Frank T. Williams

"I'm tired of this. What do we have to do? How can we get justice in America? We had it tape." (The Honolulu Advertiser/Washington Post Booth/Edds July 30, 2003) Mollie Bell, a community activist in Los Angeles, questioning the LA jury deadlock of the LA Police Department using excessive force on a 16-year-old handcuffed Black teenager.

On July 6, 2002 in Inglewood California, police officer Jeremy Morse was videotaped slamming handcuffed Donovan Jackson on a police car and punching the 16 year-old. At the end of three days, a jury of twelve (with one black person on the jury) voted. Five voted to acquit the police officer and seven voted to convict. Jeremy Morse was fired from the police department but was not found guilty of using excessive force. How do you figure that one?

Mollie Bell questions concerned me deeply, especially the question, "How can we get justice in America?" A leader of a group called, Project Islamic Hope, named Najee Ali said, "We have the right to be angry," and discouraged a repeat of the Rodney King reactions that occurred after the verdict of those police officers being acquitted, a full fledged riot.

Mollie Bell is right the evidence was caught on tape. But, the situations, circumstances of African Americans are not about to change. Why? Because institutional racism is alive and the plight of a citizen vs. power will not prevail unless more than one or two people stand up; and if it take civil disobedience to prove a point then let the chips fall where they must. I am not an advocate of hatred or ill will towards any one, but I am against the status quo that looks the other way when an injustice has been done.

How can we get justice in America? This is a very good question that deserves an answer. I will take a shot at it. African Americans will never get true justice until they stop shuffling, shutting down, selling out, getting complacence, accepting the present paradigm in place. We have the right to vote. We have the right to back whomever we want to back with funds and signatures to put on ballots for political offices.

How do we get justice in America? We need to elect true leaders such as those who are community activists, who really care about people and human rights and conditions. We need to stop accepting the ones who have millions of dollar to lead when they can't. And, when they don't lead they have excuses. We need to stop backing money and start backing people who are truly for African Americans, People of Color and all people best interest, especially the have-nots who are trying so hard to make do.

How do we get justice in America? We need to teach our people the truth about navigating and negotiating the three realms of society (Mainstream America, Minorities and African Americans). We need to teach our youths and adult the truth of how to survive and not only survive but how to excel in being the best and keeping themselves out of arms way. What do I mean by that? Life isn't fair, but don't put yourselves in situations that you won't win in. Speaking out about there was only one Black on that jury will not solve the problem. Do some policy writing and get some legislation passed to change some laws. Who are we waiting for to do it for us?

For Mr. Ali to speak on peace without solutions was not good leadership to me, with all due respect. We have enough soft makers; we need some creators to lead. We should have had many Blacks, People of Color, and Whites marching outside of that courthouse with signs saying "Not in our backyard," " Illegal tactics of the police force will not be accepted by our community." I wish I would tell my people to go home and not stand for anything. You have to make a presence or you will continue to be a joke. I am not speaking on violence; I am speaking on making a presence and standing for truth and what will not be tolerated.

We still have gangs within some of our communities. We have drug sells within some of our communities. We have all type of hustlers within our communities whether they are hoodlums in jeans to hoodlums in suits. Some of you are afraid to stand up for your own community where your grandparents can't even walk the streets without fear of being robbed. Remaining passive and complacence within your own block, your own households and some of you are afraid to confront your own children. With this type of mind frame how can we expect justice to change when you yourselves are afraid to change and of change?

Yes, I am angry. I am not tired-I am sadden by the conditioning of some of my people. I love my people so much, and I want for them to learn how to love themselves much more. A lot of our people are lost and a lot of people fall into these traps of the victimization role. When in fact, we don't have to play the victims no more. We don't have to accept this role. We don't have to beg for justice. We can create it ourselves. We can create it the same way the American forefathers created theirs.

We can do it legally, but if we keep falling in the traps, before you wake, there will be another 2.2 million and another 2.2 million incarcerated with over 80% being African American and People of color. With children growing up being targets of some police officials, stereotyped and picked out to stop on demand to be searched. And, these children having the mind frame to resist because they know they are targets but the adults do not hear their cries out for help and is not being helped because the only skills being taught to them is by their hommies because the single parent (another accepted norm) is working two or more jobs and do not even know how to teach their child or children how to navigate and negotiate the three realms of society.

How do we get justice in America Ms Mollie Bell? We continue to advocate, educate, policy write, and elect our own real leaders into office instead of the ones given to us to vote for, and vote! How do we get justice in America? It's simple, stop being afraid and stand up, stand together until the end of time. If we aren't mistreating each other, then how in the heck will we accept others to do so? We wouldn't!

How can we get justice in America? Civil disobedience worked in the past and it could still work today. If you are afraid then get out of the way. If you are strong then bond together and don't just be selective about the type of social ills you will not accept. What was done to that young teenager was wrong, just as wrong as was done to Diallo in New York.

We, African Americans have been mistreated upon for centuries and some of our people mistreat each other. Clean up your households. Clean up your communities. Make those changes and get the ones who know how to design policies to make societal change. These are ways we can start getting justice in America. And, if your leaders don't know how to lead, quit calling those people your leaders. Stand for something and get out of your comfort zones!

One more thing, see how President Bush does not want to meet with Black leaders, such as NAACP? See how the poor are suffering the most since he has been in office? See how there is no explanation for this war? This president needs to be voted out of office; will any of our Black leaders speak out? I will speak out and I am not your leader, just an advocate who isn't afraid to speak. It has to start somewhere. If it doesn't, how do we get justice in America?

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