Dear Natchez, and a special Dear Natchez to our young people, the time is past due to cut out all of this foolishness — all of this fighting, stabbing and shooting.

It’s got to go, well, it darn needs to go away, as you can see it is very unnecessary.

The problems you think you are solving are still there afterward, so nothing is really accomplished, but lives are turned upside down.

There are entirely too many kids losing their lives to senseless violence. People are dying fast enough without the help of your knives and guns.

Do you ever take the time to stop and think that once you take another life, that is it? There is no coming back.

Parents won’t get to see their children grow up, go to proms, graduate or get married and have children — things that should be simple in one’s life.

On April 26, we need the support of this community for the “Stop the Violence, In-crease the Peace Walk and Rally.”

Natchez, Vidalia, Ferriday, Fayette, Port Gibson and other surrounding areas, please come out and let’s tell trigger-happy people that we are taking a stand against violence and that we refuse to be labeled as other cities in the United States have.

There are some mothers that don’t have the strength to attend an event like this for their deceased sons and daughters simply because their pain is too deep, and they hurt for their children deeply.

Families of victims and the accused change drastically.

Young people need to attend as well as parents. After all, it starts at home. I know these things personally, no matter how I started my early years in life.

We will start the walk from the Zion Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church parking lot, located at 228 N. Martin Luther King Jr. St., at the corner of Jefferson Street at 1 p.m.

The walk will continue down Martin Luther King Jr. Street to the lot across from the Brick House (Voters League).

Some people may say this does no good, but if someone would listen, wouldn’t that be just great? At least it would be better than looking at gun show signs everywhere.

I know people say, “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

I heard a person say, “I don’t want to participate with that organization,” but tell me why it matters what organization it is if our goal is to save our community.

I challenge all preachers, city and county leaders to come out with support, or maybe you should just remember them at church or at election time. Hey, I’m just keeping it real.

There will be great speakers at the rally, such as Deborah Simmons of the National Action Network in Detroit, the Rev. Jerry Baldwin of Ruston, La., Rep. Robert Johnson, Bishop Robert Cade, the Rev. Kenneth Stanton, Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, NAN President Phil-lip West, Jeremy Houston, Larry Hooper, Greg Marshall and Mr. K. Williams from Pinnacle Entertainment representing the K. Michelle concert.

Bringing it on will be the Natchez High School drum line, with always great entertainment from the Rev. Leroy White and Ward 4 Alderman Tony Fields, and last but not least, Vickie Green and her dancing fitness women.

Hats off to our wonderful committee of Phillip West, Gwen Watson, Jessie B. Ber-nard, Larry Hooper, Jeremy Houston, Lillian Ross, Gwen Singleton, Hassan Alhaqq, Kyla Watson and Doris Fitzgerald.

Anyone who wished to work with us can call 601-443-3630.

Family and friends of victims are invited to wear or bring T-shirts, posters, pictures and candles in memory of their loved ones.

Jacqueline Marsaw is the National Action Network coordinator for Natchez.