Pubdate: Tue, 06 Jan 2004
Source: Ledger-Enquirer (GA)
Copyright: 2004 Ledger-Enquirer
Contact:  http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/enquirer/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/237
Author: Kaffie Sledge

NEED TO RELEASE PRESSURE

Some readers have called me on the carpet for the line in the Dec. 23 
column about the "Crying Out Together to Become One Rally" at the 
Government Center Dec. 22.

I wrote, "There also needs to be talk of justice, a topic not mentioned 
Monday."

The rally was the third in a series of rallies that took place after the 
death of Kenneth B. Walker, an unarmed man who was fatally shot by a 
Muscogee County sheriff's deputy after authorities said Walker failed to 
comply with commands to show his hands. Walker and three other men were in 
a gray GMC Yukon when it was stopped the night of Dec. 10 as part of a drug 
investigation.

Those readers are correct -- justice was mentioned. What I might have more 
accurately said was that it wasn't discussed in any detail. Even though 
justice might have been the reason for the rally, people like me came away 
feeling as though a lot of tip-toeing had been done on that occasion.

My statement was more critique than finger-pointing. Given the 
circumstances, I think many people may be doing the best they know how. But 
experience teaches us that a giver's best is not always good enough for the 
intended receiver.

A person who is really hurting may feel that people don't care enough about 
what is hurting them, or even understand why they are hurting.

At the same time, people may be doing their best to show support and concern.

So I am again suggesting that we need to have a town grief session. We need 
to come together on the steps of the Government Center and spill our guts 
on this matter.

Emotions are like air in a balloon -- if held in on one side, the other 
side gets out of proportion. And just as with a balloon, it is not more 
pressure, but the release of pressure, that gets things back into shape.

The pressure is still on the entire community. In fact, the pressure seems 
likely to continue to build as everyone waits for the investigations to be 
completed and the findings released.

Meanwhile, people can blame too much media coverage and outside 
interference from Al Sharpton on what might take place if... the findings 
aren't right... or people take matters into their own hands.

If all is well in our community, there is nothing an outsider can "stir 
up." We would never, for instance, accuse an auditor of stirring things up 
at a bank. If there are issues that need to be addressed, we need to 
address them -- not try to keep anyone from discovering them.

Sometimes people think keeping "stuff" in is the best way to keep things 
under control. But that approach can have the same result as trying to keep 
water from rushing out of a hose. The water invariably finds -- or makes -- 
a way out.

The way for Columbus to get past the Walker shooting is to invite all to 
look and see.

The city has not recovered from the black eye it received by default. The 
country came looking and pointing fingers when the Taylor County "white" 
prom came to town. The community can't afford to think people aren't 
waiting and watching and remembering.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom