"Repent!" has been an imperative so long that there is a whole bunch of cartoons about it. Click here to see some of "the end is near" genre. If the rapture is delayed once again, a lot of us will not be surprised. The smart alecks among my Facebook friends have come up with some funny responses to the billboard alarums about May 21. For example, irreverent Ed P. declares, "I plan on eating bacon nonstop today."
But seriously folks, the topic of repentance comes to mind when thinking about the gang truce in Plainfield. Are these young men truly ready to put their violent ways behind them? The thought came to mind that if so, they should be willing to turn in any weapons they possess and get others in their sphere of influence to do the same. But then what about out-of-towners who come here to mess with folks? How far out will the peace ripple? To East Orange and Irvington? To wherever young people come from to hang out at Park & Fifth after the bars close?
If the sun does come up tomorrow and the next day, let us hope that gang members will be at police headquarters Monday morning talking about how guns can be turned in without the owners getting charged for weapons possession. The local gang members could also decide not to congregate at places likely to engender violence, such as those 2:30 a.m. gatherings of tipsy troublemakers on weekends.
Willpower can do a lot to get a person steered in a new direction, but habits die hard. This nascent movement toward social responsibility could also use the counsel of clergy or some old heads in the neighborhood who know something about personal struggle in the face of temptation. Mentors could help this process of change stay on track.
Now that the gang members have gone public with their truce, a lot of people will want to put in their two cents on what should happen next, this writer obviously being one of them. But ultimately change is in the hands of those who took the first step. Reactions online have been mixed, some supporting the young men's vow, while others snort and sneer. Mainstream society is skeptical of repentance, but redemption is well understood in African-American culture and ultimately that may be the saving grace for these young men. I wonder what words will be spoken from church pulpits tomorrow on this topic - that is, if the world doesn't end today.
--Bernice
Maybe a little History from Aespo's Fables may be considered:
ReplyDeleteTHE FARMER AND THE VIPER
One winter a Farmer found a Viper frozen and numb with cold, and out of pity picked it up and placed it in his bosom. The Viper was no sooner revived by the warmth than it turned upon its benefactor and inflicted a fatal bite upon him; and as the poor man lay dying, he cried, "I have only got what I deserved, for taking compassion on so villainous a creature." The Viper replied "You knew I was a sanke when you picked me up"
Kindness is thrown away upon the evil.
But my annex to the Fable:
ReplyDelete"It will be a pleasure to see this Ancient Fable proven wrong, and that kindness will pay off this time, so ... hopefully ... the young men will give us a better life then that poor farmer"
P.S. Hopefully that old fable will be proven wrong by these young men, and this will be a new tale to tell throughout the land.
ReplyDeleteGB it is a travesty that of all the analogies you could site you chose one that is based in fear and I hate to even begin to think what else. I'm thankful they don't read these blogs because this would certainly turn their already volatile and anxious souls towards doubt and hopelessness. If you believe in God, how about offering up some prayers that their efforts will in fact bring about the peace this city so desparately needs and people like yourself claim to want.
ReplyDeleteThey have murdered our friends, sold sisters into prostitution, and given drugs to children. And we are to encourage them to be good? Where is their heart felt REJECTION of that type of living and a committment to living the right way ??? Let me see YOU walk down the gang, rather crew plagued streets of our City and give out Thank You notes.
ReplyDelete