This charming couple is Barbara Lee, 45, and Marco Ibanez, 19. They are accused of killing Alfred Stewart, 31, (shown below) and attacking his friends after Lee mistook their sign language for gang signs. Stewart and his friends are deaf and now he is dead.
Stewart was having drinks with his friends at Ocean’s Eleven Lounge in Hallendale Beach, Florida when Lee saw them exchanging signs. Lee is allegedly a member of a gang and left to bring back Ibanez and a 17-year-old alleged gang member. Ibanez stabbed Stewart and his friends.
All three alleged gang members are charged with aggravated battery.
The gang problem in the country is reaching a crisis point. We have MS-13 in our area of Northern Virginia and new ruthless Mexican gangs have taken hold along the border. We have a growing war in this country as Obama and Congress continue to look for wars like Libya to spend lives and treasure abroad.
Source: NY Daily News
Stam,
You wrote about the costs of these activities for your daughter.
I never even thought about the costs to the parents. Of course, there is no free lunch, but I never put that into my equation at all.
I was talking about the costs and benefits to and by society in general.
How can you possibly tell I don’t have any kids?
Bud,
I’m sorry if my post came across as a criticism – it was not meant to be so. I was agreeing with your assessment by divulging my experience as a single mother.
I enrolled my daughter in an after-school program and I can attest to it success. But, the per week cost wasn’t all that cheap … I was lucky in that my parents helped. Unfortunately, not all single moms have the kind of support system I had and continue to have. It is these kids who see school as a refuge. But if the effort isn’t being made by a community to ensure its kids get a quality education, it’s hard for kids to make the commitment to see it through.
Lol – I don’t know if I’d be happy she’d want to be a politician (she’d make a good one, trust me!) or if she’d find me swinging from the rafters! She’s studying to be a child psychologist.
——————————————
Blouise,
Lol – Thanks for the heads up! I see hints of appreciation now … but not nearly as often as I’d like … something to look forward to … yippee!
“With that said, I think I did a pretty damned good job raising my daughter – she’s 19, just about finished with her first year of college, she’s had the same job since she was a sophomore in high school, has never been arrested, pregnant or a member of a gang.” (SL)
Good on you! 🙂 (Here’s a hint … believe it or not, she will come to fully appreciate what you have done sometime between the age of 23-24. Keep on keeping on.)
Stam,
My post was certainly not to be criticizing single moms.
I was saying how incredibly tough it must be for a single mom.
These programs for after school activities are probably the single cheapest venues that can prevent kids from getting into gangs and drugs, and save tax dollars later.
The fact that your daughter is going to college certainly speaks volumes about the way you brought her up.
Please just tell she isn’t going to be a politician.
Bud,
As a single mother, who didn’t receive financial support or parenting support from my ex as frequently as I should have, I can certainly attest to the challenges single mothers face – playing mother and father is not easy.
With that said, I think I did a pretty damned good job raising my daughter – she’s 19, just about finished with her first year of college, she’s had the same job since she was a sophomore in high school, has never been arrested, pregnant or a member of a gang.
Sadly, for many kids, school is the only place where they can have some sense of normalcy but you are right, normalcy needs to come from the homefront, too.
Stamford Liberal 1, May 2, 2011 at 8:07 am
I don’t know about anyone else, but this story is representative of how our public education system is failing today’s inner-city youth. If this doesn’t scream “reform”, I don’t know what does …
—————————————————————-
Stam,
It is far more than just the education system. It is mom and dad; it is after school curriculum, it is sports. Youth almost seem to me to be totally desperate… Except of course for the wealthy ones.
Can you imagine the challenges a single mom would have. Maybe working two full times jobs just to pay the rent and feed and cloth the family.
Spending a small amount of money on after school activities saves a fortune down the road, in medical costs, police and court costs, prison costs etc etc.
Really short sighted when other nations set an example for us.
Buddha,
“poignant”?
I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry, Blouise.
Probably a bit of both.
Buddha,
When I think about it … you’re right. Here’s a story for you:
David Allen Kirwan a 24-year-old attempted to rescue a friend’s dog after it fell into Celestine Pool, a hot spring at Yellowstone National Park on July 20, 1981. Despite numerous shouts from bystanders, Kirwan dove headfirst into the pool but was unable to save the dog. After managing to swin back to shore, he was helped out of pool, where his injuries became apparent – the exposure to the 200oF (93oC) water of the hot spring resulted in third-degree burns to 100% of his body and had also blinded him. After being led to the sidewalk, Kirwan reportedly stated: “That was stupid. How bad am I? That was a stupid thing I did.” When one of Kirwan’s shoes was removed, all of the skin came off with it. He died the next day at a Salt Lake City hospital. Although there have been at least 19 deaths due to scalding at the Yellowstone, this was the only known case where someone died after deliberately jumping into one of the park’s hot springs.
Blouise,
Throughout history, if you rule out deaths by disease, I’d hazard to say that stupidity is the leading cause of death among homo sapiens.
Stupidity often kills.
We have a growing war in this country as Obama and Congress continue to look for wars like Libya to spend lives and treasure abroad. -Jonathan Turley
Will we ever “wise up”…
Florida after all….
Nope. I think the Professor read the story a little too quickly —
From the NY Daily News story:
“Stewart and three of his friends were taken to a hospital and treated for stab wounds.
A bouncer at the bar who had a bottle smashed over his head in the melee was also taken to the hospital. None of the injuries were life-threatening, officials said.“
All three alleged gang members are charged with aggravated battery.</I.
What?! You stab someone, he dies, that's murder. Maybe the victim lived for a day or two before dying, such that they were already charged before he died — if so, I would expect the indictment to be amended in the very near future.
Is it possible for a dumbass to really feel like a dumbass after doing something as stupid as this? So sad and so unnecessary …
I don’t know about anyone else, but this story is representative of how our public education system is failing today’s inner-city youth. If this doesn’t scream “reform”, I don’t know what does …
This exact same thing happened 8-10 years ago in Minneapolis on a city bus, but it was gun shot not stabbing. There is no IQ test for entrance to a gang.
Several years ago the same thing happened to a young couple in Jackson, MS. They caught the gang bangers of course, but the deaf couple is still dead. These people are animals.
Tragic and senseless!
Such a sad story. These charmers should spend the rest of their sick lives in jail, if they are convicted