Gray should tackle crime

Mayor Jim Gray was met with adoration for his brave stance on removing statues Confederates from Cheapside, and he talked at length about his conviction that certain issues, such as this one, require a moral response even if that response will not be well-received by all.

My frustration lies with the fact that this same mayor could not find the time to attend the 2017 BUILD Nehemiah Action at which thousands of Lexington citizens came together in support of a well-researched and evidence-based plan to reduce violent crime in our city.

Violent crime disproportionately affects our black population. The statues are part of our city’s structural racism, but so too is an antipathy toward protecting all citizens from violence. It is true that the crowd would have been less fawning toward Gray at the Nehemiah Action, but since Gray is a man of moral integrity unafraid of ruffling feathers, I know that could not be the reason he refused to attend and to take action against violent crime.

This story was originally published August 25, 2017 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Gray should tackle crime."