By Bishop H. Bernard Alex
“We can no longer abdicate the responsibility of raising our children to others. We have a legacy and a responsibility to ensure the grounding of a good moral compass that provides guidance daily to our children”
Here we are AGAIN! I just don’t understand! I am not here to discuss who is to blame. Is it the community, parents, lack of police presence. We are past the blaming. We are past the blaming of this “sickness” the sickness of senseless death in a community that daily feels the pressures and hurts of trying to survive with dignity. I don’t care about any of that right now. I am upset! I am mad as hell that an 11-year-old baby going to the store to get some milk and she is caught up in the crossfire of a shooting, is hit and wounded and DIES and a mother, father, siblings, family and friends and a community is left behind trying to make sense out of nonsense.
There is a real war, and we don’t e time have to polarize and blame asking “where are the police? Where is the Office to Reduce Gun Violence?” We don’t have time Syracuse for blaming because this “thing” is out of control. She was going to the store. Some have asked, “why was she out that late?” My response is “Why couldn’t she be!” Why can’t she go the corner store. She lived a block away! She was going home! She was not hanging out, doing anything that would have been for some “the reason” as to why she was killed. She was going home. And now we ask the question, “who is going to talk?” Because someone knows who was in the car, and where they are.
Some one knows who did this! I don’t understand how folk can have a murderer in their house and move on like it is ok. I don’t understand how you can have them in your home, and you don’t say anything! I love my children, yes, I do but I tell you if they are caught up in something illegal they are getting out of my house! I am taking them right to the authorities. We have this “code” that we are going not saying anything. It is ridiculous while the innocents are being killed and harmed. Brexialee was killed almost at the intersection of MLK Way, across from Dr. King School and on Dr. King Day! If we are going to respond to anything think about that. We have to respond to irony of these three things converging. It is a call to action. We can no longer stand and lay blame on anyone else as a community.
We must rise up and take responsibility and action. The outcry of guns within the urban communities and the danger. We still have the gift of CHOICE. You don’t have to participate and allow the danger of weapons to move in and out of your home. This is not about gun control; it is about CHOICE. It is within my estimation that we will never remove all illegal weapons from within the United States and that would include Central New York, however, we can make choices. We can stand as a community and people united and let it be known that this behavior and lifestyle will not be accepted and or tolerated where we live, our children play and are educated. Exercise your choice and use your voice!
We can no longer abdicate the responsibility of raising our children to others. We have a legacy and a responsibility to ensure the grounding of a good moral compass that provides guidance daily to our children. We now see children and families setting up yet another memorial. Having vigils and speak outs gives space for people to grieve as a community together. To heal and to show compassion to the families, but what is going to be done after the vigils and candles are extinguished? Faith without Works is DEAD! The heart-breaking clarion bell rings, do you hear it? The pain awful and mournful cry of a family and community can be heard in Syracuse. I am tired of hearing that sound. When I had to stand in the rain and hear that sound after an 11-month-old baby was killed while in a car seat, yet rings in my heart.
The dismantling of that orchestra of pain must happen and it needs to happen now. We have the ability to do it. To stop living in fear and it will happen when each one commits to speaking up and speaking out! If you SEE something, SAY something! It has been proven that when a community unites and presses back as a united front against the vices of guns, violence, and harm where they live positive things will and can change. It is going to take all of us coming to together, not for self promotion and or advancement of individual causes but for little girls like Brexialee to have quite enjoyment and safety no matter where they live. Living in public housing and or as some say “the hood” should not equate to danger!
There are reports of violence and death all throughout Onondaga County, and we can no longer accept that violence moves by zip codes. It moves by silent permission and apathy. We have to make a choice now to take back our communities and become engaged and active in the revitalization of every neighborhood in Syracuse.
“Some will not care until it is one of their’s.” I have said this while marching, in meetings, rallies and community gatherings. Each time I get a phone call about the death of another man, woman boy or girl as a result of violence I weep. I weep! I don’t cry, I weep. I can’t sleep or rest as I think of the families, parents, classmates and neighbors. I am a product of public housing. 905 South Townsend Street. I walked these same streets all the way up to Croton School, Wilson Park, Kennedy’s Barbershop, Paul’s Store, Mr. Epps Store, Dunbar Center. Rarely if ever did my parents go with me and my older siblings. Why not? They didn’t have to because there were people all around us that held us accountable. They would call us into accountability if they saw and or thought we were not following the “sound moral compass” my parents installed in us at home.
Sadly, the pain decibel has increase again in Syracuse as the sound of gunshots mingled with tears and screams, the calling out of her name while standing out in the rain while the flickering flame of candles struggled to remain as they cast an eerie shadow on the balloons and stuffed animals, as they cover the now sacred space where the hopes, dreams and bright future of Brexialee Torres-Ortiz ended by senseless gun violence.
We must have a transformation of thinking; for as you think so are you. Transformation of thinking and knowing that we are better than what happened Monday. We have no other option! This must stop…NOW!
