Taking It To the Streets

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They call it “The Monster” — that’s how some refer to the black-on-black violence that is eating South Central L.A. Every week of every month, the monster rises up and kills.

This weekend, three people were killed in South Central Los Angeles; one victim was a three-year-old boy. The weekend before, 16 people were shot, 10 died.

Take the body count for the past year and you’ll find that the murder rate in South Central L.A. is double that of Bogota, Colombia. But behind the numbers are the stories, and the families, and the community that every day, suffers under the weight of the violence.

Some blame the police and residents of nearby white suburbs for apathy and inaction. Others are pointing fingers at black leaders, saying they have failed to take responsibility for the violence, and stand against it.

Guests:

Reverend Eugene Rivers, founder of the National Ten Point Leadership Coalition and pastor of the Azusa Christian Community in Boston, MA.