If alcoholism and obesity are diseases, then why isn’t violence? Violence is caused by a behavioral disorder created by human beings. Like a contagious virus, violence spreads through our communities until we are all dead.
We treat it with words, with punishments and with more bullets. We need to eradicate it from our streets. We need the logic of science and reason to end this epidemic. We need to understand violence, not fear it. It must be targeted at its source.
The Violence Interrupters of Chicago’s Englebrook neighborhood adhere to this mindset. They’ve been infected with this plague before and survived it. They are the Dirty Dozen vigilantes doing what the police and professional counselors are not because they know it first hand.
Their story as told in “The Interrupters” is a riveting, emotional and powerful documentary that embeds itself on these Chicago streets and finds answers. Continue reading “The Interrupters”