Maybe this is the beginning of something real. At a press conference yesterday and a rally today, members of the community and the friends and family of Tyrone Love have been starting a new movement to end the cycle of violence that has resulted in the murders and serious injuries of a lot of African American boys and men over the last couple of years.
The core message is that the “no snitching” rule has to end. It’s keeping killers on the street and allowing them to kill again.
At the rally today a crowd of over 100 people gathered in the Garfield Community Center gym to listen to several speakers decry the ongoing violence and the code of silence that surrounds it. This was different that the other events that have been held in the wake of shootings and murders in the neighborhood. Those have usually featured cops, mostly white crowds, and a lot of talk about the official response and strategies for the crimes. This audience was heavily African American, and included a lot of younger men. And instead of demanding things from local officials, they were both mourning the loss of a friend and family member, and cheering on speakers who called for changes in people’s attitudes and actions when it comes to violence in the community.
Here’s some pictures from today’s rally, and we’ve got video coming of some of the speakers:
Also be sure to check out Claudia Rowe’s latest article on this topic in the PI.
What are we missing here? It looks like the link got aborted mid-sentence.
sorry – accidentally deleted some text after one of the video uploads
I am very impressed that the Mayor finally came out and spoke! He really sounded sincere, right fro the heart! Let’s hope for a follow through!
As a resident of the Central area as well as Rainier Beach for 20 years I am appalled at the lack of community resources to curb the violence. As a community activist we can meet, talk and discuss solutions yet nothing will change until we implement ACTION! No one is excempt from violence- it could be my children or yours…..how many more young lives have to be ended in order for us to rise up and say ” this is enough?”
There are community resources available city wide. The city government chooses not to focus what is needed here! A racist double standard that has existed for decades!
I attended the meeting on Sat. Personally, I found the meeting to be really positive. The meeting talked a lot about empowering the community to take back the streets and make them safe again. The meeting did not talk about how we as a community had been neglected by the city and how others were to blame for the violence in the community. Personally, I found the meeting super positive in tone and substance.
With respect to the Mayor attending, I certainly found it to be a positive sign, but I wouldn’t say 8 years of willful neglect should be forgotten by one dog and pony show appearance. And I found his message of “violence is not new here, it’s been here from the start of the community” to be really distasteful, albeit politically expedient.
What does that change? We personally can’t arrest the kids to get them off the street? Nobody on here saw the recent shooting or can identify the shooter? its not an issue of us saying ‘its enough’ and doing community organizing. the city first needs a major push in the area to arrest the dope dealers and do the real police work to get the guns off the street. Pull people over, a lot, let it be known. Do some real work. Cops need walk / bike the beat and end this open air drug market in the CD. Why is there not a cop driving through 23rd and Jackson to Cherry to Union constantly?
Or better, biking through. And making better use of the 23rd and Union “Drop In Center.”
while i may agree on one level, i think it is critical to acknowledge that there are folks in the community that do not exactly warm up to the thoughts of a greater and more aggressive police presence.
Acknowledged. But it would not necessarily have to be more aggressive, just more visible and available. More of what community policing really is.
Its very frustrating to see the EXACT same drug dealers everyday right by my house. 21st/22nd and Union.
so sad for Tyrone’s family and friends…
I wish the people operating that corner market would wise up and pipe some nice loud classical or country music outside to the sidewalk! You’d see those druggies scatter in a minute.
a lack of family and cultural values are at the heart of these things in my opinion. children that are raised in a solid family and taught morals and respect do not murder other people, unless of course they are simply mentally ill/disturbed. getting the guns away & arresting people would only be a band-aid. the real change is needed on a much deeper level. and, as long as racism and counter/reversed-racism exist in our society, there will be a multitude of problems in our country. kids need more discipline, more parenting, more family, more dedication, someone to inspire them, guide them, etc. when will the government start to care is my question…?????
When WE care enough – enough to pressure the government and elect the right people, enough to volunteer our time and other resources to the kids and families that need them, enough to model appropriate behavior and attributes ourselves. And it needs to start at kindergarten level or earlier.
Did you really just say counter reverse racism?
Punch yourself in the face.
Sure a lot of people don’t want more aggressive police but guess what? It aint working right now and kids are dying at an alarming rate. So it’s time for something new.
I’ve called 911 5 times in last two weeks. Call whenever you see anything weird. If you see open air drug deals call. they may or may not show up but it’s logged and it’s about all you can do.
Yes, I did say it and with good reason. Because it exists and causes just as much damage whether we want to face up to it or not. May be completely unrelated in this particular instance, but simply touching on some of the issues in our society.
As far as I’m concerned, most government officials do not care about these issues, and the ones that would are not in office. I can definitely vote for the right person, but it may not put that individual into office unless everyone else feels the same as I do and actually votes that way.