You've seen it. You've heard about it. God willing, you haven't experienced it first hand. But we have all been subjected to the violence in our streets and wonder what can be done. Every major philosophy and every major religion that I know of and certainly the bible that I know says that light dispels darkness. This will be the basis of my ideas that I will set forth in the coming months. I believe that the good people of our fair city have been driven indoors by the fear of the bad people. You hear that it is time to take back out streets! But no one seems to know how! The bible also says that "perfect love casts out fear". If we are to get over our fear, then we must love. Who may you ask? Well I'm not going to ask you to love the murderers and drug dealers. That is God's job.

I'm asking for all of us to love the most important things in our lives! Our children. How do we keep our children safe? Be where they are. Or know that there are responsible adults where they are. At all times! Is that possible? I say yes. In the coming weeks and months I will give you concrete examples of how we used to do it when I was young and how we today can do the same. It will involve all of us. But there is safety in numbers. We will not get rid of the murderers and drug dealers. My hope is to drive them underground and under the rocks they came out from. With your help we can.

Alan "Bud" Speaker