TRENTON Peace rally déjà vu and déjà who
Pastor Karen Hernandez-Granzen made a spiritual house call on Thursday after she attended a City of Trenton Peace Rally.
Hernandez-Granzen, a guiding light at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Greenwood Avenue in Trenton for 25 years, plus, a cheerleader for both God and city, phoned.
“Amigo,” she said. “We missed you at the rally this morning.” Trenton
Informed that a personal attendance ended after 25 minutes, Hernandez-Granzen offered a low-level interrogation about enthusiasm and whether desertion of hope had arrived.
Hernandez-Granzen included a pep talk as she expressed positive vibes for give me a T-R-E-N-T-ON — Trenton.
The morning rally on the East State Street side of City Hall assembled numerous religious leaders, a diverse chorus of power brokers who attended as speakers or for support of Trenton and Mayor Reed Gusciora.
Plus, small business owners, many from the Latino Merchants Association who continue to express anger after their stores and businesses bore the brunt of looters and damages from Sunday’s downtown rampages connected to the killing of Minneapolis resident George Floyd.
East Ward Councilman
Joe Harrison represented City Council while a small crowd of residents attended what’s become a customary event when violence overrides Trenton streets.
Gusciora faced a quick turnaround after a 2 p.m. press conference on Wednesday morning after a gunman shot a 12-yearold in her stomach while she played on a Academy St. playground. A surgery removed a 12-inch piece of her intestine. Two other 30-something year old men were also wounded during the morning shooting.
Gusciora showed an emotional hangover from that news as he referenced Trenton a “broken city”.
“I am honored to be here among clergy members who are on the forefront of our neighborhoods and to bring ethical and moral boundaries set for our city,” Gusciora said.
Ronald Lee, interim superintendent for Trenton Public Schools called for across the board accountability from teachers, Gusciora, police and residents. His presentation preceded a personal departure.
Hernandez-Granzen heard an explanation of being sick and tired of witnessing what feels like repeated history.
Plus, many of the people standing and speaking on the City Hall steps live elsewhere which dilutes their words.
They have minimized investments here, can pick up and pack up anytime the heat moves toward an undesirable temperature or bullets ricochet off their office or church buildings.
The 85,000 Trenton residents live in both a broken and breaking city being overrun by guns, weeds and murder.
Again. (Adios).