Maya Angelou In Chicago: 'I Know That The Children Are Being Murdered'

Poet Maya Angelou has often visited St. Sabina Catholic Church on the South Side to read her poetry. This week, after a rash of shootings in Chicago, she once again joined Rev. Michael Pfleger and said "we have to stop this madness."

As the weather gets warmer, Pfleger and other anti-violence advocates are preparing for increased gang violence--and hope the community will continue to be engaged and involved enough to stop it. Though she was billed for an hour of sharing life lessons and poems, she ended up discussing Chicago violence with the packed church on her sixth visit. The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

"I know that the children are being murdered," Angelou said. "It's happening in Chicago. It's also happening in St. Louis, in New York and Savannah.

"At some point, we have to stop this madness. We have to stop it! We have to say, 'Wait a minute. Hello! Hello! Hello! No! No! Stop it!' "

Angelou's visit came the day after 15 people were shot--one fatally--in 15 hours across the city. It came just two days after a 7-year-old girl was struck and critically wounded by a stray bullet in a shooting that is believed to be gang-related.

Angelou continued:

"It's come to me to say to each of you, that each of us, we have the possibility of changing somebody. Remember it. Stop it. Don't pretend that you've always been free. We have a responsibility to those who went before us, and those yet to come. If you really know who you are, that you've been paid for already, you'll be a kinder person. You'll be more generous. You'll look after the children."

Comments

[dowl]

10:59 PM on 03/28/2010

In support of the children, St. Sabina and other social justice churches and community organizations are working toward improving the conditions that contribute to the violence in many communities.

I admire the work that continues. As the African proverb states, 'it takes a village to raise a child.' We must encourage those who are willing to do the hard work of undoing the damage done through the deliberate, calculated, and cynical mis-education of our children.

We can do better. Many of us continue the work that must be done.

[Mondayboy]

04:45 PM on 03/27/2010

Ahh, the insufferable Mayo Angelou

[gregcurts]

09:30 AM on 03/27/2010

Maya Angelou is diminished by her association with Pfleger.

Maya may I recommend you join Mr Cosby go after the Parents of these children. You can throw all the money you want at a problem, set up all the community centers you desire, if these children go to homes where there is no discipline or guidance your throwing money into the wind. Children will do whats right when directed, Now address those that should be doing the direction....PARENT(S).

[David Fagan]

04:51 PM on 03/29/2010

I agree 100%. We all see how Cosby has been vilified for his statements only bcuz the truth hurts sometimes. Every year we have this problem and every year church groups get together an discuss it with people who have nothing to do with it. It hasn't worked, it won't work, and it's tired.

[Tilda Howard]

08:16 PM on 03/26/2010

I have an 18 year old, constantly in fear of him being harmed, or harming someone. All this violence has got to cease. Where have all the FATHERS gone, you do not have to birth a child to care for a child.

[David Fagan]

04:55 PM on 03/29/2010

I and plenty of ppl I know were raised without their fathers and not one of us has shot anyone. Single parenthood is not just happening in the urban centers in American, it happens all over America. It's not ideal, but it's also not even close to being the main issue here.

[Retrofuturistic]

03:47 PM on 03/26/2010

I have spent many years working in the black community, as an inner-city high school teacher, and I have come to the conclusion that the solution to the problems of black people can only come from that community. Nothing will improve until black people decide for themselves that they want, and are willing to work for, change.

The mechanisms for help are there, but they won't be utilized until black people decide it is their idea.

[Zack Isaacs]

02:54 PM on 03/26/2010

I think the BIGGEST PROBLEM is that everybody wants to be right. We dismiss the opinions of others because of our friggin' EGOS. I can't stand adults with ego problems. It's not about you; It's about the KIDS!!! The kids are the ones in danger, more so than us.

What we need to do is realize that the right answer is a combination of all suggestions.

It is poverty; It is bad parenting. More importantly, it is the result of living in an imperfect world full of greed, racism, lies, and hatred that allows for certain groups to feel helpless. That doesn't mean you can't pull yourself up by the bootstraps. But you need encouragement sometimes.

That's just MY opinion. Respect it, just like I respect yours.

[David Fagan]

05:06 PM on 03/29/2010

Facts are the only thing that matter when it comes to social issues. We have decades of crime data to work with to better understand the problem. The fact is that if you're related to someone or closely associated with someone with a criminal history you're in jeopardy of doing the same. If your parents are under educated then your in jeopardy of falling into the same category so on and so forth. Your right, it is a multi-headed problem, but we do know how many heads and what they do.

[mojopo]

01:07 PM on 03/26/2010

If this was happening in an upscale white community, it would be on CNN 24 hours a day. I live here, and it is heartbreaking to see the news. Kids can't play outside. They learn how to duck before they learn how to drive! It is terrifying.

[ejhickey]

01:11 AM on 03/29/2010

This news is on every TV news channel , every night in Chicago and in both newspapers. Covering this story is not the problem. Doing something about it is.

Personally I am shocked that these gun crimes occur , especially since handguns have been illegal in Chicago since 1982 and because it is illegal for a minor to carry or posses a hand gun in Illinois. I am shocked that so many children are breaking this law.

[jayevans20]

12:41 PM on 03/26/2010

People can say what they want to say but parents need to be parents. If parents take more responsibility for their children a lot of this violence would cease and desist. If the child don't want to cooperate then they need to be sent somewhere away from society. Period. Not all of parents from bad children are bad parents some of these thugs can't be controlled. Boot camps, anything to get these thugs away from society.

[mojopo]

01:12 PM on 03/26/2010

Poverty is the biggest problem. Poverty kills empathy, it prevents people from getting an education, it promotes the drug trade, and no boot camp can save the community from poverty. What's after boot camp? Prison? Don't we have enough people in jail? That's the best we can do - boot camps and prison?

[chicagomike]

02:46 PM on 03/26/2010

No, poverty is NOT the problem. It's immature parents who take no responsibility for raising decent children. The black community has always suffered from poverty, but only in the past generation have these monstrous, murderous children emerged. It's their parents who are at fault, not "society," not "the man," and certainly not "poverty."

[David Fagan]

05:14 PM on 03/29/2010

I'd like to double down on that statement.

[David Fagan]

05:10 PM on 03/29/2010

That's like saying that sometimes serial killers are women. The vast majority if kids, or adults for that matter, committing violent crimes come from violent upbringings. Yes, sometimes a kid is just bad, but focusing on that fact does nothing to solve the greater problem.

[Trance2010]

12:19 PM on 03/26/2010

"I know that the children are being murdered."

She should focus on WHO does the murdering.

[thehoopoe]

12:19 PM on 03/26/2010

I missed getting caught in gang shoot out 2 weeks by about 3 minutes. My friend on his way to meet me was standing 15 feet away from the shooter who was no older than 16. Scary stuff.

Someone need to save these kids from themselves.

[Retrofuturistic]

03:51 PM on 03/26/2010

Young people want discipline. They will start a fight in a school and then look at the teacher every time, as if to say, "Aren't you going to stop me?" But when schools try to discipline the children, the parents do not support the school; they support the child, who is most often in the wrong.

[Lucille]

11:55 AM on 03/26/2010

Wow, that's deep. Ms. Angelou is correct, we much take care of the children.