Attorney General Eric Holder announced yesterday that the Justice Department and Education Department will undertake a new effort to eradicate violence among teens in Chicago. Millions of dollars are being appropriated and all the latest hi-tech gadgetry will be installed in an effort to control gang violence among teens. The shocking murder of a Chicago honor student last week has prompted this effort, which has all the appearances of political grandstanding more than real problem-solving.

Our federal officials obviously believe that the power to bring down gang violence is locked in money and technology. This is simply misguided. Violence cannot be eradicated by restraints or the alteration of environment. Violence is a condition of the heart, and all the federal money and hi-tech solutions known to man cannot reach to the hearts of teens who have been abandoned to the streets and whose souls have been weaned on the violence and egoism of street culture.

I wonder if the churches will be asked to help in this effort? But then, why should they? If the churches were really doing their job - preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and making disciples, that is, disciplined followers of Jesus Christ - wouldn't this problem already be in hand? Here ia another instance of power failure. The Church fails to draw on the power available to it, too busy, I suppose preaching a Gospel of self-esteem or whatever to disciple men and women in the life of seeking the Kingdom and righteousness of Christ. And the State turns to the power of money and technology, which might create short-term results (which become political bragging points) but can never deliver long-term change.

Meanwhile, young people are lured into a culture of violence, sex, drugs, and death, for want of power to help them learn otherwise.

T. M. Moore