When Was the Last Time You Had a Friend Murdered?

This video is about 7 minutes long, but it’s worth it.

Brooks Sandwich House from Southern Foodways on Vimeo.

Scott Brooks (the one in the red shirt in the video) was murdered a week ago today while opening his sandwich shop in the NoDa neighborhood of Charlotte.  The loss to the neighborhood and beyond is immeasurable.

The next day, in the Charlotte City Council Meeting, Councilman Braxton Winston was interrupted while sharing a story about Mr. Brooks. The story was ostensibly going on too long. (Winston has been speaking for four minutes.)

Shocked by the interruption, Braxton Winston asked this question:

When was the last time you had a friend murdered?

The sudden loss of a loved one is always shocking. Accidents.  Heart attacks, Suicide, Embolism.  It’s an unbelievable jolt to our deepest parts.

I can only imagine the sudden loss of a loved one from murder.  I have – personally – never had a friend murdered.  The father of a friend – yes.  The friends of friends – yes.  But I’ve never lost a personal loved one to murder – yet.

The City of Charlotte noted it’s 103rd gun murder with Scott Brooks’ murder last week.  It’s a every day occurrence now to hear about a school shooting, the shooting of a police officer, the shooting of local business leaders, the shooting of people while they pray, the shooting of people on military bases.

It’s just a matter of time before each of us know of someone who has been murdered by guns. 

If we don’t do these things:

• teach empathy,
• learn that each person is a child of God,
• correct gun purchase loop holes,
• ban military grade weapons for civilians, and
• bolster mental health care . . .

. . . then knowing someone who was murdered will become as common as knowing someone who died from cancer.  We all know someone who has died of cancer and I pray that one day, that won’t be the case either.

I also pray that the things that lead to gun violence will be corrected.  But it will take more than prayer, my friends.  We have the power to step up and do something in accordance with what God has commanded.

This article about Scott and David Brooks and their father C.T. is well worth the read – especially the part about their donation of property to build affordable housing in Sharon Forest, Charlotte.  In life and in death, we belong to God.