As a young adult, I remember not growing up with much, but I still enjoyed my youth. Whether it was playing video games with friends on a rainy day, hanging out at the park, or just wandering around after school, life felt different. I stayed out late, enjoyed the freedom of having a few dollars in my pocket, and hit up a 7-Eleven for a Slurpee. Maybe I’d head to the arcade on a Saturday after watching morning cartoons.

When did our streets change so drastically? How did it happen without us noticing? At what point in the last 20 years did things change so much that our youth became one of our biggest violent problems? Now, we see 12 and 14 year olds robbing people in parking lots while carrying weapons. We see fights in the mall. Where did we go wrong? That is the question.

They say crime has gone down. I don’t believe that. I believe we have just quit reporting it. It has become something you just watch pass by; we have become numb to the violence on the street. We’ve accepted that our streets look like they are straight out of a comic book. Alas, we have no superheroes to protect us, nor vigilantes to stand up for us.

We’ve accepted our fate as crime grows. As the youth turn our streets into Gotham, we have no superheroes to turn to, just each other. For our streets are not a comic book; they are neighborhoods. They are our community.

So, why do we accept seeing youth trying to break into a car? Even in 1999, it would have been reported. Now, we turn a blind eye and just keep walking. Convenience stores and dollar stores face robberies by the hour, not even by the day anymore. Alas, nothing is done.

It breaks my heart seeing the world we have now when I can remember the world I grew up in. It is such a different state of mind. I am afraid for my kids and what their future will become, or even for their kids. If we don’t start figuring out where we went wrong and try to repair it, what will two or three generations from now look like? Will Judge Dredd be a real thing by 2060?

Let’s hope not. Let’s focus on trying to keep youth in school. Let’s create more activities for them, open more community centers, and host more free events. Let’s try to give every child a childhood.

You are not born bad. You fought to get into this world; you were the one who beat the other 150 million just to be born. That makes you a fighter already, somebody who deserves to be on Earth. But after that, it is up to all of us to make sure every child has a childhood. By working with our community, working with law enforcement, and working with each other, we need to bring back what once was here: a chance for kids to grow up.

A childhood, whether rich or poor, can be a good one. You don’t need every toy or video game. You need people who will listen. You need friends who care. You need people who will teach you right from wrong.

We need to remember what our childhoods were like, whether growing up in the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, or even the ’90s. We need to remember all the good things, the fun, and the friends, and compare that to where we are now. We should want that for every generation. I know some people had rough childhoods; I’ve heard the stories. If that was you, then you should be the one who understands the most. Let’s make the world better for our young people.

Instead of just bringing justice down on our youth, instead of putting them behind bars and watching their lives fall apart from that point on, let’s make a difference by working together to make every child’s life better in Winnipeg.

Will it cost money? Yes. Will it take time? Yes. Will the results be worth it? Yes. The money we invest in our youth to keep them off the street will be the best investment we have. In 10 or 20 years, we will see that investment pay off.

Let’s raise the veil from our eyes and open them to see that changes can be made. Victory against crime can happen. But we must step forward and make the first move. Let’s bring back the enjoyment of youth that we once had. Let’s keep them from the darkness and not let the villains take control of our streets.

Michael Paille

Sargent Business Community