There comes a time when each human being looks around at the community they live in and notices changes. Some of those changes are beneficial but people, being what they are, notice the negative much faster. Often you feel that those changes are irreversible or that you are powerless to make things better.

The reason I am bringing this up is that some people are concerned with some violent tendencies by the youth in the communities. But when I talk to them they usually blame the police for inaction.

The police aren’t baby-sitters and they are not responsible for the upbringing of our children. In fact, if they were I would do everything in my power to change that type of situation. That is beside the point. Parents are responsible for the children and community members are responsible for the community. This is logical and true. When Indian Affairs took over those responsibilities from Native peoples, look at all the problems that resulted.

It is time to take those responsibilities back into Cree hands.

So then what do we do about the possibility of youth violence among the very young?

I heard one person give a very good suggestion. It was that adults in the community would patrol, not as vigilantes but simply to show their presence.

The knowledge that five or six adults would be monitoring the community would be a positive deterrent. The police, if memory of my youth serves me right, weren’t. They were merely an obstacle that made whatever we were doing more fun when we “got away with it.”

Now… a regular adult or group on the other hand… They carried a lot of weight. The person I was talking said that these people would not arrest people or become assistants to the police or Cree Guardian Angels. They would just be normal people in the community making their presence known.

The only question is how to get together to organize such a patrol since we don’t visit each other’s homes as much as we used to. I would think that the Wellness Gatherings and such that happen in the communities might be a good place to start. People who attend these are usually concerned community members and might provide a nucleus from which to start. Or it could be just talking with other people who are concerned or at a local band assembly.

In all cases, remember that you are the people who determine what your community is and will be. No one else has that right or responsibility but the community members. No single member, no police officer, no politician or other civil servant can make things better for you or make a healthy community. Only the members of the community can do that by actively participating in their community.

So instead of taking that exercise walk outside the community why don’t you and others walk around your own community? It couldn’t hurt and might even help.