Saving Lancaster Essay, Research Paper
There are problems facing people everyday, some worse than others, but
none anymore pleasant. We see problems ranging from the environment to
crime, gangs, diseases, wars and so many more. William Finnegan saw a
major problem arising for the residents of Lancaster, California where
he went to find out why two skin head gangs are so prevalent in the
area. Parents working low wage jobs for long hours far from home made
absent parents a huge problem as well as lack of education greatly due
to poor funding. Finding the causes of large social problems helps to
discover solutions and get people thinking about problems instead of
just accepting them. A solution that would have a large impact on the
city would be to use cooperate welfare to bring big business to the
area, because it will help create local jobs, a circulation of money,
and more money for better educational facilities and teachers. Many
people would agree that Cooperate welfare is a problem in it self and
are strongly against it. However, it is very common and does serve
positive purposes. Cooperate welfare gives tax breaks and other
incentives to encourage big businesses to come to a certain area. If
the Antelope Valley could get businesses into the over populated city
they would be able to provide local jobs for many families. This is
important, because many of the parents in the valley are just making
enough to get by. Both parents are usually forced to work and a major
percentage of these families are single parent households with one
income. They end up working long hours at low wages and for that
reason are unable to be home for their children. The children begin
going elsewhere to look for a place of company after school. Education
starts in the home, so already they are losing out on half of the
valuable education they need. Funding for schools comes from the
government and it’s obvious that richer areas have better schools.
Cooperate welfare would bring more money to the area which would
provide better funding for schools. Once a better educational system
is established the schools can work on programs teaching kids about
ignorance and racism at an early age. Also, providing sport teams,
music classes, and other activities for children to get involved in
would help keep more kids in school. Teen boredom seemed to be another
major factor driving teens to the gang life. Getting businesses like
dance clubs for minors, boys and girls clubs, movie theaters, shopping
malls, and bowling alleys in the area would provide positive
alternatives to the gang life. A money flow would also provide more
funding for a better police force to control the crime and gangs.
Better security in schools and neighborhoods helps people feel safe.
With a better sense of security they might feel less of a need to join
a gang. These children could count on the police to keep them safe.
Instead of joining gangs and doing the acts associated with them in
order to have someone to protect them from other gangs. From this
solution it seems that money is the solution to all problems. However,
it also takes cooperation, a new closeness of the community, trust, and
strong families, wether they are two parent households or not. Money
will help create programs, businesses, better schools, activities for
teens and a better police force, but with these comes responsibility.
The city of Lancaster would need to gain support of it’s citizens in
order to make any solution work. Once the city has gotten the support
of it’s members they can begin working on the renovation process.
There is no single solution that will be one hundred percent fool
proof. This solution comes with it’s problems as well. The flaw of
major concern is that industrializing the already over populated city
would most likely draw in more people once it has become successful.
If this occurs the problems of the Valley would continue and maybe even
worsen. One ways of controlling the population might be to limit
available housing, while keeping the cost of housing stable.
Cooperate welfare is very bothersome to people today. It’s often
invisible to the public, although we are very aware that it exists.
It’s hard to suggest a solution when it calls for the use of another
problem. However, cooperate welfare can be very beneficial, because it
will bring businesses into the city that can help Lancaster get back on
to it’s feet.
References
Finnegan, William. (December 1, 1997). The Unwanted. The New Yorker.