We must understand and accept that evil exists in the world and acknowledge that some of our fellow human beings will commit evil deeds. Without delving deeply into scripture, the Bible views evil as a force opposed to God and good, highlighting its presence in the world and stressing the importance of resisting it.
The book you are about to read is not a book about scripture, though many of the characters in the book later understood the importance of confronting evil and committing to good deeds. Those good deeds were not committed to the expressed purpose of going to heaven. They were an engagement and dedication to doing what is right and just.
The characters and events described herein are a part of our history. Sometimes history is dark, but recognizing this darkness and being willing to expose evil to the light gives us some understanding and hope of overcoming it.
Gang violence manifests itself on our streets and in our prison system. Most of these gangs are formed around ethnic or geographic lines. Gangs infect our youth and our communities…