DEAR EDITOR:

What a tragedy, a 4-year-old boy is shot and killed in his mother’s arms. Where is our society going?

It’s just another example of the gun violence in the Youngstown area.

How are we to cope with this escalating problem with no end in sight? Round-table discussions and church meetings that question police procedures are not the answer. The people and law enforcement must come together to find the root cause of what the real problem is. It is not the gun. The people holding the guns are the issue. But how can we reach out to that element to offer help and assistance to those in need?

The people of Youngstown must come together with law enforcement and say enough is enough, too many have been taken far too soon, and this must come to an end if we are to heal our community. There must be an effort to come to the plate and work together to take the criminal element off our streets and from our neighborhoods. Racism and finger pointing must cease. If this goal is to be achieved, change must start in the home. Parents must take a more active role in their child’s life; they must set the example for them to follow and look up to them. They must show them the criminal path is not one they should go down. Much work is needed in these areas if we are going to save the next generation.

JIM EIDEL

Beaver Township