On Thursday, a group of Columbus residents gathered at Columbus High School to listen and speak on the subject of gun violence in the city.
There have been seven shooting incidents since the start of the year, on average one every other day. Those shootings, coupled with the still rare emotions evoked by the officer-involved shooting death of Ricky Ball in October have created a climate of suspicion, fear and frustration that has become almost palpable, particularly in the neighborhoods where the violence is something seen not on TV, but from the windows of their homes.
There is little doubt these shooting incidents have shaken the city. Thursday’s was the second of three community meetings organized for this week alone. Monday, city and police department officials met with residents at Genesis Church Daycare, where a shot was fired through a daycare window on Jan. 8.
Saturday, a “prayer walk” began at East Columbus Gym and proceeded through several neighborhoods to bring the faith community together in this troubling time.
Thursday’s meeting covered a wide range of topics. Police officials shared information on the recent shootings, talked about plans to combat the surge in violence, listened to residents as they offered their suggestions or asked questions.
The skeptic might be inclined to suggest that this week’s meetings are merely exercises in hand-wringing and no one will be appreciably safer next week than they are this week.
After all, none of those who turned out for any or all of this week’s meetings are the people who are doing the shooting. They are not the people who are in need of being persuaded to put down their guns, after all.
The skeptic might be inclined to call these meeting an exercise in preaching to the choir.
As best as can be determined at this point, none of the seven shooting incidents are related. Each shooting was committed by different people for different reasons under different circumstances.
You could argue that what we are witnessing in the city is either an unexplainable rash of unrelated crimes or, far more disturbing, a reflection of our modern gun culture.
When guns are plentiful, they are plentiful for all — the “law-abiding citizen” and “street thug” alike. And when the ugly consequences of cultural shifts emerge, they emerge most quickly and most viciously among the poor.
In either case, the skeptic argues you can hold meetings from now until kingdom come and little will be achieved.
But there is a more hopeful view of what these meetings may produce, too, and it is one that should not be so casually dismissed.
They serve to unite residents behind a common cause, strengthen ties between the community and city officials, share information and raise awareness.
When residents and police officials begin to see themselves as equal partners engaged a common struggle, progress is possible. People who may have previously been suspicious or distrustful of police may be more inclined to report suspicious activity, more willing to watch out for their neighbors, more willing to reach out, speak out and stand out.
Police, through the long, hard work of earning trust in the community, may find allies among those who previously considered them as adversaries.
These meetings won’t solve the problem of gun violence, but if they serve to galvanize the community and promote and strengthen ties with law enforcement, it makes our city safer, if only incrementally safer.
In a country where the number of guns is roughly the same as the population, the cure for gun violence will remain elusive.
And where there is no cure, the best remaining option is a treatment.
That is where the benefit of this week’s meetings is found.
The message:
We can’t do everything.
But we can do something.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.