A child's death, a community's failure: Gregory Aymond
Published: Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Last week, a 5-year-old girl's life was stolen as she was shot to death at a 10-year-old's birthday party. Her family is left with unimaginable grief, and every child at that party will be affected forever with the scar of watching a friend, someone like them, die because of a senseless and horrific act of violence.
A girl wipes her eyes outside the home of Briana Allen, the 5-year-old who was murdered last week, at a vigil service May 30.
Briana Allen died because her murderer had no respect for her or anyone else. A completely selfish act of violence has forever changed her family and each person who witnessed it. What does this mean?
This means, we -- the community -- are failing our young people. We are perpetuating a society that breeds a lack of respect for the dignity of life; a society that, through relativism, has failed our young people by not teaching them right from wrong. We live in a society that values oneself and rewards selfishness.
We continue to hear that these things are the results of poverty and drug crime. Young people are getting involved in the drug trade because they see it as a quick fix to their financial woes.
Are we giving them other tools to escape poverty? Are we ensuring these children are being fed and cared for? Are we providing quality education focused on the child's developmental needs? Are we teaching them appropriate and respectful ways to resolve conflicts? Are we teaching them the value of hard work and pride in real accomplishments? Most importantly, are we teaching them that they are loved and valued and worthy of respect? Sadly, I think we as a community have to answer "no" to these questions.
There has been a lot of outrage expressed over the past few days over Briana's murder, but what actions are we, each one of us, taking to change our community so more families do not have to face burying their child? Does the crime and violence have to reach each of us directly before real change can occur? It starts with each individual, each family, each church congregation. Let us unite together for peace.
Briana was one of our Catholic school students -- a bright 5-year-old with her entire future ahead as she celebrated her kindergarten graduation from St. Alphonsus last month. Her death is a loss to our entire family of Catholic schools.
We must all take action. We must all pray for our community. We must all strive to live our lives as examples of who we want our children to grow up to be. We must treat everyone we meet, even those we disagree with, with respect and with the dignity they have been graced with by God. We must be God's peacemakers of 2012.
I don't have all the answers to the problem of violence, murder and racism in our society. What I do have is my ability to live out my faith, my vocation. This is what we all have -- the ability to live out our values so that we pass them on to future generations and bring peace to our torn community.
It is up to each and every one of us to ensure that no more innocent children are murdered on our streets. Will you join me in this battle to save our children?
We must be victorious in the new battle of New Orleans against violence, murder and racism. I encourage everyone to join Mayor Landrieu in his "NOLA for Life" plan. This plan gives action steps and hope. Each of us has the responsibility. Let us all use that gift to promote life and dignity of all.
A girl wipes her eyes outside the home of Briana Allen, the 5-year-old who was murdered last week, at a vigil service May 30. This means, we -- the community -- are failing our young people. We are perpetuating a society that breeds a lack of respect for the dignity of life; a society that, through relativism, has failed our young people by not teaching them right from wrong. We live in a society that values oneself and rewards selfishness.
We continue to hear that these things are the results of poverty and drug crime. Young people are getting involved in the drug trade because they see it as a quick fix to their financial woes.
Are we giving them other tools to escape poverty? Are we ensuring these children are being fed and cared for? Are we providing quality education focused on the child's developmental needs? Are we teaching them appropriate and respectful ways to resolve conflicts? Are we teaching them the value of hard work and pride in real accomplishments? Most importantly, are we teaching them that they are loved and valued and worthy of respect? Sadly, I think we as a community have to answer "no" to these questions.
There has been a lot of outrage expressed over the past few days over Briana's murder, but what actions are we, each one of us, taking to change our community so more families do not have to face burying their child? Does the crime and violence have to reach each of us directly before real change can occur? It starts with each individual, each family, each church congregation. Let us unite together for peace.
Briana was one of our Catholic school students -- a bright 5-year-old with her entire future ahead as she celebrated her kindergarten graduation from St. Alphonsus last month. Her death is a loss to our entire family of Catholic schools.
We must all take action. We must all pray for our community. We must all strive to live our lives as examples of who we want our children to grow up to be. We must treat everyone we meet, even those we disagree with, with respect and with the dignity they have been graced with by God. We must be God's peacemakers of 2012.
I don't have all the answers to the problem of violence, murder and racism in our society. What I do have is my ability to live out my faith, my vocation. This is what we all have -- the ability to live out our values so that we pass them on to future generations and bring peace to our torn community.
It is up to each and every one of us to ensure that no more innocent children are murdered on our streets. Will you join me in this battle to save our children?
We must be victorious in the new battle of New Orleans against violence, murder and racism. I encourage everyone to join Mayor Landrieu in his "NOLA for Life" plan. This plan gives action steps and hope. Each of us has the responsibility. Let us all use that gift to promote life and dignity of all.
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