As gang wars continue, and casualty rate rises Roger Park residents are trying to implement an unusual tactic to end the warfare.
According to NBC Montana, a community organization called Native Sons has proposed a law called “The People’s Ordinance” that would forbid city criminals from shooting weapons at one another between the hours of daylight and 9 p.m.
“We have to start somewhere,” Tatiana Atkins, the co-founder of Native Sons declared. “Our goal is to approach our city’s gun violence problem strategically and not all at once. Things didn’t become this way overnight, and change won’t happen overnight.”
In an effort to reduce the rapid gun violence in the Chicago neighborhood, Native Sons is delivering its message of peace straight to the gangs through a method called the People’s Ordinance asking gangs to cease shootings during the daytime.
“We have little kids, elderly, working-class people that are being affected by this,” Atkins said.
According to Atkins, who has spoken with rival gang members, she shared they were on the same page as the organization.
“It’s like a treaty almost, like where they also agree that we don’t want 5-year-olds being killed; we don’t want 78-year-olds being shot,” Atkins explained. “We’ve talked to rival gang members, and they seem to gravitate towards what we’re trying to do.”
Following the death of a 5-year-old child named Devin McGregor, who was an innocent victim of a shooting the community organization was created.
According to the Chicago Sun Times, approximately 397 people have been murdered in the Windy City this year.
Shootings and stabbings have been the leading causes of the violent homicides.
Native Sons also wants to inspire children to engage in programs geared towards dance, sports activities, and music when school is out during the summer to keep them off of the streets.
“A lot of kids are just out in the park with nothing really to do. They get bored,” Johan Starkey, a member of the organization said. “And then we need to have something to do just be like in that spirit to keep going.”
Native Sons has a recording facility and a producing curriculum.
