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Taking it to the streets
Rene Denfeld, author of a new book on the violent subculture of street families, talks about why these young nomads are every bit as dangerous as the Bloods and the Crips.
By Helaine Olen [2007-02-12]

  • from nightmare to pipe dream

    The street culture is a nightmare.

    We need a National Service for all Americans aged 18-20, like Americorps. It would be nonmilitary but would job-train. It would assist the National Guard (when they are stateside!) in functions such as disaster response and infrastructure maintenance. Trained National Service alumni would have skills for available jobs (i.e., the economy would need to adjust, and current outsourcing and offshoring would need to be curtailed).

    Meanwhile, the homeless youth-service centers need to have a work requirement. No mean feat, it would require an infusion of substantial resources, monetary and human.

    A sliver of the near trillions for Iraq and the Pentagon could provide the wherewithal. http://www.sensiblepriorities.org/budget_analysis.php

    But first the country will need to escape the grip of this administration.

    -- haxxie
    [Read haxxie's other letters]
    Sunday, February 11, 2007 07:09 PM
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