The roots of The Richmond Truth Tazer
I suppose that all things happen for a reason. It's good to know that the people's voice, if loud enough, will get action.
This started simply enough with a reply of passion to an email sent out by friend and long time Richmond Community Activist Mike Ali. I'll post all of the correspondence here beginning with my response and the subsequent activity:
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Good morning Mike/all,
As you know, I tend to stay silent on most of these issues as the incompetent usually figure things out eventually, but I’m in total agreement with staying neutral on this until all parties for violence prevention can be heard and included.
Is it me, or is the city council setting a record for not only the world’s slowest response to one of their longest running problems, or is that the plan to keep the money flowing? A message to the poverty pimps: YOU CAN’T FOOL US…WE KNOW WHAT YOU’RE UP TO.
This hustle has been going on for years, but it’s gotten to the point that the hustlers are so bad at it most people are catching on. Being a Richmond High grad in 1992, I speak on this lack of action first hand as I watched many people (friends included) die from violence.
I do encourage folks to watch tonight on TV (if you can stomach it) to see how this political pawn game is being played out…let’s not forget this is an election year and everyone is “jockeying” for position by WHATEVER means necessary. Lest we forget that politics is more entertainment than it is action.
Sad times my friends, but if we call people to task each and every time they try something, they won’t be able to get away with it.
The Truth Tazer
Subject: ALERT! THE COMMITTE WILL NOT BE ATTENDING RICHMOND COUNCIL MEETING!
DEAR FRIENDS,
THE COMMITTEE OF FAMILIES FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN WILL BE NOT ATTENDING OR PARTICIPATING AT THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT AT THE REGULAR 7:00PM MEETING.
THE ISSUE SURROUNDS TWO FACTIONS COMPETING FOR VAST SUMS OF MONIES TO FUND VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN THE CITY OF RICHMOND. REV. ANDRE SHUMAKE OF THE RICHMOND IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION (RIA) AND JUNIOR COUNCILMEMBER TONY THURMAN PRESENTING A COUNTER-PROPOSAL FOR 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS TO BE PAID FOR BY THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS CITY.
THE COMMITTEE HAS A LONG TRACK RECORD OF BEING ADVOCATES FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN THE PAST 3 YEARS. THE COMMITTEE FEELS THAT WE MUST MAINTAIN A POSTION OF NEUTRALITY UNTIL ALL STAKEHOLDERS OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION ARE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE AS EQUAL PARTNERS. MANY ADVOCATES AND STAKEHOLDERS OF 'PEACE ON THE STREETS'/ VIOLENCE PREVENTION HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THIS PROCESS AND HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATION.
THEREFORE WE HAVE HAD NO REAL IMPUT IN THE SO-CALLED PROCESS OF BEING APART OF THE MAINSTREAM PROGRAMMING TO HELP REDUCE VIOLENCE ON THE STREETS OF RICHMOND AND WEST COUNTY.
SO UNTIL SUCH A TIME AND PLACE OCCURS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN NEUTRALITY AND CONTINUE OUR SACRED WORK TO STOP THE KILLING ON THE MEAN STREETS OF RICHMOND.
'IN THE SPIRIT OF UNITY AMONG OUR PEOPLE'
MIKE ALI,
COMMITTEE OF FAMILES FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN
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Interestingly enough, it's my understanding that my little ol' response moved pretty quickly through channels and got some people thinking...I always like that, seeing as when people are inspired to think about getting the hose, things begin to jump! Let the Truth Tazer roll on!
Your comments are welcome here. If we call the poverty and political pimps out on a consistent basis, they'll stop trying to hustle us!
This started simply enough with a reply of passion to an email sent out by friend and long time Richmond Community Activist Mike Ali. I'll post all of the correspondence here beginning with my response and the subsequent activity:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good morning Mike/all,
As you know, I tend to stay silent on most of these issues as the incompetent usually figure things out eventually, but I’m in total agreement with staying neutral on this until all parties for violence prevention can be heard and included.
Is it me, or is the city council setting a record for not only the world’s slowest response to one of their longest running problems, or is that the plan to keep the money flowing? A message to the poverty pimps: YOU CAN’T FOOL US…WE KNOW WHAT YOU’RE UP TO.
This hustle has been going on for years, but it’s gotten to the point that the hustlers are so bad at it most people are catching on. Being a Richmond High grad in 1992, I speak on this lack of action first hand as I watched many people (friends included) die from violence.
I do encourage folks to watch tonight on TV (if you can stomach it) to see how this political pawn game is being played out…let’s not forget this is an election year and everyone is “jockeying” for position by WHATEVER means necessary. Lest we forget that politics is more entertainment than it is action.
Sad times my friends, but if we call people to task each and every time they try something, they won’t be able to get away with it.
The Truth Tazer
Subject: ALERT! THE COMMITTE WILL NOT BE ATTENDING RICHMOND COUNCIL MEETING!
DEAR FRIENDS,
THE COMMITTEE OF FAMILIES FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN WILL BE NOT ATTENDING OR PARTICIPATING AT THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT AT THE REGULAR 7:00PM MEETING.
THE ISSUE SURROUNDS TWO FACTIONS COMPETING FOR VAST SUMS OF MONIES TO FUND VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN THE CITY OF RICHMOND. REV. ANDRE SHUMAKE OF THE RICHMOND IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION (RIA) AND JUNIOR COUNCILMEMBER TONY THURMAN PRESENTING A COUNTER-PROPOSAL FOR 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS TO BE PAID FOR BY THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS CITY.
THE COMMITTEE HAS A LONG TRACK RECORD OF BEING ADVOCATES FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN THE PAST 3 YEARS. THE COMMITTEE FEELS THAT WE MUST MAINTAIN A POSTION OF NEUTRALITY UNTIL ALL STAKEHOLDERS OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION ARE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE AS EQUAL PARTNERS. MANY ADVOCATES AND STAKEHOLDERS OF 'PEACE ON THE STREETS'/ VIOLENCE PREVENTION HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THIS PROCESS AND HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATION.
THEREFORE WE HAVE HAD NO REAL IMPUT IN THE SO-CALLED PROCESS OF BEING APART OF THE MAINSTREAM PROGRAMMING TO HELP REDUCE VIOLENCE ON THE STREETS OF RICHMOND AND WEST COUNTY.
SO UNTIL SUCH A TIME AND PLACE OCCURS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN NEUTRALITY AND CONTINUE OUR SACRED WORK TO STOP THE KILLING ON THE MEAN STREETS OF RICHMOND.
'IN THE SPIRIT OF UNITY AMONG OUR PEOPLE'
MIKE ALI,
COMMITTEE OF FAMILES FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interestingly enough, it's my understanding that my little ol' response moved pretty quickly through channels and got some people thinking...I always like that, seeing as when people are inspired to think about getting the hose, things begin to jump! Let the Truth Tazer roll on!
Your comments are welcome here. If we call the poverty and political pimps out on a consistent basis, they'll stop trying to hustle us!
posted by Plunda Claus @ 10:27 AM
1 Comments:
At April 30, 2006 1:42 PM,
Anonymous said…
>> The city clearly has a plan....
If by "clearly" you mean that the Richmond city council is running a TRANSPARENT process, you're mistaken. Do thick-headed intransigence from the mayor, community concerns ignored, and untelevised meetings mean anything to you?
But you're right: this shouldn't be an issue of race. Solutions will be found wherever they lie, and "trauma" to "diversity" be damned. The killing must stop!
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