Thursday, January 18, 2007

Taking Back the Community, One Block at a Time

Tuesday I attended the funeral of Ruby L. Coney, a 96 year-old woman from Centreville, Illinois. She was murdered doing a home invasion last week. The police said that she let her killer or killers in because there was no visible forced entry. This lady was the grandmother of a very close family friend (my mother's best friend) who we have known for more than thirty years. Our families are very close.

Why would anyone want to kill a frail little woman? She was in her home, not bothering anybody. She had lived in her community for more than 50 years, probably the same house. She had more than 100 grandchildren. The grandchildren stayed around the house all the time. Apparently she was killed right after one had left from visiting. They stole a piggy bank with no more than a dollar in change in it. The pastor reminded the jammed packed church that revenge is God. I understood what he was telling the family. He wanted them to know that the battle was not theirs but it was the Lord. I can imagine the men and maybe some women in the family wanting revenge. Hopefully the pastors' message was understood.

We need to monitor our women and children more in the community. But we must please do the same for our elderly. The remarks from the family, friends, and the former mayor of the city showed that this was a woman who had raised her own and blocks and blocks of other children in the community. It is time to take by our blocks, one at a time and protect the men, women, and children who have planted roots there. Let's not let another senior citizen die at the hands of a hoodlum.

12 comments:

Luke Cage said...

Ohhh Nooo! I HATE, friggin' HATE stories like this. Why must there be so much misery and pain in this world when it's brought on unnecessarily??? No one should be killed, but why murder an elderly woman who poses no threat to anyone, most definitely, and I wasn't there, but I'm certain this woman wasn't a threat to THEM!!! I can't say nothing more luv. My deepest condolenses to her family, friends and all her loved ones. May she rest in peace. I am so sorry for your loss and theirs as well.

Shai said...

Oh my god no! That hurts me when our elders get mistreated.

As you know I had someone kick in my door last week while I was here. I cannot explain the feeling of being in the house knowing someone else was here uninvited. God had a hedge around me.

I blogged about it as you know. I am fine now. I know I am protected by God and cannot be paranoid and live in fear. In one split second I could have been hurt, raped or killed. But the Spirit told me to yell and scare them off. They could have come in my room and did so much more but they ran. Whew!

Shai said...

I am hurting for your friend. My sympathies to you and the family. I get choked up when I hear folks getting hurt especially defenseless children and elders.

LadyLee said...

I don't like stories like this... this type of thing happens from time to time in the ATL. I think you are right... we want revenge, but we can't let our emotions move us to a negative place. The old adage, "you reap what you sow" is still and always will be in effect. The people that did this... they sowed a bad seed that day when they murdered this woman. They will reap.

TJ said...

Vengeance is His, and He will repay. I feel bad for your family and that of your mother's friend, shoot, the entire community. It reminds me of my dad's hometown down South where you have Big Mamas, Madeas, Nans who raised their kids and took in anybody else's who didnt have enough to eat or clothes to wear. We Do have to do more to protect them.

Nancy said...

How tragic and ironic to live to be 96 and die this senseless way. I am so very sorry for your family and for everyone who loved her.

I will take with me the "God is revenge" thing. It will serve as powerful assurance when I have no power at all in a world that can be very scary. We live in a small community, but things are very much out of control and sometimes violent from time to time because of rampant methamphetamine manufacture/use.

Thank you.

Miz JJ said...

This made me tear up. Especially seeing her picture. I had a granny her age who lived alone and I worried for her too as the island was becoming more violent, but she was adament about living in her home. Why did they have to kill her? Tell her to go sit in a corner and take what you wanna take. Blessings to you and her family. That is so sad.

TTD said...

that's so sad.. sorry for ur lost...

Anonymous said...

Rose, I heard this story and was quite sickened by it. Mrs. Coney and her extended family, including you, have my deepest sympathy.

princessdominique said...

That's crazy. Makes me so mad. People don't think anything about taking a life.

Believer said...

My thoughts and prayers to you and Ruby's family.

Crime is everywhere...not just on television.

I wonder why Ruby? Why now?

I hate crime, murder especially. What makes a sane person do that? Is everyone who kills insane?

Remember always, this battle is the Lord's!

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