Just Standing Around

During the Reagan administration, a law was passed that enabled law enforcement officials to confiscate home's and other material belonging's of individuals caught selling drugs. That "law" pushed the "pusher" out on the streets. This makes it easier for law enforcement to identify and capture peddlers' of illicit drugs. This "law" is also responsible for the alarming rise in prison populations across the United States. If you dwell in urban areas, you may have noticed the number of people just standing around outside. This trend is due to many factors including; loss of manufacturing jobs, high dropout rates, and overall drug abuse, just to name a few.

You may have also noticed in urban surroundings, the installation of camera's on major intersections and neighborhood streets. Prior to the installation of these camera's, many of the people standing around liquor stores, fast food joints, currency exchanges, and local grocery stores, held court to sell their illicit goods. In the beginning, most to the people did not think the camera's worked. They thought it was nothing more than a bluff by law enforcement to drive them further out. Well, they were wrong and those camera's work. Now those same people that thought it was a bluff, have found themselves not standing in front of such establishments. These days they "stand around" bus stops or hide in alley's to avoid law enforcement.

None of these peddler's of illicit goods, wish to sacrifice their homes, vehicles, and other possessions to be confiscated. So they just stand around other (I hope they don't notice me) venues. There is a way to solve this little trend. Education is a critical first step. The second phase involves jobs. These days, one needs not only good labor skills, but also critical thinking analysis skills. Times have changed. Those grueling manufacturing jobs are gone, never to return. So for those that continue to stand around, you can bet that sooner rather than later, you will find yourself being "herded" to another venue, perhaps prison, if you do not decide to get ahead of the curve. Get back in school, learn a "technical trade". If that isn't your cup of tea, there is always the military. Stop standing around. Get off the streets, and go back to school.