Kids Who Kill:
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REVIEW BY JAY GRAHAM
The question on the front cover of this book is a piercing call to self-examination: "Are we reaping what we've sown?" It doesn't allow us to point fingers at individuals or give trite explanations for the alarming increase in juvenile violence. Nor does Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas in his new book Kids Who Kill: Confronting Our Culture of Violence. The book opens with a detailed description of the shooting at Westside Middle School in the quiet college town of Jonesboro, Arkansas, this past March. Two boys, ages 11 and 13, shot 15 children and adults, killing five. Since that event, Huckabee has spent a lot of time with grieving people in Jonesboro and with law officials across the nation. He is trying to discover all the reasons for this kind of violence, and here, with the help of George Grant, he shares his findings, although he gives no quick answers. Readers discover in Part 1 the extent and urgency of the juvenile violence crisis across the nation. In Part 2, Huckabee and Grant group specific behaviors in broader categories so readers can see how an attitude leads to an action. The prevalent "Pattern of Disrespect" leads to profanity, road rage, and mudslinging. The authors also examine the influence of video games, TV, movies, and pop music that "condition" our youth toward violence and depravity. Additional chapters discuss the erosion of families and education. The conclusion points us once again to the front-cover question, and insists that legislation is not the answer. Huckabee is surprisingly positive as he admonishes us to start with ourselves and step out to support America's basic values of faith, family, work, and community. "Character is the issue," he states. Scattered throughout the book are relevant quotes from historical figures, pointing up our heritage. Appendices include radio addresses and a newspaper column from the time surrounding the shooting.
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