What are we to do?

I am watching NY1. There's a story about two teens stabbing another teen for an iPod just the other day. The two young men were arrested and charged for the death of the 15 year old teen.

I am saddened by the loss of this young man for something as inconsequential as an iPod. One of the teens charged was televised walking to the squad car in handcuffs. I looked at his face several times (as there were several news reports showing this same footage) and saw no remorse. Looking at his face, I saw that it did not register that he took a life for a $250 to $350 machine. A life of great potential. One that was destined for great things. Maybe that didn't matter to him. I don't know... I am not one to judge... But this is not the first story I heard like this, nor, I fear will it be the last.

I can't help but wonder where this disregard for human life comes from. Where does it start? Our children, our future have absolutely no regard for life, for their own as well as others. If they don't like someone, or do not like a situation or if someone or something stands in the way of them getting what they want; they think nothing of snuffing it out. Are video games to blame, are we? Is it because we took prayers out of schools or put more of a police presence in the schools? Whatever reasons or excuses we use; the problem remains endemic, systematic and institutional. Many say that this is a Black/Latino problem - gang-related; only to be seen in our neighborhoods. But what about Columbine? White children suffer from this insolence. What do we do as a community?

Some say that it takes community activism to create programs that will give these children something to want to live for. Others say that we need to build more jails. I wish I knew what to do in order to get these teens to see that their lives are worth more than their reps because I would do it in a minute with no questions asked.