Peace in the Neighborhood, Peace in the World

"Please join South Seattle ... in a Peace Walk through the Central District on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 1:30 p.m. The theme of the Peace Walk is "Peace in the Neighborhood, Peace in the World." Our goal is to join with other Central District faith groups, organizations, and individuals to celebrate the U.N. International Day of Peace (9/21), make a collective statement for peace, and help those in need by bringing donations for the ...church food bank."

WHAT is wrong with this picture?

Did RantWoman have anything to do with organizing this event beyond showing up for the march? Noooo!

Did RantWoman do anything with her personal networks in the 'hood to see whether said march could include more multihued faces or have more diverse content than the usual well-meaning white people singing folksong meme? Nooooo.

Did RantWoman herself stop to talk to other churches waving as the march walked by? Nooooo.

Has RantWoman EVER gone to stand around with candle and prayers at some of the neighborhood events that happen when teenage gangbangers have outbreaks of stupidity more severe than usual? (And will RantWoman get thrown out of any conversation for speaking so planly of some of her views?) Noooooo.

So where the heck does RantWoman get off grumbling?

Well, first off, this is RantWoman. RantWoman could actually rant about multiple topics, but she will hereby concentrate her brain on the subject of Crime in the Hood. By Crime in the Hood, RantWoman first and foremost means teenage gangbangers with firearms shooting at each other in preposterous turf wars. She means turf wars so absurd that the juvenile jail is in one gang's turf and other miscreants are afraid to address their legal obligations taking place at said venue. RantWoman thinks there are other preposterous manifestations of these turf wars.

Most of all, RantWoman is considering whether there is anything well-meaning white people, well-meaning white people of multiple faith traditions could do to interrupt the cycles of violence and retaliations involved in these gangbanger turf wars.

RantWoman could be predicted to think it REALLY ducky if next year a.)the march were more diverse and b.) in the meantime some of us took our white faces in some kind of gesture of witness out to hear real issues about peace in the neighborhood.

Does RantWoman have the FOGGIEST idea how she is going to contribute to this. Heck no, not yet!