Anyone who truly works at the grassroots levels and works directly in those constituencies facing desperate social and economic conditions clearly know that Mayor Rahm Emanuel's latest announcement of 200 new police officer deployment is symbolic with no substance. The reality is that its just a matter of time before The Mayor and Chicago Police Superintendent Gary McCarthy will be holding yet another press conference explaining why the acts of senseless violence and shooting have continued despite this new police deployment! Today I posted on Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Facebook Page the following statement
"Mr. Mayor, as a veteran activist of over 40 years, I MUST continue to post a reality that I hope one day that you and Police Chief McCarthy and others will FINALLY hear!! NO AMOUNT and I mean NO AMOUNT of police deployment in the Black and urban communities are a match for the desperate youth unemployment, the thousands of intergenerational "walking time bombs" exploding as a result of over 20 years of mental health cuts etc. The shootings will never stop as you try to resolve a desperate ECONOMIC and SOCIAL problem with a POLICE DEPLOYMENT answer!! Trust me, you will be having future press conferences explaining after your new police deployment that the senseless violence CONTINUES !"
The ONLY thing of "substance" that is really going to have an important impact that people in the Black and urban communities are going to SEE the real impact is to have a real budget for grassroots crime intervention and prevention and local job creation and take away the need for far too many of our city's youth to be battling through the gang, drug, and other illegal street economies that are continuing to cause major pain from the senseless acts of violence and shootings. Its clear from this past year and press conferences by The Mayor and Police chief that should have them tired of the same script of new ways at police deployment that has not and will not stop the senseless acts of violence. The city needs an "Olympic" budget that provide real resources.
Mark S. Allen, Veteran activist
Chairman, National Black Wall Street Chicago
4655 South King Drive, Suite 203
Chicago, Illinois 60653
773-268-6900 or direct 773-392-0165
https://theblacklist.net/
Replies
Please join Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. and Rainbow PUSH Coalition for a Rally and March in memory of Hadiyah Pendleton, the King College Prep Student and all victims of gun violence Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 10am, at Rainbow PUSH Headquarters, 930 East 50th Street, Chicago Il 60615 as they continue their immediate ban on assault weapons.
Whatever you think is more of substance then I would be glad to promote. I liked Rev. Jackson's outline of what a real federal resources intervention and prevention plan that he announced at the press conference much more than I the Mayors continued redeployment of the same police officers.