America witnesses the killing of almost as many African-American males each year as were killed during the Vietnam War -- and this has been happening ever since Vietnam, for more than three decades.

During the Vietnam conflict, which lasted some 13 years, 58,000 Americans were killed -- 7,000 of them African American. Every year since 1976, almost as many black males have been murdered on the streets of this nation. And for each of five consecutive years (1990 through 1994), the number of black male murder victims exceeded 9,000.

Of course, too many people of both genders and all races are killed in this country. In fact, almost as many white men are killed yearly as black males, but there are seven times as many of them.

Not surprisingly, the high black male homicide rate is tied directly to a steady and long-term loss of economic opportunities. More than any other group, black men have had their fortunes tied to heavy industry and manufacturing; as manufacturing jobs have disappeared, so have work opportunities and a predictable middle-class quality of life for black males and their families.

Against this backdrop, the drug trade has proved appealing because it offers one of the few opportunities available. A significant proportion of murders result from young men fighting for the economic space to sell drugs to strangers, friends and neighbors.

Too many black males have access to too many guns with which to carry on these battles. Some think they need guns to protect themselves, their money and their drugs, while others think they need guns to take drugs and money from those who have them. Having groups of young people swaggering around with firearms prompts others to get guns, too, to protect themselves.

The end result has been the creation of an urban Wild West, where even a minor altercation, which in the past would have resulted in a fist fight, turns into a street corner O.K. Corral.

The high murder rate of black males is devastating to black families and communities. The sad reality is that most homicides are "two-fers," or worse. The killing of one black male usually results in the removal of at least two males from the community, because, in most instances, one or more are sent to prison for the murder. The irony is that the more men who are removed from a community, the more violent the community becomes.

Black men serve as the major source of social control for young black males. In the absence of adult males serving as disciplinarians and breadwinners, black youth have little structure or guidance in how to be men. With so many black males being murdered or sent to prison, there are too few left to serve as fathers or guardians or as much-needed agents of social control in their communities. Many whose young lives are cut short otherwise would have matured to take on those roles if given the chance.

The first step in reducing the murder rate among black men is to focus on creating jobs in black communities with high rates of unemployment. Job opportunities must begin to compete with illegal opportunities. We must reduce the number of "workers" who feel the need to carry guns in the "workplace."

Second, focused educational opportunities must be made available. A college education is a good thing, but what's needed most are technical skills that fit the jobs available at local businesses.

Third, we must encourage black males to get more involved in the economic and social lives of their families. Historically, most large programs to assist black families have focused on single mothers and children, largely ignoring black men. These programs have, on the whole, been failures. "Healthy family" projects, which encourage fathers to be involved with their families, should be the norm.

Finally, there is clear evidence that people with investments in savings or property have more of a stake in their communities and are less likely to commit anti-social acts. Jobs are the first step in generating income, but financial-planning skills are essential, too.

The aim of these efforts is to give young black men hope for a better life. Those who have witnessed so much dysfunction in their communities must come to believe that a better and longer alternative life is possible. Hope also ameliorates despair, thereby reducing the demand for drugs and drug dealers.

Black America is at war. But unlike Vietnam, America cannot walk away from this conflict.

If it is worthwhile to save and protect the lives of millions of people in war-torn countries around the world, is it not also worthwhile to save and protect the lives of American citizens here at home?