A life for a life - that's what this whole ordeal has materialized into. One young lady was mortally shot down while attending high school. Now her life is over. The other young lady who confessed to the shooting is going to be tried as an adult. Both of these young ladies are 15-years-old. Now the state is going to prosecute the shooter, and no doubt her life is going to be taken away. At this juncture it really doesn't matter whether the state shows mercy and gives her life without parole or places her on death row and gives her a dose of lethal injection. The shooter's life is now over and consumed with grief, dispair and remorse. The shooter took a life away from society, and now the state has taken her life away from her. This brings tremendous pain to my mind, heart, soul and spirit. God didn't place us here to take the life away from no one - that's his responsibility. What begets me is the fact that society is so lenient towards guns. I understand an individual's right to bear arms, and I'm in no position to take their rights away from them. That's not my intentions. Guns in society have devastated the Black community. Any day you can travel through any inner-city and read about a Black person's life being taken away by gun violence. Guns are just to easy to get. Now the young lady who killed her friend is sitting in jail and wishing she hadn't pulled that trigger! The characteristic trait that human beings regardless of their race, creed, color or sexual orientation needs to externalize is rejection! If someone doesn't want your companionship that's no reason to kill them in cold blood! Pursuing love can be compared to shooting three point baskets. You pursue someone for ever how long it takes to win their love - if they disavow you then move on to the next individual. Just like shooting a three point basket - you aren't going to hit all the baskets - so you just keep on trying until you overcome your odds. life is to precious. I don't want to blame this situation on the Black family being homo-phobic. Homosexuality is just something that no one sits around the dinner table and discusses. That's a big pill for any race to swallow. Sure it's even harder for the Black community, because we are seen as "warriors" and being labeled as a homosexual doesn't resonate very well in the Black community. Some individuals have the strength to tell their families about their newly discovered sexual orientation, and others don't because they don't want to be rejected by their families. So, we can't blame this situation on the two young ladies sexual orientation. Heterosexuals have been killing one another in love affairs for years, and I don't hear anyone screaming bloody murder about them killing one another, because they liked the opposite sex! No, this was about "rejection" and not being able have something you desired. Rejection is a part of life and it builds character and makes a person strong! Weak minded individuals are the ones who can't handle "rejection" and go around killing people because their advances got turned down. This is what needs to be taught to our youths today. Thieves go around and rob and take other peoples possessions - this young lady has robbed her friend of her life - she's a thief. I don't mean to be critical - but a life has been taken away - may the lord bless each of their families. I wish this event hadn't occurred. So, now society as a whole needs to learn from this. We need to get on the police and politicans to crack down on guns. You know they just passed a law where employees can bring a loaded gun to work as long as the gun stays in the car? What in tarnation does an employee need to bring a gun to work for unless of course he/she has intentions on harming their employer or colleagues? The guns and drugs needs to come off the street! Drugs are destroying the minds and communities of the Black family. I'm positive that the shooter used illicit drugs.

Maybe this incident could have been avoided If the shooter had a support group that would not be judgmental. Our churches are not making the connection with our youth because we are too busy building a building and not building character in our youth. The church has missed the mark. I'm the director of an adoption agency. I see too many of our African American children in the foster care system with no one to call mom or dad and no place to call home. We are over represented in the system and the least to be adopted. We don't adopt our own. And then we get an attitude when others adopt our children. We need to stop the madness. I have spoken to many Pastors about this issue with little or know response. Some Pastor is acting like Pimps. Many are very selfish and feel it's all about them. The church must be a place of refuge and peace. Money should not come before saving the lost and those that are in need. We all are held accountable for the children. We must do better for the children. And we wonder why the children are acting out. Look at the message we are sending them. This is a very mean world which we live in. They need someone to listen and care about their situation. It sound like there were other issues between the young girls which could have been addressed before it got to that. Maybe the one girl would still be alive if some type of intervention was in place. We must save our children. Two lives are destroyed; if you can't get help from the Church where can you go. Pray for the church to step up and help save this generation. Peace & Blessings Rev. Al