Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today …
The first verse of Marvin Gaye’s memorable song “What’s Going On” (© 1971) applies to the proliferation of cop on black man shootings across our country these past few years. It applies to the epidemic of shootings in general.
TIME OUT! We as a society need to toss our guns aside and take a deep breath and a few steps back. What the hell is going on that we are so quick to shoot out, not talk out, our differences? While not Chicago, my hometown is rife with shootings just about every night. Recently a man shot from his car into another moving vehicle down a city street. For what? Apparently the threat to public safety is just another casualty in whatever turf war they were waging.
The hardening of our culture saddens and disgusts me. So many good intentioned people work every day to make a difference in the lives of kids at risk of falling prey to this lifestyle. Yet the killings continue.
I shouldn’t be discouraged, yet I am.
I’m certainly with you on this. When did we trade in patience for a weapon?