Guns and Knives

Here's what a teacher friend of mine has to say on Urban 75 about the rise in concern about knives and violence affecting young people:

i tell you what my experience leads me to think could do a massive amount to reduce the number of kids carrying and using weapons: if the media stopped making such a song and dance over it.everywhere they turn they're being told that kids carry guns. or at least, kids who don't toe the parental/school/church/worthy sleb endorsement line. what's more, kids involved in knife crime get on telly loads. and they get their portraits put into huge murals and everyone talks about them and says nice things about them.i mean - if you sit them down, they don't want to die - but it's glamorous. The cult of celebrity is the fundamental social force driving teenagers, ime. they want it. they wish they could be on jeremy kyle, they're thrilled when their estate is on the local news. Catching a glimpse of a C list, bread and butter actor is the best thing that will happen to them in months... Knives and guns are on tv, and being on tv makes you cool. therefore, knives and guns make you cool.