The Game, 30 Seconds

Recently, a “game” called 30 SECONDS has become common among some of Detroit’s youth. Two children are circled or cornered and then told they have to fight each other for 30 seconds. If someone refuses, the consequences are being called a wimp or worse on Facebook.

Unfortunately, two of our 10-year-old boys were observed doing this game in our Conner St. back parking lot. Off to the side were two other boys cheering and encouraging this fight.  Later I had the opportunity to converse with these boys. “You know how hard we work to make this a place of safety, peace and respect. Yet you participated in something violent right on our property. What can we do?”

It was quite beautiful when the boys came up with the idea…we need to put some love back in the program. Eventually, they offered to do some weeding and cleaning to give back to the program. Clearly, each boy regretted the fight but just didn’t know how to get out of it. Finally, they brought into my office the boy who instigated the conflict. “Ken, we thought you were our friend…but friends don’t get other people into fights. We would still like to be your friend but if you want to always fight, you will have to go somewhere else."

I marveled at the beginning of wisdom within these three ten-year-old boys.

Author: Sister Nancyann Turner
Capuchin Soup Kitchen Rosa Parks Children Program Manager