South Side Shooting and Victim Blame

On September 19th, a gunman with an AK-47 opened fire on a basketball game around 10pm in the Back of the Yards South Side neighborhood. Thirteen people were hit out of the sixteen shots fired, but miraculously they all survived. One of the victims was a three year old boy. Police have since made arrests, although that offered little comfort to the victims and residents.

Article 1 and 2

Gun violence is a popular issue, it seems there is a gun related incident on the news at all times as of late. Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy addressed this, stating that “Every time somebody is shot in this city, it’s a setback,” McCarthy said. “But this is not just a Chicago problem.” 
I don't feel qualified to give my own opinion on gun control laws, but I want to discuss something else: 

This screenshot was posted on reddit.com, bashing the original poster. (highlighted in red)
However, I can't say I completely disagree with him. I would never post something like this myself, but while reading newspaper articles about the incident, this was the first thing to pop into my mind. I think it is incredibly irresponsible of that parent to take their child out into a dangerous neighborhood at night.

If someone leaves their car unlocked in inner-city Detroit and it gets broken into, people tell that person they're an idiot. We do not live in a Utopian world, and it's wrong for people to pretend that we do. You need to take necessary precautions to look out for the safety of your family. I don't think it's right to completely blame this mother, but she is not winning any mother-of-the-year contests in my opinion. The shooter is to blame, not her. But it's a lie to say that she couldn't have been more careful. It is not victim blaming to point out poor risk management.

A particular quote from one of the Chicago Tribune articles stood out to me: 

"Ain't nothing changed since Thursday, to tell the truth," said Keith's older brother, Dennis Earl. "We don't have a library in the Back of the Yards. Doesn't that tell you that the people don't care?"

This says a lot about the people in this area, and maybe their level of education. There is a cycle of repeated violence in the South Side and education probably has something to do with it.


please feel free to add your own opinion