A Chicago pastor is determined show youth troubled that violence will not be tolerated and there are positive forces in their community following the devastating “Teen Takeover” that generated national headlines two weeks ago.
Hundreds of teens a few weeks ago smashed car windows, attack residents and disrupt the flow of traffic in downtown Chicago, according to a previous Fox News report. Now, Apostolic Faith Church pastor Bishop Horace Smith is on a mission to bring men together to show troubled youth they must go down the right path. Last weekend, he invited 500 Black men to march with him in the city in an act of unity against mass violence.
“The march by the pastors from across this city is simply to say to them, ‘Look, we are your fathers, we are your brothers. We are you when we were your age and violence will not be condoned’,” Smith told “America Reports” on Friday. “‘However, we understand what’s going on, and we stand as a positive force, an ongoing force and a solution to what’s been going on, and we want to give you the right message and the right motive for what you’re doing.’”
‘TEEN TAKEOVER’ TERRORIZES CHICAGO AS HUNDREDS OF TEENAGERS DESTROY PROPERTY, ATTACK TOURISTS
The faith leader explained the solution to violence is not to demonize young people, but to invest in their lives.
“What we’re saying here is, number one, the violence is not acceptable. Number two, we love you. We care about you. Number three, here are the solutions. Here are the jobs, the training,” he said. “I think that you have to offer the young people something positive, and they will respond in a positive manner. They have not been offered that enough.”
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Smith detailed the importance of having the strong men be an example to the youth who are often “pushed to create violence.”
“In two or three days we galvanized hundreds of Black men that would march with us because…these young people need to see a positive role model saying to them, ‘We stand with you, but we will not tolerate violence’,” he said.
Fox News’ Michael Lee contributed to this report.