News-Record.com

A very powerful story in yesterday's Charlotte Observer begins with these paragraphs:

Since April 1, Timber Ridge apartments has been the epicenter of a city's grief after two police officers were slain in the east Charlotte complex.

Saturday, 27 days later, community and spiritual leaders gathered at the apartments and said they hope the tragedy will become a rallying point for people who want to change Charlotte for the better.

The spot outside Building 7211 where Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Officers Sean Clark and Jeff Shelton were shot on March 31 has become an ever-growing and now permanent memorial.

A cross-shaped brick planter marks the spot, which has been adorned with memorials, flowers and a wooden cross with the names of the officers on it.

Hundreds of Timber Ridge residents joined law enforcement officers and the families of Clark and Shelton to dedicate the memorial Saturday.

To commemorate the city's inaugural Jeff Shelton and Sean Clark Day, two brass bands played in the afternoon sun.

There were children marching behind a police honor guard, encouraging people to stop violence and "cross over" for justice, peace and academic achievement.

Many community activists demand "justice." Usually that means they want fair treatment of their constituents by the police and courts.

In this case, "justice" might be construed to mean severe punishment for the man accused of murdering the two police officers. But that's a separate issue.

I think it's important to talk about justice in the context of peace and academic achievement. For the troubled Timber Ridge community, where police answered calls with numbing regularity, peace requires putting a stop to the violence, drug dealing and property crimes that terrify decent residents but bring the community into frequent contact with police and the judicial system. And academic achievement only happens when young people set their minds on improving themselves and finding success through brainpower, not through the power of guns or drugs.

It's heartening that this is a community initiative supported by hundreds of residents. That's where a turnaround has to begin. If the community creates an atmosphere where academic achievement is expected of young people, where a peaceful environment is expected, and if this attitude takes hold and prevails, justice will naturally follow.