What Really Grinds My Gears...

Clevelanders are walking around today moping because the beloved Indians lost to Boston Red Sox last night, essentially collasping in Game 7 despite leading the series 3-1. Everyone's talking about the sports curse that seems to be plaguing Cleveland. "The Shot," "The Fumble," "The Whatever."

People need to be thinking about a different problem going on in the city right now and it has nothing to do with the World Series.

It really pisses me off that everyone is so upset about the Indians losing when we are losing a battle everyday in our city. So the Indians won't get to the World Series. We've gone 50-plus years without a victory, another one won't kill us.

But you know what will? The senseless violence going on in our streets and in our community.

I waver between wanting to get involved, attend some rallies, listen to what the city leaders have to say about this epidemic. Then on the other hand I want to pack my daughter up and move away from Cleveland as fast as I can. The town I live in might be boring as all get out, but at least it's safe. I can push my daughter around in her stroller without worrying about a stray bullet hitting her.

Every single solitary day I check Cleveland's paper and there is another homicide reported. This is ri-damn-diculous. Enough already. If I see another headline reporting that someone under 25 has been gunned down I am going to scream. Black males are indeed dying. What can I do? What can I do?

Even if you don't live in Cleveland, but in other urban metro area, your city might be experiencing a crisis like this. It has got to stop.

I don't know what I'm going to do, if it's volunteer with some at-risk youth, or become a Big Sister. I don't know yet. But I need to do something. I only hope others feel the same way.