In the movie “Scarface,” Al Pacino’s Cuban refugee-turned mobster Tony Montana pays a violent price for his bloody life of crime. By the end of the 1983 movie, Tony lies dead, riddled with bullets.
In the more recent game “Scarface,” players can portray Tony Montana. In the game, however, if the player is deft, he can win. The consequence for the video game violence can be racking up more points, without ever facing consequences.
This is by no means an explanation for the murders, slayings and assaults that have bloodied Valdosta this year. Yet, young men have apparently adopted these violent impulses as if playing a game.
Yet, this deadly game has real-life consequences. Real people bleed. Real people die. And the prize has been arrests with the likelihood of life behind bars.
So, what has caused this spate of violence? Why, after years of relatively low numbers of murders and homicides, are numbers now nearing a dozen in six months? Why a shoot-out that leaves nearly a dozen people shot at a housing project? Why have so many picked up guns or raised their fists to kill girlfriends and wives? Why attacks that seem to fit into any person’s description of gang violence?
Today, The Valdosta Daily Times presents stories that look at some possibilities. We haven’t found definitive answers but this community needs to start a discussion to find answers.
We don’t believe the answer is anything as pat as a video game causing this level of violence.
But the community needs to address a growing attitude that violence is an easy answer to solving problems. The only numbers rising aren’t points but rather the number of people dead, the number of people in jail, the number of people scarred.
There are no winners, only losers and loved ones lost.
What We Think
What We Think: Violence is not the answer
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Leaving NCLB behind
Georgia schools may be sighing in relief today, following the announcement that the U.S. Department of Education granted a waiver to the state, along with nine others, from the rigorous requirements of the No Child Left Behind act.
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Don’t jettison landmark
While we respect the request to relocate the F-86 aircraft from outside Mathis City Auditorium to the new Moody Air Force Base Airpark, we would hope the city and MAFB would reconsider moving it.
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Shame in Berrien County
Unfortunately for Sherrie Williams of the Berrien County school-based health clinic, she talked to The Times and praised the program that she oversees. This pride in her work led to the loss of her job.
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Grading policy: A second chance?
In clarifying the Lowndes County Schools’ controversial grading policy, Superintendent Dr. Steve Smith spoke of second chances.
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Be up to any weather challenge
Georgia’s Severe Weather Awareness Week starts today and runs through Friday. The idea behind the week is to prepare Georgians for weather emergencies and how to keep these situations from becoming tragedies.
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Parents and schools
There is a lot of talk lately about school systems and grading policies, and how all of a child's problems come back to a lack of parenting. But is it really that simple? Can it be a case where the school systems are so focused on the problem few that the majority of students are ignored?
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Thumbs up, thumbs down
THUMBS UP: To Brooks County High School engineering and technology teacher Don Morgan and his students. They recently received national attention for their work with biodiesel fuel. They collect used cooking oil from area fast-food restaurants then process this oil into biodiesel. Morgan hopes to next interest the Brooks County school buses into running on the fuel created in his class. This classroom not only prepares students for the future but may prepare all of us for an alternative energy source.
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Take me out to the ball park
The Valdosta State baseball season begins today. The Blazers host Lindenwood at 2:30 p.m. Nothing beats quality baseball played in warm weather with a great venue like Billy Grant Field.
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What We Think: Signing Day
Wednesday was National Signing Day, the day when high school athletes across the country make official announcements about what school they’ve chosen to sign with.
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School policy fails expectations
Lowndes County Schools recently implemented new grading guidelines for students. These guidelines have left many parents upset ...
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Leaving NCLB behind
