Keoshia

Thirteen-year-old Keosshia Ford did not want to become the symbol of gang violence in Chattanooga. Keoshia wanted to be the athletic, active, beautiful child she was until two bullets hurtled into her body leaving her helpless, wordless and, some would say, hopeless.

According to the Xfinity Security web site, my chance of being a victim of violent crime in Chattanooga is 1/107. Of course, that depends on where in our fair city I live. Low cost housing in Chattanooga is dangerous housing. Low rent neighborhoods in Chattanooga are high crime neighborhoods.

Currently my husband and I live in a relatively safe area with peaceful neighbors. This has not always been the case. We have lived in seven different cities in six different states and have had to live in homes well below the median value, but I have been unsafe in only two of those cities, Memphis, and Chattanooga.
In both of those cities you must have a better than average income, or be very lucky, to live in a safe neighborhood. A large part of the problem is that Memphis and Chattanooga still suffer from “white flight,” urban sprawl, and the racial and economic problems that result. Shame on us. The unfounded fear that burned through these cities in the 60’s and 70’s has left a legacy of blight and destruction that feeds into the immoral national welfare system and creates a fatherless, valueless, bitter underclass with inferior schools and poor health.
How do we overcome?
On August 4th, in the residential neighborhood where Keoshia was shot, Chattanooga gathered and prayed. Our mayor prayed, our city and county representatives prayed, our ministers and our neighbors prayed. We prayed for peace in our community, unity among neighbors, hope for the future, help to understand and stop the violence, and healing for this innocent victim.
God help us.
Help us to create a spiritual unity that is impervious to the machinations of Satan and a resolve to rebuild neglected institutions and communities.
Amen.