Two Teens

Yesterday afternoon, while our boys were kicking back and doing some fishing on Eleanor Lake, two boys were shot at on Toronto Street.  One has died from a chest wound (16), the other in stable condition with a leg wound (13).  My thirteen year old was working at a snag on some reeds, when a kid the same age was just sitting on his porch suddenly saw his buddy thump over and a pain like fire went through his leg.  Only 3 pm, day time shots and one life taken, the other changed forever (never mind parents, siblings and relatives!!).  Apparently it is gang-related, and linked to another shooting minutes later at a car, only one street parallel away. So, tomorrow, they interview the mayor and ask him "what is he going to do about it".  Doesn't that sound strange to you?  Yah, let's go ask the mayor what's up with these shootings, and give us a plan so that we will all feel safe.  Why go to the mayor?  Why not the two guys who did it?  Why not to the gang leader, grieving mom to hard faced leader?  Why not we go to the guys house and weep, cry, pray over the suffering and anguish this brings, bring our sons and daughters to their front yard and say, "Do you want to kill these ones too?"   To take responsibility, to be a grieving yet connected community means that it affects us too. These two teens were worth more than that, my kids are worth more than that, and I hope the Winnipeg community realizes its not the mayor's problem, its all of ours.