys.
Every time I walk I see bullets everywhere