Faith in Action

I wouldn’t have believed it if I wasn’t there to experience it myself.

The Park Heights Dry Out Coalition was making its weekly rounds yesterday in the 5100 block of Park Heights Avenue in Baltimore City.

We checked in with Slaters Grocery (5117 Park Heights Ave.) and were pleased to see that they had moved the liquor from off of the shelf where condiments, juices, and other more common household products are found. Now all of their liquor was in the refrigerators up against the wall. As we walked the aisles, the owner made sure to come from behind his bullet-proof glass and point out that he had moved the bottles of alcohol.

From there we walked next door to the Check Cashing business (5119 Park Heights Ave.). I had taken pictures of the outside of the establishment, but had never been in. This week we walked in. What ensued was a wake up call to me to what we were really dealing with.

We took immediate notice of the dank environment of this store. The smell of water damage and mildew was obvious. One of the brothers looked up and we saw what was probably the source of the problem.

We took note thinking that the Baltimore City Health Department or the Department of Housing might want to take a look at this. This has to be a violation and health hazard to customers.

We also took a closer look at his pornography advertisements.

Indeed, I had never seen a Check Cashing business that also sold porn. Isn’t there a specific zoning license to do that?

As we were inspecting the ceiling the owner came out asking who we were.

We refrained from volunteering information to the man and that’s when he threatened to call the cops. Being that the police officer for that area has made presentations to our coalition before, we welcomed the officer’s presence on the premises. When the owner saw that we weren’t fazed by his threat to call 9-1-1; he made a statement that took our interaction to the next level.

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Conservative Baltimore Sun columnist makes a living off of stating his opinion through print. Over the years I’ve agreed with him at times and disagreed at other times. In most cases there is disagreement and that pattern continues with his latest piece that I believe mischaracterizes the meaningful exchange had on Thursday, January 31, 2008 at New Life United Methodist Church around the issue of “Snitchin”, witness intimidation, and community-police partnership. In his latest piece, “Fighting the Code of Street Silence“, Kane basically states that nothing of note came out of the Stop Snitchin’ Townhall organized by Jamye Wooten, Founder of Kinetics: Faith in Motion. An interesting conclusion given the fact that Kane was not there! Highlighting the tragic case of Zach Sowers and his wife’s call for 25 Black Leaders to decry the “Stop Snitchin’” code; Kane plays to the cultural ignorance of a significant portion of his readers and perpetuates mainstream stereotypes of Black Humanity by drumming up in dramatic detail extremely violent crimes involving Black men and presents them as if they are the norm for all Black men.

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Last night, I was blessed to be a part of the Stop Snitchin Town Hall at New Life United Methodist Church in East Baltimore. Here are a couple of clips from the event:

Chip Dizard and his team from Absolute Presence provide this clip:

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT ABSOLUTE PRESENCE! They provide high quality web and video services at affordable prices.

WBAL was also there to cover the event:

The Baltimore Sun was also there.

Shout out to my brother, Jamye Wooten founder of Kinetics: Faith in Motion, who organized this fruitful gathering. May we continue to labor and serve our community together.

This should’ve been the headline in all the local media today, however, Baltimore’s media is the fourth branch of this city’s government. They wouldn’t dare present the facts as they actually happened.

Here are the facts - an unarmed Black Man was shot at least 4 times by a police officer at the Hamilton Shopping Center around lunch time yesterday.

Local media attempt to soften the reality so that the masses are not riled to revolt. WJZ News’ headline is “Man Killed in Police-Involved Shooting.” Notice that their headline is written in the passive…”Man Killed” separates the action from the murderous actor. “Police-Involved” leaves the door open to the thought that the police were there, but weren’t the ones doing the shooting. (Only the Baltimore Examiner gives this story the appropriate headline.)

Notice similar literary avoidances of the facts in this Baltimore Sun version of the story. (Pay attention to how they follow their headline with a pro-police byline)

Don’t miss the ‘code words’ they use to help the reader to justify murder by this cop. Code words = “drugs” / “officer feared for his safety” / “suspected drugs taken from the man”. The media uses these code phrases to signal to its base readers that they believe that this man deserved to be killed. His murder isn’t anything we should be worried about. He wasn’t deserving of the due process of law. The cop was justified in playing judge, jury, and executioner.

I elaborate on this technique in my post entitled: “Media and Police partner in production of Murderous Propaganda.”

