With the murder of Keith Hancock we have all been reminded that crime is a reality for any community, even one the size of Hartsville.
For years it has remained an inconvenient truth for those of lower income — this town is capable of generating crime comparable to any major metropolitan area.
There have always been two Hartsvilles; those of middle and higher income are just becoming more aware of it. This is not to say that the recent string of vandalism, burglary or the brutal death of an innocent man is warranted. However, this tragedy has galvanized the community and provided us with an opportunity to come together under a common goal.
This is to say that a crime anywhere in Hartsville is a crime everywhere in Hartsville. I implore all of you to follow in the spirit of Jan Rothe’s comments last week.
We can work together to find a positive solution through prayer and hope and compassion for our fellow man. There are those like Gail Kimbrell who suggests combating violence with violence, but that never works. Threatening criminals with death and dismemberment will not end crime, it never has. I understand Kimbrell’s anger, but hate-speak will not solve anything.
Now that Hartsville’s elite know what those in poverty have always held as truth, we are coming to find that we aren’t that different. Maybe there is a way to spin this into a new era for Hartsville, one in which the lines of segregation aren’t so clearly defined.
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