Raising a voice against violence

The Enterprise, Brockton, Mass.
www.enterprisenews.com

BROCKTON — In the days after burying her 19-year-old son, Felicia Starks Washington fielded dozens of phone calls from young people.
She listened to their voices choked with tears, filled with pain.
And, through her own veil of grief, she felt hope.
"Violence is not the way to go. It doesn't solve anything. It just brings more pain to everyone," she said. "I think they realize that."
Washington's son, Markeen Starks, was stabbed to death early New Year's Day outside a family party on Skinner Street.
His 15-year-old accused killer, Emmanuel Okoro of Brockton, turned himself in to police days later after police obtained a warrant for his arrest.
It was a swift arrest because witnesses talked to authorities and identified the attacker.
Talking is something Washington said everyone has an obligation to do if the street violence is to end.
"It is not snitching," she said. "As you can see with Markeen, people spoke right up. They didn't hold back information. I hope that they do it more often. If they have the guts to speak up, maybe this will all end.
"It is not about snitching any more. It is about doing the right thing."
The move to encourage witness es to come forward is growing in the city.
The Brockton Peace Crusaders, a group of community activists, is planning a campaign to get witnesses to talk.

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