| In Tyler, it’s the recent gunfire that left two people injured. Four bank robbers were arrested just this past month. Police say gang activity has become more organized and is gaining influence. In Longview, there have been a plague of drive-by shootings. Police there are attributing the issues to drugs and gangs. These have become the signs that in formerly small town East Texas, some areas are facing big city growing pains.
Community leaders aren’t standing by idle, though. Donald Sanders, a recently elected city council member for Tyler’s west side is organizing the support. Thursday night Sanders led a community town hall meeting to talk about reclaiming the neighborhoods.
The Tyler Morning Telegraph followed the meeting closely.
"I think this is a meeting that's long past due," Sanders said, addressing an estimated crowd of about 100. "I cannot sit back and not do anything to try and eliminate these kinds of problems. I have nothing to fear. If we pull together as a community, we can put a damper on it."
In Longview, local ministers have begun to fight back with their own non-violent movement. The Longview News Journal has followed several of the pastors as they have organized community events to bring about awareness and speak to the issues that have been driving some into their homes and off of the their formerly safe streets.
The Rev. D.J. Nelson, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church, compared violence with cancer.
"If doctors find cancer in a certain part of your body, it's a threat to the entire body," he said. "Any time we have issues in our city like drugs or violence, it's a threat to the entire city." |
| In Tyler and Longview, both cities, respectively, just under 100,000, violence has become all too common. The issues have forced the growing communities to look for various solutions.
Daryl Bowdre said the community shouldn't look solely to the city to fix the problems. Solving the problems will depend on active participation from churches, civic groups and citizens.
Young people need jobs, productive pastimes and positive mentors, he said.
"We've got to come back," he said. "We have to come back to our communities."
But far too often, these mid-sized cities haven’t had the same practice dealing with these problems as larger metroplexes. Tyler and Longview both have Boys and Girls Programs, various non-profits, and some after-school type programs. However, the non-profit and mentor type organizations aren’t as fully developed in our cities. These programs have helped provide the infrastructure to combat violence, drug abuse, and poverty in urban areas. Often, these same types of programs in mid-sized cities are far too underfunded, or non-existent to have the same positive influence.
So, where do these cities turn?
Marilyn Williams, asst. principal at Stewart Middle School (in Tyler), urged citizens to visit local schools and help out.
"We want you to encourage our young people, tell them what great kids they are," she said. "Churches, send over your men to be mentors to our boys."
…
Daryl Bowdre said the community shouldn't look solely to the city to fix the problems. Solving the problems will depend on active participation from churches, civic groups and citizens.
"Prayer is a great approach," Nelson said while eating lunch Thursday at Bel's Diner on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
"The Bible teaches that if we have problems in our land and pray, he will answer."
Nelson said the anti-violence focus is a start of ongoing activities promoting unity throughout the city.
So many of our modern day community groups and civil rights organizations have roots in the churches and non-violent philosophies. Perhaps, this may be a precursor for truly organized efforts to push for anti-poverty initiatives in these cities, something I have observed has been truly lacking.
Poverty has run rampant in many parts of East Texas. The cost of living is certainly lower than many parts of the state, but wages, too, are suppressed. Access to quality education and further opportunity is still not available to all.
As leaders like Councilman Donald Sanders and Rev. D.J. Nelson organize against these specific incidents, I hope that they can help direct a larger movement for economic progression, anti-poverty initiatives and mentoring programs to truly teach a generation that promise. I hope that they realize that great non-profits create great communities and can work to build them here. I dream they can help communities that have found themselves in a daze, focus on the promise of creating opportunity for all of our diverse backgrounds.
UPDATED: 7/8/06
A new movement in a different section of Tyler took place yesterday, just hours before I wrote this article. Just outside of town, in an area called Sand Hill, some residents have become fed up with the growing drug problem which has become an epidemic in East Texas.
From today's Tyler Morning Telegraph:
SAND HILL - About 25 people and members of Smith County law enforcement gathered at the Warren Chapel CME Church in the Sand Hill community Friday morning to show their solidarity against drug dealers and prostitutes.
Ian Muhammad, the event organizer, said her community is overridden with drugs and "unsavory characters."
"We are here today to tell them (the criminals) that their days in our community are over," she said. "We are tired of their activities and will not allow it anymore."
This area, also known to some in the area as "crack hill." Drugs, especially meth and crack cocaine, have become an epidemic in this more rural community near Tyler. As happens in poor communities, drug use leads to violence and often prostitution.
Organizer Ian Muhammad said, "I don't want the place I grew up in to be known like this. Our children deserve better and our residents shouldn't have to worry about these thugs."
...
Several in the crowd marched down County Road 239 chanting anti drug slogans and singing songs.
"No more drugs," they chanted in unison. Then began shouting, "No justice for us then no peace for them."
Ms. Muhammad said she and a community team are planning another rally with ministers from the Dallas area.
"We are not going to stop. We will be meeting regularly to discuss how to take back our neighborhood and we'll be working with law enforcement," she said. "Their day is over."
I'm glad to see communties beginning to come together. Willingness to organize is where change begins. |
