The Better Angels of Our Nature
                                                                                          Written by  Karah  Raphaelita ​Newton
                                                                                 Dedicated to Joe and Joanne Witherspoon September 15, 2011


 
 
On July 11, 2011, the senseless killing of eight year old Leiby Kletzy of Burough Park, Brooklyn, New York left our nation reeling from shock. We all asked the collective question: what kind of world are we living in when an innocent child who loses his way on the street stops to ask directions of a stranger winds up murdered at the hands of that stranger in the most horrific way? We were all left with the distinct sensation that this world had become an unsafe place for the weakest and most vulnerable among us. The one ray of light amidst this gruesome slaying was the huge outcry from the community against the perpetrator and the massive show of support for the victim’s family. The outcry came not only from Leiby's community, but from other communities of various backgrounds: black, white, hispanic, asian, and others . They were there making a stand against this violent act.

Burrough Park community's response to Leiby Kletzy’s brutal murder had a lesson to teach all of us, particularly those of us in the Black community.

Approximately two years ago, as I was getting ready for Church, a story on the local television station news grabbed my attention. As the details became clearer, a sick feeling filled the pit of my stomach. Another black man killed. He was not killed by the KKK or by a police officer. No. He was killed by another black man. The victim was a former champion boxer whose life was cut short by robbers.

Fast forward a few months later. I am watching CNN News. I get another attack of that familiar sensation in the bottom of my stomach. This time, it’s a young black honor student in Chicago (Chi town). His life was savagely taken at the hands of a group of Black young men.

How is it that so many Black American young men have come to view the life of fellow Blacks of such little value, nothing more than a life to be snuffed out without the slightest consideration? Statistics confirm what most of us have already figured out from listening to the news. The majority of Blacks are murdered by Blacks. The silence in the black community is deafening concerning black on black crime. If we protested against black on black crime as vigorously as we do when a black person is killed by a white police officer, the killing that takes place in our community would drop drastically. Our attitude of see no evil, hear no evil when it comes to black on black violence is ludicrous! It is simply wrong to kill any person, be he black or white. It does not make it ok, to commit any criminal act against anyone even if the person looks like the victim.

As a black American, I have decided to end my silence with the publication of this article. God’s love for mankind shows no discrimination. His embrace encompasses all: black, white, brown, rich, poor.

Like the people of Park Burrough, Brooklyn back in July, 2011, we must take a stand. No. it is not Okay if a Black man kills another Black Man. If we do not take a stand we will have to answer to Our creator one day. Let's first pray, then take action against this senseless killing in our community. When a Black person is murdered at the hands of another Black person, we must open our mouths with the same vehemence as when a Black person is killed by a white person. All human life is precious.

I am aware of the oppressively brutal treatment of blacks in America. There is much in our torturous past to which we can attribute the destructive ways in which many our Black Community behave today. But let's rise above our past and let's not allow our history to determine how we treat one another, or any one else. In the words of our great and famous President Abraham Lincoln, "Let’s be guided by the better angels of our nature toward all mankind.” Let us allow God to teach us how to walk in the love that he created us to walk in toward all mankind. Let's ask our Heavenly Father to heal our hearts of the past and current hurt. Let us run our race with, joy, peace, integrity, intelligence and most of all love.