Freelance writer Greg Bowens of Grosse Pointe Park was press secretary to former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer. He is a local political consultant and public relations professional.
By Greg Bowens
I could almost see the sarcasm flying through the air between us as she spoke. Every word was laced with the venom of resentment barely hidden under the veil of polite conversation.
“You live in Grosse Pointe. What’s the real story? What were they doing there,” said the woman, who like me, is black.
“I don’t know what you mean? They were reportedly just sitting in the car hanging out and smoking weed when somebody jumped out of a car and shot them,” I replied. “Why? What does it matter?”
Paige Stalker
“Well, it’s just shocking because they’re supposed to be the perfect kids, from the perfect community with the perfect families and all that wealth.”
And just like that, there was the resentment, the anger, and the righteous indignation all rolled up in one sentence referring to the murder of 16 year-old Paige Stalker and the wounding of three other teens recently. Like somehow, four kids doing what teenagers sometimes do – go someplace quiet to smoke weed, make out or just share the secrets of their angst away from grown-ups – deserved what came next.
I thought of my own 16-year-old daughter and the many conversations we have had about the dangers of growing up. I remember the fear I felt when I first saw the news alerts on my phone about four Grosse Pointe teens being shot and prayed ‘Lord please don’t let that be my child.’
I remember the relief I felt when I knew it wasn’t and the heaviness in my spirit when I thought about what the parents of the victims are going through now.
All of these emotions rolled through me as the poison of her spoken words spread from my ears to pierce my heart. I could not help but feel even more sadness. After all, my daughter attends Grosse Pointe South High School where one of the wounded teens also attends.
I felt sad because I had heard those words before in many different forms. News reports quoted police sources who initially insisted the shooting was not a “random” occurrence. Now, they say it was a botched robbery. Comments posted by readers at the end of stories on the internet from people of all races (if the Facebook pictures are real) throw around racial stereotypes about the victims, gunman and each other.
Even the staggering $100,000 – plus reward for identifying the shooter seems to have the curious effect of fanning the flames of animosity and hardening hearts further as people openly question why so high a bounty in this case. The reward for information leading to an arrest is seen by some as further proof of the arrogance of wealth instead of the common desire of us as a society willing to pay any amount to bring a child’s killer to justice.
Have we learned nothing in 2014?
Haven’t there been enough well-publicized, senseless deaths in Ferguson, Mo., New York and places both near and far to make us see the humanity in us all? Haven’t we seen enough people rich or poor, young or old, black or white living in cities or suburbs who have been murdered for nothing to make us all value the life of every individual?
Apparently we are not there yet. As we go into 2015, pray we are able to bring the killer to justice in this instance and all instances. And pray we stop letting our superficial differences in race, socio-economic status and community get in the way of our common humanity.
Let the New Year bring a new love for each other.
Anyone with any information about the Dec. 22 shooting should contact Detroit Police at (313) 596-2663 or Crime Stoppers at (800) SPEAK-UP.
