There is a disturbing trend in Selma and it is one that must come to an immediate end for this community to grow and move forward. It is a trend that is causing frustration for our law enforcement officials; a frustration they might never vocalize but one you can obviously see on their faces.

This trend is the one of silence and it is keeping some of Selma’s most horrific crimes from being solved.

Such is the case in two recent stories we’ve published; one updating a shooting where an elderly man was shot in the neck and left paralyzed and another shooting that left a woman dead in her home.

In both cases, law enforcement officials are confident there are witnesses and persons of interest who know what happened but obviously feel too intimated by those responsible to come forward.

That is a trend that must come to an end.

As a community — a community with a rich history and a potentially bright future — we must find a way to dig up the courage to do what is right and stand up to this criminal element that is hell bent on controlling the place we call home.

We must find the guts to no longer keep silent and instead, stand on the very street corner controlled by a local gang or drug dealer and tell them they are no longer welcome.

We need to stand in the middle of our streets and say this is a place we want to raise our families safely and tell those who wield violence and intimidation to control us they are no longer welcome and no longer have us under their thumb.

We must once and for all come forward and tell local law enforcement officials what we know of local crimes and those who would commit crimes.

As a community, we will never be rid of fear until we can face that fear head on and say, “enough is enough. This is our Selma. Not yours.”