Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S: Saturday Night: Uptown 2 train

Written by T.D Moody

Scene: Saturday night while on an uptown 2 train:

At approximately 9:35 pm. A large group of black youth (of both sexes) some wearing Muslim clothing such as hijabs and head covers entered the train carrying on like wildly disrespectful children.  Shock, disbelief, embarrassment and resentment are some of the emotions that ran through me as an entire train car was exposed to the plight facing both young and aging Black America.

The boys were speaking in derogatory terms and sexually suggestive terms to both one another as well as the girls in the group.  Girls and boys were yelling back and forth while bumping other passengers standing in the car.  The term “No home training” immediately came to mind.  I took it all in and thanked God for person my mother is so that I didn’t grow up the way the kids of today are.  Pushing and shoving ensued after they all entered the train car.  Luckily, I had been seated long before they boarded.

At 42nd St. I thought a prayer had been answered when in mass the group of youths began to exit the car.  Before I knew it I saw several girls shoving others standing in front of them as they exited the car impatient to allow those in front them to safely exit the car.  In a matter of seconds it appeared half of the group had fallen on top of one another on the platform before getting up and reboarding the train as it apparently wasn’t their stop.

Shock and disbelief gripped me yet again as well as dashed hopes of not having to continue to share a ride uptown with that wild bunch of teens with no leader.  I thought where are their parents?  By the time we reached the upper west side a good amount of people either switched train cars or exited at their stop.  I could see relief on faces as they exited the train leaving those remaining to endure the adolescent group.

Shaking my head I relayed my experience to an older black man while waiting at a bus stop.  He aptly described the situation as Too many kids having kids.  Parents on average 15 years older than their children.