To the editor:
I've been real silent as of late, I've been watching the news a lot and I have to say that I am disturbed by what I'm viewing.
It's an election year and I'm hearing a lot of views on religion and politics, but the news that is getting to me the most is all is the violence that surrounds our area. Someone once told me that to change the world you must start at home.
Every day, I witness the news talking about another shooting. In the past two months, we've actually had two reports of suicide or homicide by spouses. Just during the Memorial Day weekend, two young people lost their lives. My point is, when are we going to wake up, Ohio Valley? I remember as a teenager I was told that my generation was the "Lost Generation," yet here we are hitting our heads against the walls trying to fix the holes that our children are falling through.
We need to seriously stand up against the violence. We are all together in this. Put politics aside and pray to whatever god you pray to that these people wake up before it's too late. If we can't control our streets then we will never get this valley back to where it should be. Don't give into the fear - use your voice, stand your ground.
We must teach our children that giving up isn't the answer. We must teach our children to love one another and erase the hate. They say that love is blind, but the hatred we are pouring into our streets is blinding us more than love ever could - it's pulling the fear over our eyes, and we seem to be waving a white flag.
Please, I urge my fellow neighbors to take the veil of fear off and stand up for one another. "When the smoke all clears we must stand as one, cast out our demons and remember our love." This, my friends, is that time, and I dare you to prevent the next senseless act of violence.
Live in fear no more.
James J. Keller
Weirton
