For the benefit of my “out of the area” readers, this is my response to an urban story that has become all too familiar. Newburgh, New York, the Northeastern Mecca of the broken family/welfare state! A young black man, who is chased by police, turns to lunge at them with a knife and his fatally shot as a consequence of his action. Naturally the relatives and community are angry…but their anger and frustration is directed at the police who have since been cleared of wrongdoing.
I wanted to respond to the Lembhard’s family starts vigil story on page 3 of this Tuesday’s (8/14) TH-Record. First of all, I want to extend my deepest most heart-felt sympathies to the Lembhard family. There is no greater pain in this world than the pain of losing a loved one. Period!
Second, I want to commend your proactive and creative response of planning a vigil that encourages community participation by bullet holes. Here is where we part company with my wish for us that is both tough love and my personal guarantee for our way out of the darkness.
With all due respect to Michael’s cousin, it does not “take a whole village to raise a child.”…it takes two loving parents! Period! Beyond that, it takes a village that honors this reality to create a safe environment for this reality to flourish. How blessed are we to have men and women who are willing to put themselves in personal jeopardy by wearing the police uniform for modest pay and the benefit of our communities? Very blessed indeed!
When we learn to take ownership of our own lives and the lives of those we love instead of surrendering that ownership to “the village”, we will find the happiness we so richly deserve…the very same happiness endowed to us by our Creator and enshrined for us by our Founders. Trust me…they knew a thing or two about adversity and challenge! May God bless and ease the suffering of the Lembhard family.
And finally, my message to the State. Your “social experiment” has been a complete and utterly disatrous failure! You take care of the streets and bridges and let us take care of our own families! And to the Politicians…either grow a set and do the right thing, or find another line of work! And to the Clergy…WHERE ARE YOU?
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