Gangbanging Thugs Kill the Son of a Soldier in Iraq

I hate hearing about stories like this. On Sunday, Jamiel Shaw, a football star with good grades and a bright future, had his life cut short at 17 by some gangbanging thugs because he was in the "wrong neighborhood" in Los Angeles. While this would be horrible for any mother, Jamiel's Mom is serving her country in Diyala province, a restive area of Iraq. She has returned to the states on emergency leave. The goons that did this are still on the loose, and a $50,000 reward is being offered by the LAPD to find the perps.

I used to live in Los Angeles before 9/11 and gang violence was definitely a daily problem. Despite the country being at war, it's painfully obvious that the sacrifice of some has had little impact on society, as there are still thugs running around slingin' crack and shooting people without a care in the world. Meanwhile, a mother not only has to worry about the stress of being in a war zone, but she has to worry about her boy being killed back in the states. A pretty unnerving outlook of America and contemporary society. Details on the funeral service can be found here.

R.I.P.