AN Open letter to the Community – Just a few personal observations:

Ok… you can’t tell me that you did not see this coming… I mean, what did you expect? White Cops, young black male…. White officers held blameless for assaulting black teenager… Time and time again we have been reminded that we are nothing to the system. History is rife with police abuse stories against minorities. When’s the last time you witnessed a white youth slammed about by the police?

The story of young Donovan Jackson is tragic indeed but yet another reminder that the system does not choose to work for us… However, it is indeed a reminder that black people can back each other up. The City of Inglewood is a black city. I mean the mayor is black as is the police chief. The city council is mostly black and when I walk about the halls of City Hall, all I see are minorities and of those the majority seems black. My point here is that this is an example of a city coming together to prevent acts of anger and fury from manifesting itself on the streets. It is an example of city and community bonding together to seek solutions. It is an example of just how powerful spiritual guidance can be.

It’s curious to see how the “system” braced itself for unrest – announcing that they would hold the announcement of the verdict for four hours, giving authorities enough time to “get prepared”. From the outset, they prepared for unrest, taking measures to dilute the anger of the community. First, they moved the venue to the Airport Courthouse (close to Westchester – a mixed, but mainly white area of LA) I have surmised that’s how they got 11 white folk on the jury along with one black. This was outrageous because if I drive around Inglewood, I see blacks and Latinos.. period. They thought black folks were stupid… don’t they realize that even if there were plans to riot, we would have enough sense to know that P.D. would be ready for any insurgency on the street? But we knew there would be no violence on the street thanks to the campaign and prayers of the community activists, the church, Nation of Islam and certain members of the political arena.

Even though we should not be surprised, we thought that just this once, justice would be served. Come on, we have it on videotape for crying out loud!! But in the end, the system slams us again… I wasn’t surprised though. I mean, we relied on the District Attorney to present our case. The same District Attorney who daily ships hundreds, if not thousands of young black men to the penitentiary every day? What makes us think that he would change suit and protect the interests and rights of a black teen? The same District Attorney who in the course of doing their business works shoulder to shoulder with the Police Department to “fight crime”? What makes us think he would be motivated to prosecute one of his/her own? Why are you surprised that he did not pursue the case with vigor and enthusiasm?

These are complex, heavy issues, but we have a voice…. KJLH Radio. The station unlike most stations in the city is not part of some out of touch corporation. The station is owned by Stevie Wonder, a man whose legacy will be (aside from his considerable body of musical works) his care and concern for black people across the globe. Consider this: once the beating tapes became public, the station mobilized alongside various community organizations to present a standing room-only town hall meeting. The meeting was attended by top level political officials (Mayor Dorn, Congresswoman Watson, County Supervisor Yvonne Braithwaite-Burke, School District Officials and more), Religious leaders (Rev Dixon, representatives from Faithful Central, Elder Andrew Turner, Rev. Jackson from FAME, and more), the Nation of Islam (Minister Tony Muhammad, Western Regional Representative of the Nation), Black Panthers, Mothers in Action, Inglewood Drug and Violence Prevention Council, Stop the Violence Increase the Peace and many more…. Then, the crack news team was on the case, actually attending most of the pre-trial hearings and keeping closer than close tabs on the trial as it progressed. And then at the announcement of the verdict, KJLH was there for the community, stopping the music and opening the phone lines for people to vent their frustration with a system that had failed us and offering messages of keeping the peace in our community. While stations claiming to be the “people’s station” breezed through afternoon drive with music and empty DJ chatter, KJLH stood tall, living up to it’s 30-plus year legacy of being the community’s station…. And in the morning after, beginning with the popular Front Page, the topic again allowed listeners to vent and plan future prayer vigils and meetings to learn and build from this experience. The community feel spilled over into The Home Team – the station’s popular morning show. You know it’s an oxymoron that certain community groups continue to protest KJLH Advertisers with regard to recent personnel decision. It’s absurd to publish material that demands KJLH leave the community for alleged activities deemed unhealthy to the community. It’s ludicrous that they would use a photo of the kidnapper of Elizabeth Smart to illustrate their point. It’s even more curious to notice that for all their slanderous words and material put out on the street that they have always picketed the station during events that have been set up to empower the community (the first Front Page live broadcast, Church on Mother’s Day, Candlelight Vigil for Luther Vandross, Magic Johnson’s Taylor Michaels Scholarship activities which sends kids to college). Ok, if this country guarantees their right to express themselves, then why (especially since they are activists) aren’t they expending the same fervor for issues like the Donovan Jackson case??? Or books in schools??? Or black health issues???? Where were they when the station opened the phone lines for listeners after learning of the verdict? Where were the protestors when the station stood shoulder to shoulder with community leaders to demonstrate to the media that there would be no violence in the street because the community had stood together to preserve the peace in the community? Hmmmmm…

And finally, the police. Now, I have some friends in all areas of law enforcement. And they are great guys and ladies. I also realize that officers have a hard job and their reaction to the public has a lot to do with their state of mind or mood for that day. I also know that even in 2003, there are prejudiced bullies pushing their way through our community under the color of authority. I found it interesting to see how the Inglewood Police was deployed at the announcement of the verdict. I could see in their faces that they are not all bad, but lurking in the shadows were some jack booted thugs, one in particular swinging an extra large riot stick and scowling at us as we walked by, ignoring our nod of acknowledgement and greeting. It was like he was geeked up to kick some rioters butt…. Oh well, like my mom says, The more things change, the more they stay the same……

Police brutality against minorities will not end any time soon but our struggle will continue and we shall overcome with the help of Almighty God.

Loving my people, my community,

Greg J.

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