A peace rally was held last night in front of the Briggs Building in downtown Hollister. I heard that about 200 of us had come down to show our concern about the sudden increase in violent crime and gang activity.
The most recent incident occurred over the weekend. Early Saturday morning, a 14-year-old girl was shot to death. The local police say it was an accident. Although, the shooting was not thought to be gang-related, the gun used in the incident belonged to a gang member. To learn more about recent events, check out this article published by the Hollister Free Lance.
The rally was an impromptu call to the community by our leaders in government, education, and law enforcement to stand together in unity against violence. Some people dismiss it as a photo opportunity for the politicians. All I can say is that in the dark it's tough to take great photos. I like to think the peace rally was organized for reasons of sincerity and love and commitment for our community.
Hollister, overall, is a safe and peaceful city. To maintain that status, however, every one of us needs to be proactive. Mike Sanchez, the San Benito County Superintendent of Schools, said it the best for me last night, " One person can't do everything, but everyone can do something."
Take 25 is participating in ABC Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Mrs. Nesbitt and her friends. Today is the letter P. To check out other P posts, please click HERE.
