TBTS

The Take Back the Site prayer vigil this week had an unusual tone. There are lots of reasons why. First, the young man was only 20; second, yet another young black man died by a violent act; third, it was a larger than usual crowd of family, friends and mourners--maybe 150; fourth, the family, and really everyone, was especially frustrated because no one has been arrested for the homicide and no one has come forth with any information, a growing reality that is going along with the gun violence in our area; fifth, this was the fifth homicide of the year for us, with two more still to be prayed for in the next week or so--that's seven already (which was last year's total) with three of them coming since July 1.

Very, very sad and disheartening in our lovely little city--as it is suffering from lack of jobs for, primarily, the under-educated young and not-so-young adults--a growing number of refugees (who will generally, they say, be fine once they get the language and culture down, but until then, they need a lot of help), and general poverty with all its accompanying problems in housing, health care, nutrition, education, etc.

See today's newspaper story here.

Our local media, TV and newspapers, always cover the vigils well. Everyone cares about the escalating violence.

Family and friends brought posters as a memorial to Travon.

This site was right along E. 10th St. in a residential downtown block.