Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod
Dear Community Leaders, Families, and Concerned Citizens,
It is with a heavy heart and profound concern that I address the continuing and devastating cycle of shootings and killings within our community. With each life lost, the ripple effects are felt in every corner of our neighborhoods—touching families, schools and local businesses. These acts of violence are more than just tragic; they are stripping away the future of our youth, one bullet at a time.
We are now at a critical juncture where witnessing our youth being tried as adults. This reality should shake us to our core. Children are entering the criminal justice system with the weight of decisions they cannot even begin to comprehend. What was once unimaginable has become a daily occurrence—a horrific normalization of violence and trauma. Each shooting, each death, is not just a statistic; it is a wound that cuts deeply into the fabric of our community.
These shootings take an undeniable toll on us mentally, emotionally and economically. The trauma does not end when the violence stops—it lingers. It seeps into our families, schools and workplaces. The children who witness these acts, the families who lose loved ones, and the communities that try to heal from the constant cycle of violence are left grappling with psychological scars that last for generations. How can we expect our youth to focus on their education when the shadow of violence looms over them? How can we expect our neighborhoods to thrive when the fear of gunfire is constant?
Our youth are gaining access to guns at an alarming rate, not with the intention to protect, but with the intent to harm and kill. They are growing up in an environment where life is devalued and where disputes are settled with bullets, not words. We’ve heard the outcry: “We need more programs for our youth.” And yet, programs are created, rooms are prepared, opportunities are made available—and still, those rooms remain empty. Empty, because the care and concern that should begin at home are absent.
We often say, "It takes all of us." But what does that truly mean? It means it takes each of us being accountable—fathers, mothers, community leaders, educators, mentors, and even neighbors. It takes every hand and every heart working together to create a world where our children can grow, dream and live without fear. It means not just showing up when the violence happens, but being present every day, teaching the values that prevent violence in the first place. It means intervening before a gun is drawn, before a life is lost. It takes all of us to build a community of safety, love and opportunity, where every young person feels they have something to lose and much more to gain by choosing life over violence.
Have parents become afraid of the very children they’ve given birth to? Many homes are no longer the safe havens they once were. The streets have become the fortress for too many of our youth—a place where misguided loyalty and desperation replace the love and discipline they should be receiving at home. We have come to a point where we can no longer place the blame solely on the absent fathers. Mothers, too, are absent—whether physically or emotionally—leaving children vulnerable to the lure of the streets. The village that was once responsible for nurturing, protecting and guiding our young has become fragmented, and the consequences are devastating.
What has happened to our youth? Are we blind to the erosion of their potential, or have we simply become numb to the violence that surrounds us? Have we become so accustomed to hearing about another shooting that we’ve stopped reacting with the urgency and outrage that these situations deserve?
This is not the time to sit idle. We cannot accept this as the new normal. We must all confront these tragedies with the seriousness and dedication they require. Our children deserve better. Our communities deserve better. The cycle of violence must be broken, and that starts with us—with each and every one of us taking ownership of the future we want for our youth.
It is time to restore the power of parenting and reclaim the spaces that are meant to foster hope, not fear. We must come together to not only create programs but to fill those rooms with the presence, support and love that our young people so desperately need. It’s time to make a stand for the future we want to see—one where we are not burying our children, but instead watching them grow into the leaders of tomorrow.
Let this be a wake-up call. The cost of inaction is too great. Let’s pull together, as a community, as families and as individuals, to end the violence that is stealing the future of our children.
Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod
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Very good observation, however writing about what's going on with our teens is not going to get it.
What I didn't hear is "how" , are we going to address this ongoing problem?
Perhaps we should use the five Ws and H method to better understand things and move forward with some type of resolution
We need to physically come together, pray, listen for instructions from God, then take action.
We've tried everything else, with no resolution. We know the cliche, action speaks louder than words, well they do.
So Chattanoogans, we don't have a choice but to come together, not to just have a meeting, to schedule another meeting....etc. But, come together aim for practical application in moving forward addressing this issue with our youth and their violent behavior.
Time is running out, next time it may not be a threat, but an actual bomb. Next time it may be one of mine or yours that's gunned down walking home from school. Next time the guns that are brought to school may be used to take or injury innocent lives.
I'm ready to roll up my sleeves, jump in head first....are you? If so please reach out to me at lifeisorder@gmail.com....and as Nike say, just do it.
Angela Daniels
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Tell us something new, because the endless talk about problems and solutions is exhausting. When humanity first crossed the line, God sent a flood, sparing only a righteous man and his family of seven. Next time, it will be by fire.
The horse is already out of the barn, and no amount of talk or empty promises will change that. Read your Bible, repent, believe in Jesus, and obey His word to be saved. God’s judgment is upon this fallen world, and things are only going to get worse.
Michael Burns
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With all due respect, it's never too late. As long as God has vessels to do His will, again it's never too late.
Even the most powerful horses can be bridled and directed in the right direction to go.
As long as it's a remnant of those that believe, that equals hope.
Angela Daniels