Part VIII

 Written on Monday, October 31, 2011 at 5:25pm

“Enough is Enough..” a reporter cited Uptown residences as saying a year ago today, after trick-or-treaters were sent screaming and ducking for cover, in a shooting incident that injured three teenagers occurring at 515pm the evening of a 2010 Halloween.  Later that night a 35 year old man was shot to death in what was said to be a gang related incident. 

It’s Halloween a year later and while I would like to report that everything in Uptown has been calm and peaceful, I see no point in lying. We may have a new alderman and the police are now driving lovely new SUV’s but beyond that, nothing has changed.  I am currently sitting on my balcony watching a corner full of young frightening looking men mingle amongst themselves while tiny children in witch and bee costumes obliviously wander gleefully by on their way to a candy infested evening. 

There have been countless shootings these past few days.. Thankfully though, no one had been injured (besides the guy who was shot in the ass yesterday a block from here) ...till today.     At approximately 230pm gunshots rang out two blocks from here, tearing into the beautiful sunny afternoon as well as into flesh. No one seems to know any details or the extent of injuries to the person shot, but there are horrifying rumors that due to the rapid fire succession.. there is a strong chance that an automatic weapon was used.  The amount of guys currently on the corner has me nervous as well as the thought that at the time of this afternoon’s shooting, I was out for a walk. Only my need to go to the bank steered me out of the line of fire, though my intent had originally been to walk in that direction to take pictures of the lake in it’s fall colors.  

Last night, my husband and I went to see Joan Baez play. As I listened to her, I couldn’t help but be amazed by her ability to put the entire world into her voice.  This amazingly strong woman had marched with Martin Luther King Jr, fighting the civil rights war.  She stood with migrant farm workers demanding fare wages and a safe job, she helped form the American branch of Amnesty International, and has spent her entire life loudly opposing human rights oppression.  I, in contrast, am currently hiding in my apartment peering out the window while the kids whose civil rights she fought so hard for, are gunning each other down in the streets.  Life simply has no explanations. 

My husband and I have done our best to be involved.  He has been going to caps meetings while I have merely been talking with whoever I happen to see walking by. I am not sitting outside as much now as the cold temperatures have set in forcing every one indoors. We have taken part in the weekly positive loitering, but to be blunt..our efforts seem naive and pointless.  One shooting leads to another, leads to another, leads to another and so on and so forth... I just hope no one dies tonight.  Happy Halloween and above all, be safe!!