Scott Smith: “Rise Up & Say That’s Enough”
Community activist Scott Smith spoke with the media yesterday [Apr.1] after the murder of 22-year-old footballer Randy Robinson the previous night.
Mr Smith also called for the community to come out to the Victor Scott school field at 7:30pm this evening to attend a vigil being held in memory of Kimwandae Walker, who was gunned down by two men on a bike at the same location during a Good Friday kite flying event one year ago today – April 2, 2010. The father of two was playing with his 9 and 4 year old children, and died at the scene in front of the two youngsters.
Referring to the murder of Mr Robinson two days ago, Mr Smith said, “I was with his mother last night at the hospital and the father and the family and I’m tired. And I just have a question for Bermuda and I just want to know if we are tired enough and if enough is enough and if we are going to stand up and do something about it. I know many of you saw me on the paper the other day calling for the churches to come out in the community and reach out and so now what I’m saying is that this is too many, one is too many but now what’s this? 15th? Three this year, that’s one a month.”
“So what I’m saying is that this also coincides with the candlelight vigil we are having for Kimwandae, who was gunned down at the Victor Scott School, we are having a candlelight vigil for him tomorrow evening. So what my plea is to anyone that’s concerned enough to want to come together to put our heads together to do something we are asking you to come tomorrow at 7:30 pm at the Victor Scott School to just show support.”
“But this family now is, I watched the little son of this man [Randy Robinson] that was gunned down last night, I watched him hold his mother’s face and say: “mom don’t cry’. The momma said “ok” but she couldn’t hold back the tears because it’s too much pain, it’s too deep, and its too much now, and we have to just put a stop to this.”
“And I’m calling on the entire Bermuda, if you are tired of it, I’m asking you that you come over to the Victor Scott School at 7:30 tomorrow. We will be there in honor of Kimwandae, that was gunned down a year ago on good Friday in front of his children, these guys are getting very bold now and we have to rise up and say that’s enough and so this is my plea.
“This is what this conference today is about: getting the people to get together to say enough is enough and I looked into the eyes of the mother and she said they took my son, her one and only son, the only son and not just her but many others, you have the Leshore family, you have you know, the list goes on and my question is how many more would have to die before we become serious enough to do something?”
When asked is he knew Randy Robinson, Mr Smith said, “As a matter of fact, I knew his father. I used to play ball his father and Louis father, wonderful person as a matter of fact I talked to the deceased’s aunt this morning and she said how excited he was to be working and he was working and had a good job and he said: I’m looking forward to going away to college and making something of my life.”
“He has a 2 year old son that will never see his father again and I’m just going to say I held another shooting victim’s son, 3 years old, I held him yesterday in my arms and I said to him squeeze me real tight and he squeezed me and held me. But there are these children will never see their fathers again, and we have to get tired enough to say that’s enough and its just too much.”
“We really have to get serious enough to say you know what, we have to do something. And for those who say that they are skeptical about what I’m trying to do and calling the churches out, well if you try it you might like it because we need to develop relationships with the people of our country so we can reach them and reach the children that are in their houses because they know who their children are.”
“So my cry is, let’s not say that I’m skeptical and I don’t know if it will work, well the road least traveled is the one nobody wants to travel, well that road hasn’t been paved yet, so I’m trying to pave the way now. I’m just one, along with many other that are trying to pave the way but we have to do it. Get the steam roller on and let’s do it and so I’m just appealing in a strong and my heart is broken right now, I didn’t get to sleep until after 3 this morning, you know I was with the family, the grandma, the grandmother said ‘Wake me up because I know I’m dreaming’, and she said ‘I know I’m going to wake up in the morning and know it was a dream but its not, this is real.’”
Mr. Smith has taken it upon himself to challenge. I commend him on his venture as we all know, every little bit helps. Takes courage and not just sit in front of a device all day and spout words without a presence to the receiver.
How many are walking the streets and side roads to help in these trying times. Thank you Scott. Thank you.
I concur!!! Continue and let us all support his work and that these families!!!!!
Enough talk already…it is time for some serious action !!! so what if we all show up at Victor Scott School, it is time for this government \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
It is time for some action from the government…so what if we all meet at the victor scott school ,what will this do to stop the shootings ?
Pepper it is not about the government its about you and me and the people of this country. The government is merely a bunch of people elected by the people. They like the police need the support of us the PEOPLE AND CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY. So things like this are vital to show the government and the people of Bermuda that action needs to take place.
Your pessimistic and negative outlook is the mere reason why change facilitated by its people is so hard. Do something other than point your finger and blame someone else (aka the government).
AMEN TO THAT. GOOD JOB SCOTT KEEP IT UP!!!
I agree with pepper. What are the candlelights for. It really doesn’t show or prove anything, but support for the families with their lose. There have been marches at the tough spots, they’ve have had all kinds of talks n walks and now the these candlelights. Nothing is changing. These guys don’t care what the public is doing. I can’t say if govt cares or not. I just think no one really knows what to do.
U DON’T CARE TILL IT HITS SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOUR HOME. WE THE BERMUDIANS NEED TO STAND TOGETHER AND FIGHT BACK. HELP NOT ONLY SUPPORT THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BUT ALSO THE POLICE AND GOVERNMENT. LIKE THE SAYING GOES IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD.
Why do some keep calling people killed ‘soldiers’ ??? They are not soldiers.
o so nove Mr Smith is in charge of shootings I wonder how many are going to stand by him I dont see any of u responders doing it
Until a concrete plan is drawn up & totally activated, I won’t be getting involved physically. I’ve lived in los angeles over a 25 year period & seen gang violence at its worse.
Fortunately, the city went serious on cleaning the problem up & as of 16 years ago it is now at a minimum. However, there are still pockets of gangs there.
Scott hang in there ! thanks for calling for our people to stand up and fight this “gang war” that is killing our society. We can no longer sit back and say it does not affect us, black, white, or anyother colour. If you live in Bermuda it will eventually spill over to everyone. As a society we must all act to bring some closure to this insect that has infested our Island. The churches must become more active and work outside of it’s four walls. Jesus went out in the highways and won souls, he did not stay inside a building to spread the word. We must go out there and work with families and young men that are lost and falling into the wrong pathways. Scott keep fighting the good fight. God will provide you with the strength to keep on keeping on !! People we must work towards saving this Island that you call home or there will be long term repercussions !! !!
I CAN TELL YOU WERE AT VICTOR SCOTT LAST NIGHT!!! IT WAS A VERY GOOD VIGIL. AMEN TO SCOTT. WE NEED TO TAKE OUR ISLAND BACK.
I would really like to know, how much longer are we going to tolerate this I mean really tolerate what bestowed upon our island.I cry because so much people are hurting over this. I sit and look at all the young boys in this isalnd whats going to become of this generation . I feel for all these little children that has lost their fathers do they know what and how they have change these children paridigm shift. how this is going to effect everyone of these children in years to come. I’M ASKING EVERYONE COME OUT TO SUPPORT THESE CANDLELIGHT VIGILS WE NEED ALL THE MANPOWER OUT AT THESE VIGILS.
Victor Scott/Cental School was once a bastion of Rasta.So I asked one of the Elders who I remembered from back in the day,you know,how could such a horrible act take place there?His answer was they (the youth)heard the music(Marley,Tosh etc.)but never Listened to the Message.I’m ASKING ‘What MESSAGE ARE WE SENDING TO OUR YOUTH’ .EQUAL RIGHTS AND JUSTICE FOR ALL…So RIDE SCOTTY RIDE ,GO THERE,GO THERE
How long shall they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look… Woman hold her head and cry, cause her son was shot down in the street and die…