Lozells: Across The Lines

On Wednesday around 70 women, black, white, Asian, staged a peaceful demonstration in Lozells after last weekend’s violence. They walked quietly in the soft rain, carrying placards that said “We Are One Community”. Reaching the place where Isaiah was killed they held a two minute silence and laid flowers.

You see what they did there?

No grand statements, no political point scoring. They simply wanted to heal some wounds, do some soul searching, and find a way forward.

They didn't smash shop windows, they didn’t wield planks with nails in it into shop keeper’s faces, they didn’t stab young men returning from the cinema, they didn’t burn cars, run in gangs, or talk of a race war.

I don’t believe the lines are drawn between race or religion. The front line is, as ever, between those who would have us fight each other, and those who would have us live in peace.

Today I found myself listening to Tracy Chapman’s first album from the '80s, and her song, "Across The Lines"…

Little black girl get assaulted
Ain’t no reason why
Newspaper prints the story
And racist tempers fly
Next day it starts a riot
Knives and guns are drawn
Two black boys get killed
One white boy goes blind

Little black girl gets assaulted
Don’t no one know her name
Lots of people hurt and angry
She’s the one to blame

Sent shivers down my spine.