A very unhappy birthday to America: 2 tragedies spotlight guns, inequalities | Opinion

I believe that you are tired and weary of hearing about mass murders. I know I am. Yet, on a day that many Americans gathered to celebrate the birthday of our nation, several innocent citizens were gunned down while watching a parade in Highland Park, near Chicago.

It was the 309th mass shooting this year.

Authorities say that after Robert Crimo, the 21-year-old suspect, was done with the killing there — he is accused of killing seven and wounded dozens — he escaped, dressed as a woman, falling in with the terrified crowd. He then went calmly to his mother’s house, took her car and drove 150 miles northwest of Chicago to Madison, Wisconsin, where he saw another celebration, and contemplated killing even more people with a firearm he had with him in the car, according to the reports I’ve read.

Crimo was caught after an eight-hour manhunt and arrested — alive. He was suspected of unleashing a mass shooting.

Yet no arresting officer fired weapons at him as he was captured.

Which brings me to another situation involving arresting officers and the shooting of young Black men.

On July 5, in Akron, Ohio, Jayland Walker, 25, received at least 60 wounds from gunfire.. His crime? A traffic violation.

First, I want to know how many bullets does it take to kill one Black man? Then, I want to know was his alleged crime worthy of such severe punishment?

According to some stories, Walker ran and when he did stop, he got out of his car. But he made the wrong move. It cost him his life.

Although news reports say he had a gun in the car, he was unarmed when he was shot dozens of times.

I can’t make sense of it.

Just as we question our lawmakers on why they can’t pass a law banning assault weapons, many Black Americans are asking another question: How long must Black parents repeat the how-to-stay-alive-when-arrested speech to our young sons and daughters? How many times must we tell them not to ask questions when stopped by the police? Not to show anger when called the “N” word? Or not to run, no matter how frightened they are?

I am sad for the people who lost their loved ones on July Fourth in Highland Park at what should have been a wonderful family-oriented outing, America’s birthday celebration.

I am also sad for Jayland Walker, who was, by the accounts I heard about him from those who knew him, a gentle person loved by many.

I don’t know what it will take for our lawmakers to make it illegal for ordinary citizens to purchase an assault weapon. I don’t think background checks alone will work.

I don‘t know what it will take to stop the police shooting of unarmed young Blacks.

I do know that the entire country seems to be unraveling.

Meanwhile, a Very Unhappy Birthday to us, America.

Rev. Melanie Marsh named to leadership at Riviera Presbyterian

A warm welcome is extended to the Rev. Melanie Marsh, who has accepted the role of transitional pastor at Riviera Presbyterian Church at 5275 Sunset Dr. in South Miami. She will begin leading the congregation at the 11 a.m. worship service on Sunday (July 10).

According to a press release, as transitional pastor, Marsh will lead the church as the members “contemplate, discuss and explore the life of the Riviera community, the missions and direction of the church and ultimately, call a permanent pastor.”

Marsh comes to Riviera from Community Presbyterian Church in Atlantic Beach, near Jacksonville, where she served as senior pastor.

A lifelong Presbyterian and a native of Central Florida, Marsh is the daughter of Caribbean immigrants. She has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in theater and dance from Florida State University and a master’s in divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary.

Before going into the ministry, Marsh worked in the performing arts, arts education and community activism in Florida and Southern California. She is the mother of three young children “who love all things outdoors.”

She and her family are looking forward to their new home and schools and exploring Miami.

Black Archives announces summer hours

For those of you who want to know more about our city, the Black Archives History and Research Foundation of South Florida, housed in the historic Lyric Theater at 819 NW Second Ave. in Overtown, announces its summer exhibit hours.

The “If These Streets Could Talk: An Historic Exploration of Black Miami” at the Lyric, and “In Motion: The African American Migration Experience” at the D.A. Dorsey House Museum, 250 NW Ninth St., will have summer visiting hours Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through August.

The cost is $5 per person, per location. Students and seniors ages 65 and older, are admitted free with ID. Groups that are not student groups will still be required to pay the per person fee and are encouraged to schedule their group visits by calling 786-708-4610, or emailing baf@bahlt.org.

CORRECTION

In my column of July 3, I congratulated the Rev. Dr. Walter T. Richardson on being elected chairman of Jackson Health System’s governing Board. The item was published with the wrong picture. Instead of Walter T. Richardson, the picture of his father, Bishop Walter H. Richardson, was mistakenly published.

Here is the picture of the younger Richardson, and we apologize for the mistake.

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Bea Hines can be reached at bea.hines@gmail.com.