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In an Instant |
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by Congressman Elijah E. Cummings |
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I believe that there are no coincidences in this life. Recently, I was traveling down Route 40 in Baltimore, headed toward the World Trade Center to congratulate Maritime Industries Academy students for the creativity of their artwork on display there. It was another group of young people, however, who would cause me to stop in my tracks that day and contemplate how the impulse of an instant can change lives forever. I was riding past a funeral home. A few somber teenagers were standing quietly outside. Typically, this scene, so tragically commonplace in our city, would not cause a stranger to stop. Yet, for some reason that day, I was drawn to those young people. I was compelled to turn around and go back. When I spoke to the young mourners, they told me that the funeral taking place inside was for a 17-year old boy. Darrell Holmes—described by his friends as a good guy—had been shot in the face and killed by a 12-year old cousin playing with a loaded handgun. I decided to go inside to offer my condolences to the family—and to see this young man who, in an instant, was robbed of his potential on this earth. Slowly, quietly, I walked toward Darrell’s mother, wanting desperately to bring some small solace to a woman whose world had been torn apart in that terrible instant when the trigger of a gun was pulled. She was distraught—broken by the destruction inflicted upon the natural cycle of life when a child leaves this world before his mother. Robbed of her future dreams for her son, at first, this mother did not even realize that I was there with her. Looking down at Darrell’s coffin and seeing this young man who looked so peaceful in his blue tie, blue shirt, and blue pants, I had to wonder what his life could have become had it not been so tragically cut short. We will never know what Darrell Holmes’ contributions to humanity might have been. Would he have gone to college and started his own family? Could he have been inspired by the history-making era in which we find ourselves to become another Black man running for President of the United States? Then, the thought of another devastated life entered my mind. I wondered about the 12-year old boy who has been charged with manslaughter in his cousin’s death. He also has had his childhood stolen from him. In an instant, and for the rest of his life, he will be forced to bear the crushing knowledge that he killed his kin, his friend whom he loved. Sadly, here in the Baltimore region, Darrell Holmes’ death is not the only family tragedy caused by a gun in the hands of a teenager. Recently, 45 year old John Browning, his wife Tamara and their two sons Gregory and Benjamin were fatally shot and killed — allegedly by their oldest son, Nicholas. The destruction of their lives was an unimaginable twist of fate. Thirty-five years ago, Mr. Browning’s sister was shot by a brother holding a 22-caliber rifle that he did not know was loaded. Why should any family be forced to endure such pain? We can begin by confronting an inescapable reality. These devastating tragedies make it clear that no one is immune to the deadly gun violence that permeates our society. Whether we live in the inner-cities, suburbs or rural communities, no one is safe. We can not give these families back the loved ones who have been taken from them, but we can pause and reflect. In America, more family members are dying from firearms in their own homes than are being killed by criminal intruders. A 1998 study by the Journal of Trauma found that guns kept in the home for self-protection are 22 times more likely to be used to kill someone we know than to save lives in self-defense. As a society, we also must face up to the reality that bullets are striking and killing our young people at an alarming rate. According to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, more than 1,800 children and teenagers were murdered with guns in 2004. Another 143 children died in unintentional shootings. How many funerals must we endure? How many grieving mothers must we comfort before we rise up as a community? Despite these devastating statistics, the national debate over responsible gun control continues to be a contentious one. When proposed legislation was introduced in the House to end the ban on handguns and semiautomatic weapons in the District of Columbia, I voted against the bill. My reasoning was clear and unshakable. Our mission to reduce gun violence, protect our children and keep guns out of their hands is not about politics. It is about saving lives. Just one child dying at the hand of a gun is one too many. This harsh reality came into the forefront of my mind, once again, as I offered words of comfort to Darrell Holmes’ mother and continued with my day. As I mentioned, I do not believe in coincidences. I do believe, however, that our lives are ordered. When I finally made it to the art exhibition and had the opportunity to appreciate the students’ phenomenal work, there was one piece of art that especially moved me. A young artist, Areka Ware, had included a quotation with her art work – a message that will stay with me forever: “I watched him in the coffin,” the quotation read, Her message is profound. We all have an opportunity – in this instant – to work together to stop the killing in our communities. We must act now. - The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings represents the 7th Congressional District of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives. |
