Ok, so I wasn't going to comment much on the events that ensued on Wednesday, July 6th, 2011, because honestly, there's too much to process and too many opportunities to stick my foot in my mouth, so I've decided to opt out. However, there does seem to be a need for Guerneville to give more of a PUSH for positive energy this season. With the deaths of Brad Baetchel of Santa Rosa and now Elijah Lockheart of Sebastopol, both within weeks (and literally, FEET) of each other, something has GOT to be done about the traumatic energy left behind.
Local and Open Mic organizer Angelina Gargano has started the wheels turning of a Candle Vigil, appropriately named "Healing the Heart of Town Vigil". This healing event will take place on Monday, July 11th from 8pm to 9pm. The Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence plan to be there to hold prayers. If you plan to attend, please bring flowers and candles. The intent is to "clear the air" of the Town Plaza and the Pedestrian Bridge, a task I believe has been long overdue.
And while this event may heal out hearts for those that were lost, the questions remains "what can we do to reclaim our town?" Albeit a severe event, this isn't the first that violence has touched this region of town (or the entire town for that matter!), and I sit here in my little home wondering, "how can I reclaim that bridge so it's safe again? Safe for me and my family to walk on?" The drug activity and violence that occurs on the bridge cannot be tolerated anymore. The passive attitudes Americans have taken in recent decades has created a void of tolerated intolerable-behaviors. Essentially, those performing illegal (or just downright immoral) acts don't care because the likelyhood of them being held responsible is slim-to-none. How do we bring back this system of holding those responsible for their actions? What can a small town do? Perhaps there's a meeting on the horizon where we can voice our SUGGESTIONS and put words into ACTIONS? Perhaps...
