Crime

OP-ED: God Bless The Child

Published

9 years ago

November 19, 2014

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” ~ Nelson Mandela

At the time of my writing of this article I anxiously await the St. Louis County grand jury decision on whether or not to charge Officer Darren Wilson for the murder of 18 year old Michael Brown. In anticipation of the grand jury decision, rallies are being organized not just in Ferguson, MO but all around the country. Organizers met on Saturday in Ferguson to map out their protest plans and are encouraging group members to provide their names upon arrest as Darren Wilson or Michael Brown to make it difficult for the police to process them.

Lt. John Stanford of the Philadelphia police department said that he anticipated his city will see demonstrations, regardless of what the grand jury returns.

But as demonstrators prepare their slogans and the police departments prepare their riot gear it is we that stand guilty of ignoring the real crime of what is happening to young black men. In 2011, the last year for which the FBI has complete data, 1668 blacks under the age of 22 were killed in America. That is more than triple the 469 military men and women killed in Afghanistan that same year.

“I think there’s fear of intimidation, harassment being legitimized by the fact that there is a high rate of crime, especially among young black men. Number 1 cause of death, young black men 15 to 34 – murder. Who’s committing the murder? Not police, other black men,” said Juan Williams, Fox News pundit.

Accidents ranked second in causes of death and suicides claimed the third amount of black male lives between 15 and 24 years old. Per the CDC, compared to other ethnicities, the numbers really stand out. Forty percent of black males between the ages of 15 – 24 who died in 2011 were murdered, compared to just 3.8 percent of white males who died during that same time. The Children’s Defense Fund said the number of black children killed by gunfire since 1979 is nearly 13 times more than the number of blacks who were lynched in this country between 1882 and 1968.

So what do we do?

First, we must have the courage to face the reality of what is going on in the black community. We cannot correct a problem we refuse to acknowledge.

Karen Watson is the author of the book, “Being Black and Republican in the Age of Obama”. Email karen.watson@gopbuzz.com

Second, we have to fall in love with these beautiful children and see the best in them and expect only the best from them. We have to raise the bar for them and encourage them to surpass our expectations.

Third, we must demand that these young men act as young men with a future and a purpose. We must remind them that the world is theirs for the taking and that they were born for success and that even if they fall they can get back up and start again because they are not victims. And we must cheer them on.

Frederick Douglass said “it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” And lastly we must begin immediately.

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

1 day ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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California Black Media

Anti-Theft Bill with Jail-Time Requirement Gets Wide Ranging Support

Fed up with the alarming frequency of retail theft across California, including smash and grabs, a diverse group of business leaders, law enforcement officials, policymakers and public safety advocates joined their efforts in Sacramento on Jan. 24. Their purpose: to increase public support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1772, a bill that would make jail time mandatory for repeat theft offenders.

Published

3 days ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

San Bernardino Police Chief Darren Goodman speaks as Asm. James Ramos (D-San Bernardino), left, stands beside him at a news conference in Sacramento concerning retail theft across the state.

By California Black Media

Fed up with the alarming frequency of retail theft across California, including smash and grabs, a diverse group of business leaders, law enforcement officials, policymakers and public safety advocates joined their efforts in Sacramento on Jan. 24.

Their purpose: to increase public support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1772, a bill that would make jail time mandatory for repeat theft offenders.

Co-authored by Assemblymembers James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) and Devon Mathis (R-Tulare), AB 1772 would require jail time “of one to three years for theft crimes depending upon the circumstances.

“Offenses would include grand theft, theft from an elder or dependent adult, theft or unauthorized use of a vehicle, burglary, carjacking, robbery, receiving stolen property, shoplifting or mail theft,” the bill language reads.

Ramos said the need to act is urgent.

“It’s time for us to reverse the spikes in theft crimes since the pandemic. Our law enforcement members and district attorneys need additional tools such as AB 1772. We must reverse the trend before the problem grows worse. Last year I requested a state audit of the impact of Prop 47 on Riverside and San Bernardino counties,” said Ramos.

Prop 47 is the California initiative, approved by voters in 2014, that reclassified some felonies to misdemeanors and raised the minimum amount for most misdemeanor thefts from $400 to $950.

According to a Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) report, the rate of occurrence of petty crimes like shoplifting and commercial burglaries have increased by double digits over the last four years.

In Orange County alone, commercial burglaries have spiked by 54%.

“Our communities are experiencing an increase in retail crime and deserve appropriate action from their legislators,” Valencia said.

San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus thanked Ramos.

“This bill, designed to impose stricter penalties on serial retail theft suspects, responds urgently to the escalating consequences of shoplifting and related crimes on our communities,” he said.

AB 1772 supporters who spoke at the gathering included Sacramento Sheriff Jim Cooper and San Bernardino Chief of Police Darren Goodman. Listed as supporters are the California State Sheriff’s Association, City of Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez and Redlands Chamber of Commerce.