As a young boy I remembered one of the first basic rules given by my mother whenever I was allowed to participate in activities outside. "Stay in the yard," she would say. "Don't play in the street," following that up with the consequences if I failed to heed her advice.
Just this week headlines were made by a group, Concerned Citizens for Justice, after four of the members were arrested for failing to remember that basic fundamental rule of "Don't play in traffic." Their arrest did not come as some sort juvenile jinks, but as a result of protest to plaguing violence that law enforcement brings upon the citizens of city. (It pained me just to even type that out).
The most notable of the arrest was one of the main coordinators, Ash Lee Henderson. Since their arrest and release there has been some vainglorious show of support for those that stood in the face of the adversary and didn't back down. Okay, fine in my humble opinion you got the exact attention that you wanted, but my only question is what possible good did it serve? You were in clear violation of the law and even when asked by police to stop blocking traffic you refused, going as far as resisting the lawful arrest. How is taunting the police going to help your cause? How is going to jail helping your cause? How is violating the law and the safety of others going to help your cause?
It appears that the Concerned Citizens for Justice have jumped on the slogan of "Black Lives Matter;" which I find ironic because just this week two black men have been murdered and at least two more black men have been shot in the city of Chattanooga. What did your group do to facilitate any efforts in the black community to deflect any further violence or any other potential retaliation attacks? Weeks ago when a young, black mother was gunned down in the streets of Chattanooga what type of community efforts did you put together to call an end to the violence?
None, you called a meeting together to report the progress of the situation of Ferguson, Mo. I'm curious, Mrs. Henderson, you and your group traveled to Ferguson, Mo after an unarmed, black teen was killed by a white police officer but you won't travel to downtown Chattanooga to attend or even put together a vigil for this young woman that was senselessly murdered?
There have been over 100 homicides in the St Louis, Mo. area. Statistics show that 90 percent of the victims are black. Here in Chattanooga I would venture to say that those percentages run about the same. How many instances did you travel to Missouri when a young black male was killed? How many vigils or marches did you organize when young black men were being killed in the streets of Chattanooga? Why did you march in the streets of Chattanooga when George Zimmerman was found not guilty of killing a young black male, but during the same week a 13 year old black male was gunned down in his front yard and not a word was said? (A side note so you won't forget his name, its Ollie Peters.)
Please stop running your group on the slogan of "Black Lives Matter," when it is clear to me and the rest of the community that your real issue is with law enforcement and law enforcement alone. You only care about a black life when it's taken by the hands of white cop. It's time to stop playing in traffic and take real look at the epidemic of violence that is going on.
Timothy Bryce