Giannini: We Learn Through Tragedy That Life is Precious
Wednesday, April 01, 2015
It's Palm Sunday as I write this and my thoughts of the last week are ones of sadness and frustration. The loss of a nine year old little girl, Ani Emdijan, who was struck by a RIPTA bus last Tuesday, has left the city of Providence and the State of Rhode Island in mourning.
We mourn for the child and family and ask ourselves how this could happen in this day and age.
It seems no matter how careful we are, accidents happen. This is the second RIPTA tragedy that has occurred over the past several months. A federal agent was struck by a bus while crossing the street in downtown Providence.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWe all know accidents happen, but we can't help but think if something could be done to prevent more tragedies such as these from happening. In today's world of super technology and micro managing, we wonder why we can't prevent the tragedies that seem so senseless.
The reality is we have to be aware of our surroundings at every moment. In jobs that deal with serving the public, one has to always be aware that anything and everything can happen at any moment. But through this terrible tragedy, we are reminded that life is precious and can end at any moment. So we should appreciate the gift of life and cherish each moment and hope that everyone involved finds some peace.
The outpouring of love and support for little Ani and her family will help them through this horrible tragedy and hopefully they will find some comfort in knowing that family and friends are there for them in their time of grief. As reported by GoLocalProv, a GoFundMe site has been set up to help the family with burial expenses. It has raised more than $50,000 so far.
As we mourn the loss of Ani Emdijan, we also pray for the recovery of Boston police officer John Moynihan who was shot in the face during a traffic stop Friday night. Officer Moynihan is a well decorated officer and is 34 years old. He is assigned to the youth violence unit and was responding to a call about reported gunshots in the area. The suspect who shot Moynihan was shot at the scene and died.
One can't help but wonder why many people today have little or no respect for the law. Some think nothing of pulling out a gun and shooting a policeman without any hesitation. It seems we are going back to the days of the Wild West where anything goes. It takes great courage to be a policeman today. When I was growing up, people would say that most police officers never had to ever pull out their guns during their entire careers. Well that has changed.
Too many young people have illegal guns and are not afraid to use them. Until they find a way to get the illegal guns off the streets, the violence will continue. It is not the law abiding citizens who purchase guns legally that should be punished but the buyers and sellers of illegal guns on the streets of our city and state. They are the perpetrators of violence and crime.
Our young people have to be taught at an early age how to resolve their differences without violence through conflict resolution. They need to be given the opportunities to have jobs after school, activities and other interests in the community to keep them from joining gangs and engaging in youth violence. The urban cities are crying for help and the police cannot be everywhere. We need to have more youth programs and recreational centers so that our youth express themselves through the arts and sports instead of violence. Yes, it costs money and times are hard but it's an investment that would well pay off. By investing in these measures, we help stop the spread of gang violence by encouraging our youth to lead better lives.
The young people today have the need to want to belong to a group. Many gangs refer to their members as part of their family. We need to encourage our young to join groups that focus on leading a good productive life. Whether it be a basketball league or a youth organization promoting arts and music, our young people need these choices to be available to them.
It's the only way to discourage and stop them from taking a destructive course in their lives.
They need to be educated about the lives and horrible activities of gang members who will stop at nothing to get what they want whether it be murder, rape or any other crime. They need to be taught a better way to lead their lives. There are many youth organizers who give their time everyday to show our young a better path.
As we enter Easter week, we can all reflect on things we can each do to make things better in our community. Whether it be getting the mail for a senior neighbor, helping a youth organization by coaching a team, or doing an errand for a sick friend; there are so many ways we can contribute to make our community better. All it takes is a little time and a little heart.
I wish you and your family a peaceful and joyous Easter!
Joanne Giannini served as a RI State Representative from Providence from 1994 to 2010. She has previously written commentaries for the Providence Journal and the Federal Hill Gazette. During her tenure in the General Assembly, she made appearances on CNN, Primetime News, and American Morning regarding legislation she filed in Rhode Island.
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