Gangs in Lincoln

When I was deciding where to attend college this past year I wasn’t sure where I would be headed. I was born and raised in town of just over one thousand people. A town where you know everyone and everyone knows you. I have relatives that lived in Lincoln and Omaha but I wasn’t sure if the city would be for me. When it came time to make a decision I choose Nebraska Wesleyan, but I was still a little leery about moving to the city. So far my time in Lincoln has been a lot of fun, however it’s when I can pick up the newspaper and read articles like the one I read today that makes me ask myself, “Do I really like it here”?
The article I chose to write about is one dealing with the issue of gangs in Lincoln. The article goes into detail with one family in particular, one daughter that had once taken ballet, jazz, and played soccer for ten years, that chose to live a life of crime. The twelve year old girl was recruited by gang members when she attended Lux Middle School in Lincoln, and then North Star High School. It is amazing to me to think that kids as young as twelve years old, in a city in Nebraska are being recruited into gangs. I know there is crime in every city and that for the most part most cities are safe to live in but it really hits home to see what is happening in the city where I live, it is a scary thought. My home town, only two hours from here, has never had a problem like this and the kids, like me, coming out of it are almost blind to the fact that this is a real danger. I think that all Lincoln schools and surrounding areas should educate their young kids about the reality that is taking place in Lincoln. The threat of gangs is present and real and the only way to stop is to have the cities eyes opened to the problem.