With the heartbreaking loss of precious Tamrah Leonard, we in the city of Trenton are deeply outraged. On June 7th, 13 year old Tamrah was the tragic recipient of a stray bullet during a drive by shooting at a stop-the-violence block party held on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

According to prosecutors, numerous gunmen sprayed at least 20 bullets into a crowd of 100 people at this stop-the-violence block rally. As of today, seven young men are now held in custody awaiting trial for this cowardly deed. Let us hope and pray that the bereaved Leonard family receive justice for this ignoble act.

In the wake of this tragedy, we must not take the easy way out and drink from the cup of bitterness and hatred that demonizes the individuals that committed this reprehensible act. We must hold these individuals accountable, but never lose sight of their humanity. To engage in black and white thinking that pits citizens against gang members is to oversimplify the problem because these gang members are the sons and daughters of citizens. We have a moral obligation to do the much harder job of actually trying to understand why these young men and women are susceptible to gangs. We must take real steps to help at risk youth look at the allure of gang membership and say ‘no that is not the way for me’.

In the past, young people have looked to their family, church, and school for guidance, leadership, and something constructive to do in their communities. These institutions have traditionally equipped individuals with the necessary tools to combat feelings of meaninglessness and hopelessness that make ordinary people vulnerable to gangs and extremist groups. Quite frankly, families are much weaker than they used to be. Far too many churches are becoming materialistic, and all too many schools are more concerned about their budget than the well-being of their students. These organizations are trying their best. However, more needs to be done. These institutions, like all other human institutions, sometimes need renewal and improvement.

The question becomes: Where do we go from here? I suggest that we can all help out in unique ways. In the home, instead of having your children watch countless hours of television, we should communicate more effectively with them. Understanding their fears, anxieties as well as their aims and aspirations, can help our children pursue their dreams. If you don’t have children, you can volunteer to mentor a child that needs direction. Local churches and schools should do their part by offering job training and computer skills. Moreover, they ought to extend their outreach programs and after school activities to more at risk youth and make their visibility more prominent in the community with unrelenting advertising. These programs need to make explicit all the benefits of joining to counteract the appeal of gang membership.

If we fail to act now, the forces of darkness will have the last word. More innocent lives will be lost to prison, insane asylums, or ultimately death if we don’t do the right thing. Ironically, the street where precious Tamrah was gunned down is named after America’s towering figure, Dr. Martin Luther King. He eloquently said, “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals”. If you’re sick and tired of the carnage and violence of the status quo, you must act now. It won’t be easy nor will change occur overnight, but if we stay committed, progress is possible. The choice is ours to make.