By Kenneth L. Hardin

“Mother, mother, there’s too many of you crying. Brother, brother, brother, there’s far too many of you dying. You know we’ve got to find a way to bring some lovin’ here today.” -Marvin Gaye

Every time my phone rings and the voice on the other end shares in an emotionally exhausted tone devoid of hope that another young brother’s life has been extinguished, that song plays in my mind. As the voices seem to run together because of the frequency of the calls, I’m amazed the song, performed over 50 years ago, still has significance today.

The voices of desperation and sadness are almost too much to bear as I listen to those who feel our community no longer resembles peace, tranquility or cohesiveness. I, too, am one of those people. I left the community I loved back in 2004 after my then young children were almost hit by drive-by gunfire while playing in the backyard of our home.

If only these young folks could listen to Marvin Gaye’s lyrics before pulling the trigger, so much pain and heartache could be avoided, “…We don’t need to escalate. You see, war is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate.”

Most folks will clutch their pearls in horror at this belief, but the blame for the nefarious and deadly actions of the shooters are not theirs alone. I refuse to excuse anyone who chooses to walk up to the line of committing a deadly crime and take a giant leap over into the abyss, but when you have a community more concerned with aesthetics, not ensuring resources are spread evenly, doing little to nothing to bridge economic and racial gaps and criticizing and cancelling anyone who dares to speak up or out on the realities in our community, well, your hands have dirt on them too.

“Mother, mother, everybody thinks we’re wrong. Oh, but who are they to judge us…”

My hand is slapped every time I talk about skinfolk’s faults and deficiencies. I stopped getting invited to the cookout as a result, but I decided I had enough friends, so I was good when the trash emptied itself.

I agree with a message I received from a professional friend, “The bank is the center of the white community and the church is the center of ours. We know scripture better than we do interest rates and hedge funds, and then wonder why we can’t progress.”

We can’t pray our situation away or sit back and wait on divine intervention to lift us up out of the misery we’re in. We need to stop singing and shouting hallelujah, stop voting against our interests, demand equal access to resources, acquire land, protect our community assets, build generational wealth and close the racial wealth gap.

Marching is great for exercise, but slogans and chants have proven to do little. Laws and policy change work better. How many more times do we scream and exhort “No justice no peace” and “Hands up, don’t shoot” while saying each murder is a wake-up call?

It’s all so exhausting and I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. So skinfolk, what’s going on? “Oh, you know we’ve got to find a way to bring some understanding here today.”