Sammantha's funeral underway

Don't think for one moment her funeral is lost on the minds of every mother and father in Monrovia who know bullets know no color nor city boundaries.
Requiescat in pace.

Thank you, Rosemary. Samantha's death affects all of us. I've been crying every day over all of this wretched killing. And my anguish is not limited in sympathy for the families of Samantha and her friend, for Davien's, and Mr Rollins', but embraces the grief of Brandon Lee's family, too...

It was easy at first for me to find my heart shutting down with experiencing compassion for Brandon Lee and his family because of his Duroc gang affiliation, yet my inability then was fostered by fear until I attended one of the Town Hall meetings and heard our Mayor Hammond share with tears in his eyes how heartbreaking it was to meet with Samantha and Brandon's families... how these families were both equally hurting... so the Mayor's compassionate share opened my heart to find empathy for everyone involved...

As I could not attend Samantha's funeral service because I did not know where it would be held, I went to Brandon's memorial site on Almond where he was slain, and to my surprise discovered that this house where Brandon died belonged to a family that I've often carpooled their grandkid home from preschool... So it really brought it all home to me... we're all neighbors. We're all related with one another. One's distress affects the other.

Like you say, Rosemary, "bullets know no color," the grief we all share know no boundaries, too...

But in saying this.... our nation is at war. Our government officials claim we're warring because of the threat of terrorism, yet our town is also at war because the same elements of hatred, intolerance and fear exist and lead our lives. It would be so nice if Andy Taylor, Mrs Bea and Opie could help lead us out of this mess, but I will say that while our town is a Mayberry, USA of the sort, our current environment is set in the landscape of Dennis Hopper's "Colors."

We have to face the music. We can't keep passing responsibility on to whoever we vote for (if we vote at all)... We need to get physical, step into the solution, attend meetings, create programs, involve ourselves in community, especially with the youth because let's get real... most of these kids DON'T HAVE PARENTS!!! They're Lost Boys being mislead by thuggish Peter Pans who didn't have dads or mothers. So you, me, the next person who reads this message and everyone who follows suit, we all need to make a commitment and ACT AS A FAMILY. Bottom line is that gangs are created to substitute for the loss of a family unit.

I personally am going to make a difference. I'll join every meeting, volunteer with creating after school programs for these kids, chip in with Foothill Unity, the Red Cross... wherever the need is... but we all gotta do this... it can't be just a few Aunt Beas and City leaders... these folks are OVERWHELMED and can reach burn out if new arms don't come into the cause.

I really am grateful for this Crime Scene Blog site because it's acting now as an interim community message board for Monrovia... but what the City needs to do is establish one of its own on its official site ( www.ci.monrovia.ca.us )... maybe one exists but I've had trouble locating such a forum...

Anyways, peace to you, and for those who don't know about Foothill Unity, please visit this link:

www.foothillunitycenter.org

Please, please think about the children. When you are young and you join a gang, remember it is very, very hard to leave the life. Even if you leave it the children you have, no matter how innocent they are, will be in danger of retaliation for what you did. It is hard at 14 or 15 to think so far ahead but your choices have consequences for the rest of your life and the lives of your loved ones.