Acts of a few shouldn�t tarnish many

In recent weeks, it has been with much concern that we have reported on the alleged criminal actions of yet another Nashville street gang.

Our newspaper has reported what police are saying is a string of violent crimes committed by members of the Kurdish Pride gang. From allegations of beating students at area high schools and school events to a new indictment including allegations of trying to kill a Metro Parks officer, the Kurdish Pride gang and some of its members have been in the news quite a bit lately.

It is not the kind of publicity otherwise productive and honest members of the Kurdish contingent in Nashville welcome or seek for their community.

Nashville is home to the largest population of Iraqi born Kurds in the United States. The Kurds, of course, came into international prominence when they began to violently oppose the rule of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Nashville has welcomed these new immigrants to our city, with Nashville even serving as one of a handful of sites where expatriate Kurds could vote in their own country�s elections.

The Kurds who are here by and large have been hard working, family-oriented people with peace on their minds. That is why this latest string alleged violent acts by Kurdish youth are so disappointing. They are likely even more disappointing to our Kurdish neighbors.

We have reported on these alleged crimes because they are significant. Schools and school graduations should be safe from the possibility of students and attendees getting beaten down by violent gangs. Our city parks should be free of violence and gun play.

It should serve as a cautionary tale to the stewards of all the smaller communities that make up Nashville � ethnic and geographic. Keeping our youngsters and young adults off the streets is a constant challenge.

Bu the collective worth of the Kurdish community in Nashville should also serve as a lesson for native residents. As our city becomes more diverse, we should collectively be mindful that the act of a few bad teens is no indictment of the community itself.