Farewell George

If you have been a long time reader of my series of blogs, then you know I have a series of "virtual children", those whom were friends of my children or me, came and stayed.  It also meant that if you wanted to call me Papa or Pops, then there was a requirement to acknowledge my right to get in your face, offer advise and help as needed - even when not asked!  :)  And understand that in that simple statement has come rushing back all of these memories of my virtual children.  Amnesia sucks at how everything can be stolen from you ... quietly waiting for something to trigger it to come back!

Virtual Fifth Daughter, has been long gone from my life (I am told too embarrassed to face me).  She choose mighty poorly in life and she never had to have, but she was watching Oldest Daughter and her choices.  Well, if OD was not willing to do what was right, why should she? Yeah, people watch our lives and our screw ups - OD messed up big and it affected many of her friends.  I do not know if OD has figured this out yet for herself yet or not.  She is big on condemning VFD, but can she see what she caused?

And VFD had a brother, George.  Oh gosh, a good looking, smart and engaging young man.  He had everything going for him - and - everything in the world going against him.  He and sister are black, not a shade of.  And he bought into the lie that the culture of the black man must be one of protest, thievery, drugs and prostitution.  Free money, to buy drugs and sex with!  What more could any young man ask for?  Oh yeah, all of your friends are gang members too.

I tried working with George to tell him about a different way through life - but to him it was the "white man's" way.  He just could never reach the point of understanding that God is colorblind.  I remember my last words ever to him were a question, "Could you try and act any more stereo-typical?"  They have hung on my tongue for over a decade now.  He knew exactly what I was saying, so did his father whom had popped in for a visit that afternoon - first time in years I guess.  His father agreed with me, what his son was calling life was really not worth living.  At 17 he was already headed down the wrong road.  A young life being wasted, refusing every opportunity to do something with his life and his anger?  It was not towards me or whites, no one had actually ever done him wrong.  It was unfocused anger because all of his gang friends were angry at the system ...  A system of rules, yes, but open opportunities to all, if you play by them ...

Back home, they have been having an odd gang problem across the past year, that I am just trying to read about it and understand.  Gangs in the eastern part of town go over and shoot suspected rival gang members in the "white" western part and visa-versa.  So, eastern shooters managed to kill a 2 year old in her car seat.  Western shooters replied by killing those associated with the suspected shooter.  On and on it goes.  East versus west, it is not even a territory war, it is just murder for the fun of it I think.

And George, a black man for an unknown reason was hanging out around a vacant house, by his home, goes down in a hail of bullets.  By all indications he had left his past behind him.  He had a job, a wife, a child - he was breaking out of his old mold (and that of culture's).  Black man, living in the "white" sector, made to order target.  Or was it a drug deal gone bad?  Had he gone back to his old ways?  Even a month later, there is no answer to any questions.  And I hate to say this, but with him being yet another dead black statistic - his case may never be honestly pursued ...

I am sorry to have heard too late of his death.  I would have gone to his funeral, to support VFD if for no other reason ...

The world has gone quite mad and I fear ... we should not wonder when evil befalls our culture, society and the civilization we have created ... when our children must pay for our sins ... in what we have allowed to be created ...