Accountability is our first and far most concern in our fight to stop the violence, and we have taken great steps in counter-acting this effect.
On Aug. 13, at the same time we were hosting a Stop the Violence Press Conference at Trinity Church, other community organizers were hosting an event at Marietta Housing Authority Housing Projects, in which over 500 people gathered in a fun-filled event, with no police actions, outbreaks of crimes or violent acting out of any kind. The organizers of this event did an outstanding job. I was there at this event, and I was the organizer of the press conference to Stop the Violence.
These positive actions do not get big press, but every time a black youth, operating on his own, not representing the black nation living in America, commits a crime it is sent back on us as a nation of people. This is unjust, just as I could not hold every white American family accountable for three youths who ran from Florida to Georgia, robbing and shooting at police officers from state to state and were then arrested in another state. You cannot hold all black mothers or families accountable for the actions of only 2 percent of our population.
Mableton was our target location due to the crime reports, and we are here to do something about it. We will change the hearts and minds of men. This is not a black or white issue, this is an American issue, and the only way we can overcome the effect of crime in our community is together. We have met with Cobb County Police and Commissioners to collaborate our efforts and the efforts of other nonprofits in creating a Civilian Review Broad to investigate and inform the public of those Public Service events which involve the actions of sworn public officers. This is both for the protection of our law enforcement officers (as one lawsuit could bankrupt the county for millions of dollars) and to protect the public citizens they serve. We support our police and stand with the citizens of Cobb as well.
We have set up classes in our probation system in Fulton County and are now working with Cobb County to do the same, 65 percent of those who completed these classes did not repeat back in the correction system. We will start these classes in Marietta Housing Projects next week, teaching economic empowerment, job and business creation, using the power of education to break the cycle of crime as a means of creating income.
Yet, this is not big press. This does not sell news, so it’s the American people who elected party government over the need of the people over the last 15 years who must stand accountable for job loss, unemployment, the stock market crash of 2008, two wars overseas for more than 10 years, the outsourcing of American jobs oversea by the millions, the cuts of government aid to the poor of this county black, white and Latino, YES! This is forcing many into a life of crime as a man must eat. This is an American problem– not just black America.
Cobb SCLC is also hosting classes to teach communities how to protect themselves from home invasions, carjacking and the use of video neighborhood watch programs and ways to increase the effectiveness’ of the neighborhood watch. We must all come together as Americans to rise up over our shortcomings. This must be done in love, not violence.
