On the death of a stranger

Deon Smith is dead.

I know less about him than about Cora Mae Raiford. In fact, I know nothing about him.

Except this: he was someone's son.

Will there be another vigil, another press conference, another call to "take back the streets?"

Will 1,000 people attend his funeral, or 100?

Or 10?

Oh, and I know this about Deon Smith: he was gifted.

I have no idea what his gifts were, but I know that he was gifted, because he was human.

He had some ability, some talent, some skill that could have produced more value for the world had he lived longer.

Even those of us who did not know him have lost something.

They say you can't miss what you never had. Most of us, who never knew Deon Smith, won't even feel the loss. Unless we pause to consider it.

And so I pause.

It hurts.

If any family or friends of Deon Smith are reading this, I am sorry for your loss.

I am also sorry for mine. 

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Posted Jul 17 2008, 01:32 PM by Elwin Green
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Comments

Homewood 4 Life wrote re: On the death of a stranger
on Thu, Jul 24 2008 11:54 AM

GOD BLESS OUR HOMEWOOD VICTIMS

There are a lot of Deon Smiths throughout the city, county, state, country and world, but where do that leave Homewood.  It leaves Homewood in a fight for survival to reclaim its one time sense of community.  Homewood use to be considered the largest community of black home owners where every citizen had a great sense of pride in their community and respect for others.

Now we are tormented with the tiresome endless rampages of senseless violence.  The streets are still the streets, it is these young misguided and uncared for juveniles that have claimed our beautiful streets of Homewood and turned them into a WAR ZONE.  The defendants and victims are getting younger and younger.

I did not know Deon, but I went to school with his aunt Candace who he was staying with.  My heart and prayers go out to Candace and her family.  When will it stop?  Who will be the difference maker?  What agency will step up?  

If we do not get a grip on this ever-growing display of a total disregard for human nature, ultimately there will be NO HOMEWOOD.  The City, County or State will re-direct renters to other areas and there will not be the Homewood I once called home.

We need to have a Victims Day!  What about the victims who are wrongly convicted and are serving LIFE in jail?  Da’Ron Cox is a perfect example of a victim who was wrongly accused of murder and anyone who knows Da’Ron or who have come in contact with him will tell you he is just as harmless as a newborn baby just being let out of the womb.  We need to rally around our victims and regain our Homewood.  

I am charging every Homewood citizen with writing down any and all victims and to number one pray for them and their families and to take responsibility and do something.  If it is just writing the victims name down and saying a prayer for them, if you want to send a card to the victim’s family, write a letter to a victim who was wrongly convicted and or create a public forum that will honor our victims.  Nevertheless, something has to be done TODAY.

PLEASE HELP ME IN BUILDING THE LIST OF HOMEWOOD VICTIMS?

Thomas Mitchell, Parrish Freeman, Taylor Coles, Ernest Tolliver, Cora Raiford, Kenneth Raiford, James Stubbs, Brendan Brooks, Ramon Holden, Rashan Harris, Nathaniel Caldwell, Aaron Jenkins, John Allen, Nicole Bennett, Terry Adams, Kenneth Waller, Michelle Rankin, Jerome Smith, Damien Lee Robinson, Anthony Hammond, Raymond Germany, John Carter, Darrell Brown, Edward Gyland Hood, Raquel Tilisha Carter, Richard Keith, Erik Wright, Roland Cephus, Icey Ed,  Chopper, Nate Lockett, Akil Spivey, Hornet, Laymon Kyser, etc….

LETS HAVE A DAY FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES!!!!!

Elwin Green wrote re: On the death of a stranger
on Thu, Jul 31 2008 9:59 AM

Please tell us more about what a Victims' Day might look like. I am trying to imagine how such a day could be helpful to the victims' families.

A Concerned Citizen wrote re: On the death of a stranger
on Mon, Aug 18 2008 5:12 PM

I miss Deon. I met him as one of the many "professionals" who had the pleasure of working with him during his too short life. Deon was a bright young man who could have done anything he wanted in life. But like so many other young, young black men, the lure of the street was just too strong. No one, especially our young men, our future, should time be cut short like his was.  

My heart and prayers go out to Deon's family, friends, and loved ones.

Heavy Laden wrote re: On the death of a stranger
on Wed, Jul 1 2009 12:24 PM

Hello,

It's closing end on the anniversary of Deon's murder.  Naturely, I'm choked up. And I am again confronted with the horror of this day. I would like to thank both "A Concerned Citizen" and "Homewood 4 Life" for your thoughts, prayers and your love. Elwin, my thanks to you as well for creating this place where those of us who are sadden by this present condition of our community can share our thoughts. I too see a brighter day, a better Homewood. I just pray that we live to see it through...