Within the matter of a second, that seemed like an hour, I thought hard about the next sentence.
Do I say what's on my mind, or soften it up?
I decided to speak out. I told the crowd it seems like we are collectively doing the work of the Klan. That the Klan is probably thanking all of us, with the latest victim of “urban violence,” being Brooklyn resident, 34 year old Zuranna Horton.
We have become so desensitized to black on black crime that Horton’s horrible murder is already yesterday’s news.
Horton was killed while trying to shield her kids when a gunman opened fire from a Brownsville Brooklyn rooftop near a school.
I repeat, Horton was murdered trying to protect her kids. This woman used her body for the bullets to make sure the children could have a future.
A million questions fire through my mind quickly now. When is the violence going to stop? Will it ever cease? Do we care? Why are we doing this to each other?
One elected official in Brooklyn had it right.
"This is not Libya. This is not Iran. This is not Afghanistan”
"This is Brownsville, USA … What happened to this young lady here should not have happened."
Those were the words of State Senator Eric Adams.
Police believe the shooting was gang-related and are searching for a gunman and a second suspect. Also wounded was 11-year-old Cheanne McKnight, who was grazed in the face by a bullet.
This type of situation is happening in cities all across America. Nobody is doing anything. Innocent people are dying, by the day.
If we don't get it together, "each one, teach one," stand up and help our communities, one of us may tragically be next.