Local group marches in response to recent gun violence
WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – For some Clay County residents, the month of March is shaping up to be an effort to respond to recent acts of violence. Several religious leaders started the Community Action Group as a way to show they wanted change in the city of West Point. Belinda Rice is the founder of the group. She said the city is marching for change.
“The march was about a need of a 911 call, pretty much to have a prayer gathering to have an immediate impact on what we knew as a spiritual battle,” said Rice. “I felt like now is the time to do something with an immediate impact, and that is one of the reasons why we wanted to go ahead and put this together, which was for the immediate need which is prayer.”
R.H. Brown is the co-organizer of the Community Action Group. He said this was a great way to show the city how the group responds to violence.
“This prayer march today is just a small step,” said Brown. “We are just showing that we do not want evil activity going on in our city anymore. It is going to take us doing some physical things, to keep that stuff from happening. We cannot sit back and see problems happening. God requires action. Love is moving and love is an action process. This is doing, this is not just talking, and we are looking for some change.”
Rice said she hopes today’s march shows the community that the group cares about the families and the victims of recent crimes.
“It says a lot about the willingness to come into action,” said Rice. “With our community action group, one of the key things is to move into action.”
Rice also said the group is working on more events, to show their response to violence
“There are a lot of things that we are in the planning process of doing, so we are not just a hit and miss,” said Rice. “We want to be able to be there in any way that we can. So, this is not just one thing, we are lining up other things so that we can help the community.”
