Pinkett Smith horrified by US values
Actress/singer Jada Pinkett Smith is horrified by increasing gun crime in the United States, declaring the country must look to third world countries to rediscover its values.
The Wicked Wisdom frontwoman and her actor/rapper husband Will Smith have travelled to Africa on several occasions for charity work and have been humbled by citizens' appreciation of the basic things in life - like education.
The Smiths will fund and appear at Charles 'Charlie Mack' Alston's annual Party 4 Peace in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this weekend, which aims to raise awareness of street crime.
Pinkett Smith says: "It's pretty bad everywhere. I think we're in a worse situation now than I can think of ever. Just the amount of injustice that we're doing to one another. It's such a complicated issue.
"It's an epidemic. If you look at our homes, it's clear why. We need a new reality. The idea that we're supposed to sit back and wait for somebody to do something for us, that's not going to happen.
"I've gone to Africa where kids go to school and share one textbook, (I've met) kids that are walking three miles to school, three miles home because education is valued. What do we value? Nothing.
"I always get interested in (Alston's) community endeavours. This is a passion that he and I have always shared as far as trying to find ways to solve the issue of violence in our communities."
