I would have loved to have gone to the play at the high school this evening Friday April 19th as we planned, but because of the continuing gun violence in our community, that was not possible tonight.
I spoke about safety and this very same thing with my children at the Asbury Park city council meeting last night…SAFETY, FAMILY, CHILDREN, COMMUNITY, BUSINESSES…I DID NOT and DO NOT FEEL SAFE, AND MY CHILDREN WERE NOT SAFE TODAY!
So thankful to the creator for protecting all of US! I attended the Stop the Violence Community meeting last Saturday at my church, Martin Luther King Jr. Presbyterian church, 15 Memorial Drive, Neptune. This was put together by some members of the Ministerial Alliance and it was hosted by Bro. John Mohammad and Rev. Nunn.
Though I am a member of the church with my children and assistant to the choir director and a choir member, Secretary of the Women’s Presbytery along with a member of the nominating committee, and currently due to be ordained an Elder, I was silenced and could not speak up about this violence because I am running for city council. Further more no one running were permitted to speak.
However, a member of the Westside community center executive board, gave a limited speech about violence, and gave a mini PR statement endorsing the A-Team ticket. and Not one minister interrupted her to ask her to stay on topic and do not talk Politics. But as I stand in the Martin Luther King Church, I am reminded of the civil rights movement and how the struggle of the black community and how the church was the back-bone of the movement that pushed for congress to pass the De-segregation laws and civil rights, which in short is Nothing but, Politics….
We have lost something over the last few generations about the role of what a church is supposed to be in our community. Here we have over 85 churches in this area, it is really sad that it has come to this. I do believe in the Dream and Have some of my own. To have a better educational system for our children, for parents to be more involved in their lives unselfishly. The ability of our community to stand up together and build a better city, to have more compassion for one another and show empathy when your brother or sister is in need irrespective of the person. We must understand and know that they too have a spirit and need Love. A Gang-Free city where children are picking up books and paint brushes not just basketballs, instead of Guns.
To have businesses in town, where customers will not be afraid to shop because of the violence. This dream can only be realized when Just as Martin Said in his speech, when we get to the core of the problem. To look at and know the content of ones character and not the color of their skin.
And heal the human psyche from the oppression we all have experienced in this life….and work together and come up with realistic plans and a strategy that we ALL must be a part of.
Because I can not speak for the parents who have lost their babies and cannot imagine, what that pain is like but I empathize with them and pray daily for all of us….I got a call from my son while at a meeting….and mother instinct kicked in like a cheetah and her cubs I flew down 17 flights of stairs, to get to my babies….a moment and phone call I will never forget,and the experience they will never forget.
My son Protected his sister just as he did at the city council meeting Wednesday night at the mic…I am so very proud of both of my children. I do the things I do not for me, but for them, and the future that is to come. We must change, but it must start with emotional, mental, and spiritual healing for our community, can’t leave the Creator out, because this is why we are in this very same situation, we must find forgiveness in our hearts, to go to the next level.
