I see the photo online today.
An 'army' of heavily armed policemen patrol through South Sacramento. And a small girl dressed in a bright pink outfit walking on the sidewalk. The photo haunts me. Can this be my City? Surely, it's a picture of Iraq or Afghanistan? My heart breaks - for the law enforcement officer killed yesterday, for the lost youth of Sacramento who believe, rightly or wrongly, that gangs offer more hope to them than their community, for all those who hate and punish even though it is obvious this is not the solution. And by the minute, the situation deteriorates.

I thought about it all day. I can't put it out of my mind. And then Rhonda Erwin, a fearless and tireless champion for the youth of Sacramento, forwarded this note written by a local attorney and former law enforcement officer. If only he were in the majority.

When a community lives by the sword, it will die by the sword. Yet, I mourn grievously the needless death of the law enforcement officer performing his duties, as I once "wore the uniform" of another law enforcement agency.

His loss is deep and mournful, as I weep for his loss as he did his Duty to the Fullest Measure. For his family, I shed my reluctant tears and offer only inadequate solace, for he obviously was a great man, and dedicated public servant. Hopefully his loss will at last call us all to awake from our comfort of letting "law enforcement" take care of this problem.

Just as it has been said, "War is too Important to be left to the Generals", so too at home, the so-called "street crime" is too important to leave only to law enforcement.

I once walked that neighborhood and called that place home, so I take to heart the great tragedy that folks there now must feel. This brings real anguish in this place. On the one hand, these neighbors must feel their days are risky and dangerous because of restless youth; but on the other-hand they must feel isolated and invaded by official powers with a "survivor- conquers-all" mentality. But that mentality isn't trust-worthy; and that mentality didn't work here, and won't be any more reliable for our Community's neighborhoods in the future, where and when our Children will be living our legacy.

Now, at last, at long last, we, starting here and now in our Community need to reach out in peace; peace begets peace. Let it begin. Let our legacy be a challenge of peace, not a challenge of war-fare on our own streets, in our own neighborhoods.

Children should be offered love, and respite from the violence of gangs, not rebuff and fear.

Children should be offered a welcoming place, in the class-room, in the neighborhood, in Recreational Centers, in Parks, in the Youth Programs, and yes, in their Churches.

Children here are "our" children, not the Enemies that our trigger-ready mentality of SWAT teams and Law Enforcement budgets caters to at local Board meetings. "Where our Treasure is, so are our Hearts."

Children "Know" when they are marginalized, and Children "Know" when they are pushed outside of the Value Parameters of our Community.

Children "Know" when there's no music program because that's too expensive.

Children "Know" when the Community doesn't value them, or much less their Future.

Children "Know" when we show them that their Future is not our concern, seeing the schools left afloat with demeaning lack of concern, both for the physical plant and resources and challenging opportunities.

Yes, Children "get-it" that those new shinny Law Enforcement tools are targeted at them.

They get-it that they are expected to "stay-in-line", but not the line that leads to Educational Excellence and development of their God-Given Potential, but instead the one that leads to darkness and despair because we are "ready, willing and able" to FILL MORE PRISONS at whatever COST.

Yes, Children "get-it" that we are not prepared to fill their classrooms with any "shinny" new educational tools, because we constantly remind them that such educational assistance for them would COST TOO MUCH.

Yes, Children clearly "get-it" where we're coming from. They see, hear and "feel" it when we adopt "Gang-Ordinances" to watch, monitor and control their movements, speech and free association. They "get-it"!

A new dialog is needed. And if we need new Leadership to "get-it" right, then the time is NOW to start.

Our law enforcement officers need to be welcome as "Neighborhood Beat-Cops" who know the kids by name. That may be back-to-the-future", but the Path we have wandered-down is fruitless of positive results. Staying on that old Path is only certain to lead to the same "Survivor-Wins" results.

Let's now dedicate to take a new Path, expecting Positive Results BECAUSE WE PLANT THE SEEDS OF HOPEFULNESS, not despair. Let us bear any burden to support our neighborhood kids, NO WHAT OR WHERE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS. LET'S EXPECT OUR KIDS TO BE OUR FUTURE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND GOOD CITIZENS.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen