Chicago Erupts In Chaos As Hundreds Of Teens Go On Violent Rampage
“It’s 10 PM. Do you know where your children are?”
Every night at 10 PM, New York’s nightly news show, WNEW, would ask this question to viewers at the beginning of the segment. The famous phrase served as a public service announcement throughout the culturally tumultuous decades of the 60s, 70s, and 80s and as a reminder to parents to keep tabs on their children to ensure they were abiding by the new city curfews.
A similar cry for parental accountability is trending in the news after a weekend of chaos and violence on the streets of downtown Chicago. Last weekend, hundreds of teenagers in Downtown Chicago perpetrated crimes from arson to gun violence, vandalism, and assault. Footage from the chaos has flooded social media:
Fifteen people were arrested by Chicago police once mob violence died down. Two teens, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, were taken to the hospital and treated for gunshot wounds after a suspect open-fired into a crowd.
According to Fox News, “Chicago police arrested nine adults and six juveniles in connection with the takeover, which was advertised on social media. A 16-year-old male was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, while two other suspects were charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. Most of the other arrests were for reckless conduct.”
The direct cause of the “teen takeover” in Chicago is unknown, but many have speculated about possible motivations. Chicago Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson, for example, defended the teens, stating that it is “not constructive to demonize youth.” The soon-to-be Mayor blamed the violence on a lack of “spaces for youth to gather safely and responsibly.”
Johnson’s refusal to criticize the behavior of Chicago teens was echoed by other political leaders in the state. Illinois Senate member Robert Peters described the violent mob as “a mass protest against poverty and segregation.”
Incidents like this one will only continue if elected leaders and political commentators embolden these perpetrators by providing just excuses for their behavior. It will only get worse if public figures refuse to properly identify the cause. While many aspects of our society and culture share the blame, the true culprit of the “teen takeover” is poor parenting. The PSA that asked “It’s 10 PM. Do you know where your children are?” was intended to remind parents that they alone are responsible for the behavior of their children and the type of people they grow up to become. If we do not remind ourselves to impart good values to our children, our communities will only become more violent and our posterity will not have successful or meaningful lives.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who recently lost her reelection bid, was one of the few voices who rightfully criticized the parents of these teens for not instilling better values in their children. Lightfoot stated, “Most importantly, parents and guardians must know where their children are and be responsible for their actions. Instilling the important values of respect for people and property must begin at home.”
