6:06 p.m., January 21, 2012 6:41 p.m., January 21, 2012 7:31 p.m., January 21, 2012 10:09 p.m., January 21, 2012 10:23 p.m., January 21, 2012 Teen’s death brings about call to action By Josh Moyer Staff Writer On a breezy evening in April, a woman burst through the doors of next day and hoped some- Mount Zion Baptist thing good could come out Church while the choir of this, that Tyler’s slay- practiced Easter songs. ing, which remains Someone — Tyler Win- unsolved, could spark uni- stead — had been shot on ty in the community. Hill Street, she said. That call planted the Winstead’s pastor at that seed for Thursday’s “Build- church, the Rev. Michael ing Bridges” event, the Brewster, soon discovered first in a series of six MARK MORAN / THE CITIZENS’ VOICE town-hall style meetings The Revs. MIchael Brewster, left, and ShawnWalker are organizing aseries he would have to preside Winstead over the 14-year-old’s designed to address and of town-hall meetings called ‘BuIlding Bridges,’ whIch they hope wIll help funeral. A little more than solve problems in Wilkes- stop pointing the finger identify and address problems facing the citizens of Wilkes-Barre. a mile away, Mayor Tom Barre. and ask ourselves how The Revs. Brewster and change will begin. the same way. stepped into a church Leighton prayed inside St. much we’re willing to sac- He and the Rev. Walker “I saw an overwhelming before. But I saw them Nicholas Church and Shawn Walker will moder- rifice to raise the quality ate the meetings, the first will give each group a list sea of people at the funer- come out of their comfort received word on the shoot- of life here in Wilkes- of questions to discuss. al,” the Rev. Brewster said. zone and step over that ing after Mass when he of which will touch on Barre.” youth violence and take City officials, police offi- “A nd I know a good num- line. That says volumes. checked his voicemail. After brief opening cers, faith-based leaders, ber of people had to be “A nd that’s the kind of While the Rev. Brewster place 7 p.m. Thursday in remarks by Leighton, the the Dodson Elementary school officials and com- uncomfortable coming in bridge-building we’re try- prayed with the family at reverends and a crime- munity leaders will make our church, with people of ing to do.” Geisinger, Leighton stayed School library. trend presentation by “We can’t sit back and their way around the room all different faiths and up until midnight and patrolman Phil Myers, [email protected], 570-821-2052 just leave this up to our to listen in on conversa- many who probably never waited for updates. The Thursday’s crowd will be tions, and the small groups two spoke on the phone the city administration and asked to split into small law enforcement,” the Rev. will then present their groups. problems and solutions to Brewster said. “A t this That, the Rev. Brewster ‘At this point, it’s point, it’s really time to the larger group. said, is where he’s hoping “We’re confident this really time to stop can lead to good,” Leigh- pointing the finger and IF YOU GO ton said Tuesday. Brewster said he’s been ask ourselves how The first meeting of “Building Bridges” will take place kicking around an idea for much we’re willing to 7 p.m. Thursday in the Dodson Elementary School these meetings for a while library. now but said Winstead’s sacrifice to raise the The sixth — and final — meeting is not yet scheduled, death acted as a spring- but the other meetings will take place 7 p.m. on the board. quality of life here in following dates: He didn’t want to wait Wilkes-Barre.’ ■ May 31: GAR High School library any longer to make a dif- THE CITIZENS’ VOICE FILE ■ June 7: Heights Elementary School library ference after standing over Hundreds of community members gathered on THE REV. MICHAEL BREWSTER ■ June 14: Coughlin High School library Winstead’s white casket, HIll Street in AprIl to remember 14-year-old GAR Mount Zion Baptist ■ June 19: Meyers High School library and he’s hoping other Memorial Junior/Senior HIgh School student Ty- Church members of the public feel ler Winstead. THE CITIZENS’ AMERICANMADE AT NOBLE FURNITURE RECLINING VOICE SOFAS WEDNESDAY, Large Selection of Frames and Fabrics All Made MAY In The USA 23, 2012 FREE Layaway •FREE Delivery 825 E. Main St., Nanticoke 735-2720 Gift Cards s r r TM Available www.noblefurniturestore.com –7 WB_VOICE - CVDAILY - 7 - 05/23/12 WB_VOICE/PAGES [T07] | 05/22/12 20:46 | SUPERIMPSC VIEWPOINT OUR VOICE Do your part in ‘Building Bridges’ The conversation starts