The problem for the police department is that this murder happened around lunch time. There were a lot of witnesses. People were in the Murry’s grocery and the Dollar General Store looking through the glass when the 25 year old Black man was accosted by the cop and then shot 4 times.

IF YOU WERE ONE OF THE ONES THAT WERE THERE AND SAW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED, PLEASE CONTACT ME. (YOU CAN REMAIN ANONYMOUS)

The cops have declared war on the Black Man. The question now becomes what will we do?

As you contemplate the answer to that question, enjoy this revolutionary message by Brother KRS. As it is his custom, he speaks truth in this classic: “Sound of da Police“. Don’t miss the lyrics.

The murders in this town must stop! I could actually feel stress and grief gripping my heart this week as I tried to offer support to the family of Zachariah Hallback - the 18 year old Algebra Project student who was murdered last week on the corner of The Alameda and 33rd while waiting for a bus at 8pm. Zach’s Homegoing Service was today at Israel Baptist Church and his mother informed me that there will be a prayer vigil for her son this Monday - MLK, Jr. Day at 6pm on the corner where he was killed.

Concerned Baltimoreans are also mourning the loss of 14-year-old Edward Smith gunned down in Cherry Hill. Smith was a student at the ConneXions Community Leadership Academy. The circumstances involving his murder are yet unclear, but I think that it was truly insensitive on The Baltimore Sun’s part to publish information concerning Smith’s history with the Department of Social Services. Is that supposed to be some type of justification for this child’s death?

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Those of you who’ve been around my site a while know that I usually change the header on my blog periodically. Most times the header is a pic that I’ve taken at some community event.

For the past few days the above picture has been my header and Chuck posted a note letting me know that the Baltimore Crime Blogspot site had referenced it on their site. Chuck asked me why it was placed as my header being that it seemed that I was running a “positive” blog.

Well - the short of it is that I’m going to be presiding over an upcoming forum at New Life United Methodist Church (Pastor Eric King) that will focus on the issue of “snitching” and have an esteemed panel of persons speaking to the issue including: Dr. Tyrone Powers, Minister Carlos Muhammad, Rodney Bethea (producer of the Stop Snitchin’ 2 dvd) and others. Professor Sherlynn Ifill will be moderating.

It’s an issue that generates and still warrants discussion. It will be my task on January 31, 2008 6:30PM to ensure that the dialogue is productive.

The story behind the picture though is actually that it is a picture of my cousin. I took the shot two years ago at my family reunion. To be honest, I was taken aback that my cousin was wearing the shirt. I approached him about it, but I can’t remember how the conversation went.

The irony of that encounter, however, drives the point home for me that this issue is closer in proximity than any of us would care to readily admit. My family is filled with preachers, educators, activists, musicians, etc. And in light of all of those vocations that society would applaud; we also have family members who may embrace an ideology that is foreign to the fabric of our family. Those who espouse the “Stop Snitchin” mantra aren’t aliens, monsters, or some “other” people. They are our family members - somebody’s son, daughter, brother, sister, aunt, or first cousin.

I’m going to work hard at the panel discussion to minimize the finger-pointing and demonizing. That’s a long standing practice in Baltimore and look at how much that has benefited us. It’s time that we come to the table in honest and healthy dialogue on this issue.

In addition, it’s time that we broaden the discussion so that it doesn’t stay limited to a focus on young Black men. It’s time that we discuss the Stop Snitchin’ code that “white collar” criminals and well-financed politicians ascribe to as well.

You didn’t think that the “Stop Snitchin” code was born on inner city corners now did you?

Greetings Family,

Some of you know by now that I’m working on an initiative in Park Heights to close the liquor stores in that community. Research shows that there is a direct connection between the abundance of liquor establishments and crime in a particular neighborhood. The more liquor - the more crime. The brothers that I am working with on this initiative believe that an intoxicated people can never be a liberated people. We are looking for other people of like mind and spirit to join in on this.

Currently, we meet every Tuesday at 3PM at the Park Heights Barbershop - 5114 Park Heights Ave.,Baltimore 21215.

This week is slightly different. We’re meeting tomorrow - Wednesday, January 16th at 3PM at the Barbershop because Baltimore City Council President, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will be coming to meet with us and take a look at some of the liquor establishments that we are targeting.

