Hi Ed, this is Mayor Jack Ball from Ewing Township responding to comments in Friday’s BackTalk related to job opportunities that would be created by Wal-Mart. There is no one answer to solving our problems with gangs which exist across the entire country. I do believe that young people need alternatives, and one of those alternatives is to provide them an opportunity to become gainfully employed. Steering young people in the right direction and giving them an opportunity to succeed is just one concept in reducing gang membership. The more jobs that become available, and the more that we as adults, educators, and mentors can direct our young people to accept as a positive challenge, is just one means of reducing the number of young people opting for gang lifestyle. I never intended it to be the one surefire answer to the elimination of gangs. I think everyone would agree that employment, responsibility, challenge, and an opportunity to achieve and succeed, are objectives that are beneficial to every member of society. And all of the above need to be instilled in our young people. I thank you for this opportunity.

Mayor Jack Ball

Mr. Mayor, I understand what you’re saying, but these gang slugs need to understand, need to learn how respect work, and it’s not at the barrel of a gun. They need to respect themselves, their families and human life before we can ask them to straighten out with a job or anything else for that matter. Thanks for calling.

— Ed. Note