tonight. The first in a series of “Building Bridges” meetings arising from the tragic fatal shooting of 14-year-old Taylor Winstead in Wilkes-Barre begins at 7 p.m. in the library at the Dodson Ele- mentary School, 80 Jones St. The two ministers organiz- ing the meetings, Michael Brewster and Shawn Walker, hope to build a dialogue aimed at improving the quality of life in the city. Following opening remarks by Mayor Tom Leighton and the Revs. Brewster and Walker, city patrolman Phil Myers will present a crime-trend presentation. Then comes your part. Attendees will be split into small groups, assigned a series of questions to discuss and asked to present their problems and solutions to the larger group. “Building Bridges” is aimed at harnessing the solidarity expressed by groups across IF YOU GO the city in the wake of Win- stead’s shooting, which The first meeting of remains the subject of an “Building Bridges” will active police investigation. take place 7p.m. tonight “I saw an overwhelming in the Dodson Elementary sea of people at the funeral,” School library. Brewster told The Citizens’ The sixth — and final Voice this week. “A nd I know — meeting is not yet a good number of people had scheduled, but the other to be uncomfortable coming meetings will take place in our church, with people of 7p.m. on the following all different faiths and many Ex-Rutgers student’s punishment should fit crime dates: who probably never stepped ■ May 31:GARHigh into a church before. But I McClatchy-Tribune News Service verdict, saying it had been fairly reached. School library saw them come out of their But Berman put the case in better perspective Tuesday ■ June 7:Heights comfort zone and step over Even the 30-day prison sentence given to a former Rut- by sentencing Ravi to 30 days imprisonment, three years’ ElementarySchool library that line. That says volumes. gers University student who used a webcam to secretly probation, 300 hours of community service, cyberbullying ■ June 14: Coughlin “A nd that’s the kind of record his roommate having a romantic encounter with counseling, and a $10,000 probation fee. Those arguing Ravi High School library bridge-building we’re trying another man may have been too much. deserved the maximum 10 years in prison forget that he ■ June 19: Meyers High to do.” Many legal experts agree that Dharun Ravi, 20, probably could have avoided any jail time by agreeing to a plea bar- School library If you care about Wilkes- wouldn’t have been charged with any crime had not his vic- gain offered earlier by prosecutors. Barre, about its future and tim, Tyler Clementi, committed suicide two days after the The jury was told it shouldn’t connect Clementi’s suicide the future of its residents — particularly its youth — there September 2010 incident. to the bias charges against Ravi, and that’s what the rest of is no place you should be this evening other than the library Even so, there was no evidence that Ravi’s despicable act the world must do, too. of the Dodson Elementary School. directly triggered Clementi’s death. The assumption is rea- It would be easy to lump this case in with heinous crimes Join the conversation. sonable, but Clementi’s correspondence with a friend indi- where there was no doubt that the victims’ deaths were cal- cated he was despondent because of his mother’s reaction culated by homophobic predators. But the tragic conse- 2012 to his recent admission that he was gay. quences of Ravi’s obvious insensitivity toward Clementi 24, “Mom has basically completely rejected me,” said the 18- appear to have been unintended. Publishers year-old college freshman. Other notes left by Clementi sug- That may not satisfy Clementi’s family, which must live MAY W. Scott Lynett, George V. Lynett Jr., gested he wanted to stop rooming with Ravi, but there was with the fact that he took his own life. It may not satisfy Robert J. Lynett, Matthew E. Haggerty no hint that he was contemplating suicide. those persons who actively and necessarily seek to draw Ravi texted Clementi what he may have meant as an apol- more attention to the bigotry and violence that continue to 821-2045, [email protected] ogy after the webcam incident, saying, “I’ve known you be a fact of life for homosexuals. But it’s what’s right. DonaldFarley — General Manager were gay, and I have no problem with it. ... I don’t want your In a recent Newark Star-Ledger oped column, former THURSDAY, 207-3449 [email protected] freshman year to be ruined because of a petty misunder- Gov.