Flock stays strong amid tragedy

DetroitDad · December-09-10, 11:23 PM

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20101209/...#ixzz17gAb90UA

The Detroit News

On Father's Day, 2008, 15-year-old Derry Lemark Rembert Jr. told his mother he wanted to attend a party at a friend's house. His mother said no. He disobeyed — a decision that cost him his life.

"My son told me, 'Mama, I'm going to a party,'" Kesia Rembert said.

"I told him, 'You're not going to any party.' But he goes anyway."

As he was walking home from the party around midnight, Derry was gunned down on Schaefer, on the city's west side. The shooter is still at large.

"I thought I was raising my son right, so I wasn't even concerned about something like that," said Rembert, 40, who moved to Detroit from Georgia nine years ago and attended New Bethel.

"I told him he couldn't go to the party, but sometimes kids don't listen."

Last year, Kesia Rembert moved back to Georgia. She said there are too many painful memories to remain in Detroit.

"When I got the phone call that my son had been shot, I just shut down," Rembert said. "They say he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but I'm not accepting that. I feel like this was written to happen, and it happened. Now I'm wondering if it's my fault. Did I do something to bring this on myself? It's something that bothers me all the time."

Rembert said one of Derry's friends contacted her on Facebook. "He said, 'I'm the one who took your son to the party; I shouldn't have taken him, but he was so eager to go.'"Life has changed for Rembert since the shooting.

"Before then, I wasn't concerned about violence, since I didn't think it would affect my life," she said.

"Now I see that it's affecting almost everyone. It seems like so many people [[at New Bethel) have had this happen to them, or someone in their family. It's pretty shocking."

The suburbs might not be sustainable, but this old frontier is getting pretty lawless [[again).

**Gannon** · December-10-10, 07:06 AM

Who makes those titles at the Detroit News?!

Did they even READ the article, or was it highly edited down to fit the space, completely truncating the whole angle of a church staying ANYTHING?!

I don't see the point of this piece...nor your repetition of it, D'Dad.

**Gannon** · December-10-10, 07:07 AM

IF anything, I'd title it, "False Expectations and Teachings Make Mom Think Son's Death is Her Fault".

**adamjab19** · December-10-10, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitDad

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20101209/METRO01/12090395/15-year-old’s-decision-proves-fatal#ixzz17gAb90UA

The suburbs might not be sustainable, but this old frontier is getting pretty lawless [[again).

Non-sustainability talks is just a lynch pin of a topic begun by jealous city dwellers based on the fact that a sustainable city life is being killed by numerous murders, robberies, and other acts of selfishness done by it's very own citizens.

The suburbs are doing fine, vacant strip malls and foreclosed Pulte homes and all. We hurl insults and middle fingers from our driver's side windows as we drive from one Starbucks to the next one a mile down the road. That's it. It's the good life.

Sorry the city was struck with another senseless loss of life.

**Gannon** · December-10-10, 07:10 AM

Or, "Son's Rebellion Against Unreasonable Expectations Makes Mom More Right Than She Wanted to Be"

Heartless, I know. But way more accurate than the existing titles.

**dookie joe** · December-10-10, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Who makes those titles at the Detroit News?!

Did they even READ the article, or was it highly edited down to fit the space, completely truncating the whole angle of a church staying ANYTHING?!

You apparently didn't click the link. The "Flock stays strong amid tragedy" was the title for the overall series of stories; the particular story linked in this thread is titled, "15-year-old's decision proves fatal."

The overall series is about how the New Bethel congregation [[or what's left of it) is continuing to fight, despite their members and loved ones being killed off fairly regularly. In other words, the headline fits perfectly.

Here's a link to the main story, which has satellite stories:

http://detnews.com/article/20101209/...-on-hard-times

DetroitDad · December-10-10, 10:32 PM

Religion? Title of a series? Rubbish!

It's just a secondary title and statement that Metro Detroiters were the metaphorical flock [[we are a united people) staying united and strong through tragedies.

Originally Posted by dookie joe

You apparently didn't click the link. The "Flock stays strong amid tragedy" was the title for the overall series of stories; the particular story linked in this thread is titled, "15-year-old's decision proves fatal."

The overall series is about how the New Bethel congregation [[or what's left of it) is continuing to fight, despite their members and loved ones being killed off fairly regularly. In other words, the headline fits perfectly.

Here's a link to the main story, which has satellite stories:

http://detnews.com/article/20101209/...-on-hard-times

**Gannon** · December-11-10, 12:20 AM

Thanks for the clarity, I indeed DIDN'T see that it was part of a whole...thank you for the clarification...but from reading the story as linked my commentary is valid.

Overall, you are correct...and I am sorry I spoke out now that I know the whole story.

I knee-jerk against this when I see it...