Prologue to my Peace Blog
We are living in bad times. I don't think I need to tell anyone that. It's horrible all over the world. Just this week, a police officer was shot and killed. In a neighborhood not too far from where I am (across the tracks, if you will). It is horrible. The Dunkin Donuts is a regular spot for me as I am coming in from Center City. They say the guy was in there perpetrating a crime, when Officer Chuck Cassidy walked in and was shot point blank in the forehead. The guy left, and to add insult to injury...re-entered and took the officer's gun. Afraid that the officer was going to return fire, I suppose.
Fear is a bitch. For some it is the old adage: life is a bitch, and then you die. And now, there is a grand mal effort to catch this guy. Fear...running scared...(or limping scared-he has a definitive limp).
The afternoon this guy did this, I received a call on my cell phone. It was a recording from the Cheltenham School District, informing all the parents that the school district is on "lock down". First reaction: fear. What the hell is going on? Running up to the school to get my child. I turned on the television and saw what was going on, and kinda calmed down. The school is doing what they have been primed to do as a result of previous events that have gone so terribly wrong.
My son would later tell me that when the announcement came over the loud-speaker: "Code Red! We have a code red!" His teacher gave directions they must've learned in training. "Get away from the door and windows" and be calm...yeah...right! My son said they tried to make up scenarios of what could be going on...they were afraid. One girl so afraid that she had an accident. Fear. Fear can make you piss your pants and shit on yourself.
And so, now the City of Philadelphia (mainly the Oak Lane section) is on lock down. Folks, ah hell, who are we kidding? Black men are being targeted. Is targeted the right word? I have never seen as many cops out in the street as I have these past few days. They are looking...seriously...looking for this killer. A heavy set black male with a spider tattoo on his hand and a limp. I really wish he would just turn himself in and be done with it. Lord knows what they are going to do to him when they find him...and yet, I can't help but feel sorrow for this guy, yes...sorrow. Because he most definitely is running scared. And that is a dangerous place to be. No telling what you are liable to do in that state of mind.
I told you that it wasn't too far from me. In fact, we live right on the border of Philadelphia, and Elkins Park. Philadelphia is literally across the street. Last night, after my son went to bed, I went into his room and made sure the lock was on his bedroom window, as well as mine - and the other windows in our abode. And while I usually go outside and sit on my steps around 11 pm, before I go to bed, I am afraid to sit outside - never know who is hiding behind a bush or a tree, ready to grab you, or force you inside your home.
God! But you know what? There is always another side of a story, another take on it. In fact, there are many different sides, feelings are raw right about now. I have been getting calls from mothers who have had their children shot by cops. Getting calls from people, who are trying to make sense of their feelings as they struggle trying to figure out: "why the public outcry because the person who has been shot is a police officer?" "Why all this attention and sizeable reward?" Shouldn't we place the same value on all human life? The murder of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls still goes unsolved. I don't recall any outcry about those murders.
anyway, I am bout tired of this post...you probably are too.
Come back on Nov 7th for the official Blog Blast where bloggers all over the world will be blogging for peace. Better yet, head on over to Mimi's and get your globe so you can blog with us!
I understand the fear you felt when you heard the words "lockdown". I am in education and have been through 2. Once as an employee and once as a parent.I understand that some people from "Homeland Security" will be coming to our school this week to help and evaluate our lockdown procedure. Its a different life from what we grew up huh!
Posted by: jannis | November 04, 2007 at 01:04 PM