50 Shots – The Response

In the wake of the shootings of Trent Benefield and Joseph Guzman and the killing of Sean Bell around the corner from a Queens, NY strip club almost two weeks ago, there has been much rhetoric, many sound bytes and a lot of hypothesizing from the talking heads in the media.  In my extremely humble opinion, there needed to be a tangible response; comprehensive in scope, powerful in effect and reverberating in the long term.  Along with millions of other so-called minorities in this city I waited; impatiently, but I waited.  Finally, on yesterday, I saw and heard what I have been waiting for. In reality, this is something that I had longed to see for many years, before this incident sadly occurred. 

On Monday, December 4^th, 2006 at 5:30 PM in the penthouse of the 1199 building on West 42^nd street, I entered a room and saw the Rev. Al Sharpton, the  Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, Charles Barron, the Rev. W. Franklyn Richardson and the Rev. Herbert Daughtry sitting unified around the same table with literally hundreds of community, religious and political leaders.  The leader of the famous Muhammad's Mosque #7, Kevin Muhammad, was in attendance as was the former leader of 100 Blacks in Law enforcement and now state legislator Eric Adams, also in attendance were the legendary Pastor and Civil Rights leader, Rev. John Scott, State Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV and many, many others whom I have seen speaking, politicking and schmoozing around this city that I love.  This was a moment in time, a moment for the archives.  Seeing all of these powerful folks sitting around the table, not in opposition with one another, not debating some issue or fact from opposing points of view, but sitting at a table of activism, commitment and solidarity was almost enough to make me shed a tear. There was no time for tears, however, as this was not a feel-good session, but a working fellowship.  There were discussions, opinions and short speeches, but everyone agreed on one thing: we must do everything in our individual and collective power to make sure that the likelihood of something like the Sean Bell Killing never happens again.  

          The media stood outside of the room, not allowed into the session, thus taking away the temptation for individuals to "sound byte" while we worked.  After about an hour, the media was allowed into certain parts of the room as shooting victim Trent Benefield entered, fresh out of a hospital bed, his shattered leg propped up by the wheelchair he was pushed in on. In a shaky, uneven voice, he thanked all of the leaders for their support, and then broke down sobbing, overwhelmed by the situation, his own brush with death and the weight of the moment.  The time for some tears had arrived.  When Trent left, the reporters were kept in the room to allow him to leave without being hounded by the press.  The session continued. 

The final analysis was that a Black Woman, Adriene Holder - Attorney-in-Charge for the Legal Aid Society's Harlem Community Law Offices, was placed in charge of the Policy Committee, while Rev. Sharpton will head the Mobilization Committee.  Finally, the group decided that it would call for a March on December 16, 2006, titled "Shopping for Justice", when the people of our city will be called to March from 59^th street and 5^th Avenue to Macy's Herald Square, interrupting the commerce of the city that never sleeps, but unfortunately, slept hard on Sean Bell, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield.   This march should only be a springboard for the new levels of community activism, awareness and consciousness that should awake the people of this city from a dangerous slumber.  This march is not the end, but a beginning of the people of this city standing up and stating emphatically that we will not be pushed into the mental and spiritual oppression created by "plantation policing" and institutional racism.  This is the day that the Lord has made for us to stand up and  let our voices be heard and demand justice across gender lines, denominations, religious or party affiliations and economic barriers. We must emphatically send a message to the city of New York.  That message is simple in its pronunciation, but profound in it's demand: "No Justice, No Peace!!!!"