West Midlands: Your comments...

Nick Watson The Politics Show West Midlands

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Some of your comments on the programme...

E-Mails

The Government are corrupt I'm living side by side by young black single families who are living in poor squalid conditions in this run down council estate in Newtown. A few yards away about 3 weeks ago a young lad called Dimitri was Foskin shot dead. We blatantly see gangs carrying weapons and selling drugs and drug users hanging around with needles around on our estate but they've done nothing. Government this is a scandal!
Jamal Kash, Newtown Birmingham

They've used OUR money not theirs to do this 'Spot A Gang Member' booklet/leaflet but tell you what, I've spoken to many young black single families around my area in Lozells and on my estate and others and they've said they've received nothing so where have these been sent to - Iraq?
Trevon Willie, Lozells Birmingham

I have a son who's just turned 20 years old and is addicted to crack cocaine and the Government can blame me for being a bad mother but I know they've given me and others nothing. They're to blame giving us nothing and letting us live in this filthy houses and estates. Where's the money gone? Where's the booklets gone?
Nakeisha, Perry Barr Birmingham

I'm a former drug addict and I'm not even a youth worker who helps teenagers to not join gangs and get into drugs as I do it for free! As I know what it's like I've had that life luckily I went to prison where I could think about my life and change it but now there's more of these black boys joining gangs carrying knives, guns, drugs killing each others getting into drugs. We need the government to stop lying.
Tyrell Jawana, Handsworth Birmingham

I'm a 19-year-old girl and I'm becoming a youth worker in the Aston area of Birmingham and nothing has changed. My brother died earlier this year when he was shot dead in Newtown and my friend was caught up in a shooting a few weeks ago which I bet the police and government are probably claiming didn't happen as he never died so they'll act as if the shooting never happened it's a disgrace the government needs a shake up.
Keisha Izza, Aston Birmingham

Don't see point in this. I live in my flat by myself and struggle to sleep at night with black youths fighting each other, I've heard drive-by shootings happen in my area but no police turn up and if they do they're there for maybe one day sometimes its gets media attention other times nothing like it never happened and they come onto our estate see drug paraphenalia and then leave - they don't care.
Jevonte Kambo, Birmingham Newtown

Do the Government realise that simply handing out leaflets, setting up support groups and similar things such as that are not effective! This country needs to take a hands on approach and set up deterrents to stop these gangs on OUR streets, the government needs a good shake up.
David Johnston, UK

I live in the Birmingham area and hear all the news about the gun crime daily. I agree with the government introducing these schemes but believe this will not take the root of the problems out. The major issue is the gangs that have been established "Johnsons" and "Burgerbar" which are rival black gangs. What the public/government doesn't understand is you need to do something about the gang members and people who represent this. It's good setting up youth centres etc but how will that change them from leaving gangs? I think the government doesn't really have the capacity to tackle the issue on its own and should actually get in come into contact with the people affected/ex-gang members who may have an effect on these issues.
Ahmed, UK

Black men are getting killed on a daily basis here in Handsworth, Birmingham. Wake up and smell the coffee you greedy money stealing government.
Benjamin Banks, Handsworth, Birmingham

The government doesn't care about anyone apart from themselves. They're greedy. You've got people living in council estates in Birmingham here where crime is rife. Burnt out cars scattered round, syringes ,needles drug users hanging around at night. I've got drug dealers selling heroin and crack in my estate and I'm getting fed up of taking my little son out, having to walk past and walk away and dodge the discarded needles scattered around by these scum and I don't want my son's memories of growing up living in a council estate where drugs are common place and gun crime.
Jermaine Foster, Aston, Birmingham

I'm a former gang member and I've been in prison for over 3 years. I've been out about a year now and I've been trying to help youths in my area to steer clear from gangs but it's hard. We basically live in deprived ghettos with nothing to do but join gangs and sell drugs to get money. People take drugs to lighten the mood up, next minute you know we're addicted so commit crime in our gangs which cycles our drug addiction and gives our area high crime and our family and friends grief and it's just not the life we should live but it is.
Leon Johnson, Lozells, Birmingham

It's getting worse with these unprofessional MP's. They don't do their job they're there just for the money. I'm living in an estate which is pretty much run-down plagued in graffiti youth crime and drugs are rife and about 2 weeks ago my 16 year old son was robbed by a gang of 5 black youths in the Newtown area and they slashed him on the leg, he may of just had a little cut on the leg but these youths will do anything. I've not reported this to the police as they will do nothing like they always do. These youths are bored they're living in run down street where shootings stabbings and murders have and are still happening. They live in poor squalid estates and homes. Their family and friends are just the same and they find life hard so they get into drugs and then it's just a cycle.
Marlon Davis, Handsworth, Birmingham

Then Government doesn't care about anyone. They would rather black men die on the streets here in Newtown than not get themselves money. Let them stop the funding and soon they will realise that the people of Birmingham won't be giving them respect and it will be too long gone and the damage won't be able to be fixed.
Francis Loke, Newtown, Birmingham

I'm disgusted at this when will they do something? My son's friend was Stephon Davidson who was shot dead in a drive-by shooting few weeks ago near Birmingham city centre and my son is frightened for his life, he's in a gang and I've suffered. My windows on my flat have been broken by bricks being thrown. My car has been scratched and now broken into and burnt and my son was also attacked last week ever since his friend Stephon died. The police the government don't care it's a disgrace.
Letisha Maschalon, Perry Barr, Birmingham

I'm a former drug addict. I've been addicted to both crack cocaine and heroin for 6 years now been clean for 2 years and I'm seeing day in day out every single year a rise in youths and young boys, girls, women, men getting addicted to drugs and dying. In areas such as Lozells, Aston, Handsworth and Newtown people are struggling to live, using drugs to relieve stress and getting into gangs to relieve stress and then committing crimes and going to prison.
Nigel Kirby, Birmingham, Lozells

I've been in prison for 10 years for armed robberies. I was in a gang, I'm a black man and I'm getting frightened by the rise of youths joining gangs, shootings, stabbings, selling and taking drugs. It's getting worse but I've realised police, government and MPs don't care. They only want greed for themselves - the money, the fame it's disgusting.
Ashley Shawe, Newtown, Birmingham

Text Messages

When will someone blame the black community and not the government?
Dave, Darlaston

The problem is not colour. That's a red herring. The problem is class.
Michael

Education, education, education. Better education in the inner cities would be an evolution, we need to move our inner cities out of the class system.
Anonymous

What about some help for young whites as well as young blacks?
Lynn, Birmingham.

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