Prevention enforcers

By Wesley Bogard

Harlan Community Academy

When I was younger, I had a cousin who was paralyzed from the waist down in a gang-related shooting. Sometimes, I wonder if the issue could have been resolved before it became violent. If there was some type of violence interrupter, my cousin would have never been paralyzed. This is why I think so highly of the violence interrupters of CeaseFire, an organization devoted to stopping the violence that plagues Chicago streets.

CeaseFire was recently featured in “The Interrupters,” a film produced by Steve James and Alex Kotlowitz that charts the lives of the people who dedicate their lives to promoting peace between Chicago residents.

“The Interrupters” affected me so deeply because I’ve known numerous teens who have been victims of Chicago’s street violence and it’s also something I try to avoid in my daily life. Something I found particularly compelling about the film was that simply talking to someone could be the difference between a violent event and peace.

For example, in the movie, one of the violence interrupters was talking to a character named Flamo. Before the interrupters talked to him, he was about to get revenge on one of his enemies but because of their conversation, Flamo chose to go on a peaceful path instead of a violent one.

The film is also a hard-hitting documentary that allows you to view Chicago street violence from the people who lived it instead of going off any misconceptions you may have heard.

Since many of the violence interrupters are former criminals and gang members, “The Interrupters” destroys the misconception that all criminals are heartless and cannot be changed. It shows the human side of the criminals instead of the monsters some may portray them to be. The film provides a new take on street violence and offers the truth instead of just recording something that would look nice on film.

Unlike other street violence documentaries, “The Interrupters” utilizes real people who know and care about the communities that they work in. One of the interrupters is Ameena Matthews. I found Ameena especially interesting because of her genuine love for her work and her willingness to help people. Since the film features average citizens who deal with the problems of violence on a daily basis, this amplifies the film’s credibility and realism.

The final selling point on this film is the fact that it shows people are not born with violent tendencies; violence is a learned behavior. This lesson can give any audience hope for the future because if someone can learn to be violent, he or she can also learn how to be peaceful.