I know that some of you either work near Park Heights or have a flexible job that will allow you to move about in the community. You are welcome to come tomorrow. If you can get there at about 2:45PM that would be great. We should be no longer than 30/45 minutes.

If you have any questions feel free to hit me back on this site. Also, you can watch a video that I did of this initiative on my youtube page. www.youtube.com/franktalk

Justice!

Heber Brown, III

Stephanie Hurt, 14, a ninth grader at P.S. 431, the Maritime Industries Academy, holds a sign protesting what parents and students say was the forced resignation of their principal, Dr. Marco Clark. (Sun photo by Kim Hairston / January 2, 2008)

Students, parents protest principal’s resignation
By Sara Neufeld | Sun reporter
January 3, 2008

This was supposed to be an exciting week at Maritime Industries Academy, with students preparing for a Jan. 9 visit from the secretary of the Navy.

Instead, the little Baltimore high school - in a strip mall in the 700 block of W. North Ave. - is in turmoil, railing over the sudden departure of the principal and the assistant principal.

Dozens of parents and students marched about 10 blocks to school system headquarters yesterday morning in support of Principal Marco T. Clark, who has resigned, and Assistant Principal Kevin Brooks, who was placed on paid administrative leave.

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 Unfortunately, Family I have tragic news to share.  Dr. Marvis P. May, pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church in West Baltimore died early on the morning of Saturday, November 24, 2007.  He was 47 years old.

I’ve had the privilege of knowing Dr. May for most of my life.  Our churches have fellowshipped together over the years and he and my father - at different times - both graduated from Howard Divinity School and the doctoral program at the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. 

The last time that I spoke with Dr. May was on Father’s Day of this year.  He had me to come and preach at the church and I was extremely humbled by the opportunity.  As we talked about the civil rights movement in his office, I shared with him how enamored I was (and am) with Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker and his role in the fight for freedom during the exciting 50’s and 60’s.  Without missing a beat, he said that he and Dr. Walker were very close and that he usually took trips down to VA to see him.  He offered me a seat in his car the next time he went down.  That’s the Marvis P. May I know.  A thoughtful, caring, and giving man who placed great value on mentoring the next generation of preachers and connecting us to others who are stalwarts in this sacred vocation. (Had it not been for Dr. May, I would have never met and had lunch with Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III)  I also know how much he loved his children - Christina and Marvis II.  My prayers are with them and the Macedonia Church during this very difficult time.  I will post information about the Homegoing Service as I receive it. 

UPDATE: Dr. May’s Homegoing Arrangements have been released.  They are as follows:

The Viewing will be Friday, November 30, 2007 10AM - 7PM at Macedonia Baptist Church.

The Homegoing Service will be Saturday, December 1, 2007 12Noon at Macedonia (Family Hour will be from 10AM - 12Noon).  Pastor Frederick Haynes, III from the Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, TX will preach the eulogy.

The internment following the service will be at the Druid Ridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

In other sad news, Frances Murphy II, the first woman to chair the Afro-American Newspapers Board of Directors, the publisher emeritus of the Washington Afro-American, and popular columnist for the Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper and grand-daughter of the newspaper’s founder has died.  She was 85.  While I never personally met Ms. Murphy , it was impossible for me not to be impacted by the presence of the Afro-American Newspaper here in Baltimore City.  Her life-long devotion and dedication to publishing a quality print alternative to this area’s African American community is evident.  There are issues that even to this day, the Black community in Baltimore expects the Afro to carry and a perspective that the Afro will cover that no other “mainstream” newspaper will share.  As an African in America that embraces Liberation Theology and revolutionary social justice practice, I understand the importance of building institutions that undergird the path toward freedom for my community.  Frances Murphy II has contributed much to the honorable character of African people.  My prayers are with the Murphy family and the Afro-American Newspapers Institution.  Click here for more information about Murphy and Homegoing Arrangements.

As we engage this season which is characterized by merriment and glee, let us also be sensitive to those who are bereaved during this time.  Grief seems to be a bit heavier during this time of year and Death a harder pill to swallow.  Let us keep all bereaved families in prayer and extend ourselves beyond what’s reasonable to people who may feel like they are all alone in this world.  In addition, let’s hold our loved ones tighter this year as we engage in festive activities keeping in mind that as the old Black Church spiritual says, “this may be our last time - we just don’t know.”