Hello Pickles! Is Everything Kosher?
Well here is the tea from the Community Meeting at Shiloh Baptist Church last night. I must admit started off rather dull and restrained. It's clear that the only thing those who have attended faithfully to these meetings can agree on is... the time of the meeting! LOL I'm sorry to seem negative but these issues are just being passed back and forth like volleyball. When you have cases like the Scales brothers how can you not agree that we have accountability issues with the police?? What I have a hard time understanding is the city council hires the city manager, the city manager hires the police chief. So why the debate about gonna check the police?? There is a continued growing disparity between black Greensboro and the GPD. Has been that way for years as Rev. Johnson demonstrated with his power point presentation about the Scales case. Now the youth showed up and showed out!!! I thoroughly enjoyed hearing from somebody that actually gets the full effect of the racial disparity and tension in this community. April Parker spoke in regards to #blacklivesmatter being the spark for these community meetings, and how the elders in the community need to step up and support the youth initiatives. Side note- being disruptive when others are speaking is rude and combative. I witnessed elders and youth doing that on last night. If you can't respect each other than you can't work successfully together. Get it together my melanin friends! We are all working on the same ultimate goal. I had to take a moment to interview Bishop Dean, (as he prefers to be called) about better expounding on his comments. You would of thought it was a black and white horror movie in there when Bishop spoke, and the "elders" where gasping. I had to clutch my pearls at how direct and transparent he was being about the youth vs. elder issues.
Black Mumba: Hey Bishop Dean! Can I ask you some questions for my blog?
Bishop Dean: Sure if you dare
Black Mumba: Can you clarify some of your comments about salt, pepper, and bald headed elders?
Bishop Dean: Well, I was simply describing who was generally in the room. The majority of elders in our community don't work with my generation. They want to police or politics, talk at us, and refuse to consistently create space at the tables so that our voice can be represented and heard. It shouldn't take an act of congress to get their history, constructive criticism, feedback, positive reinforcement and support. They (elders) always speak to the time when it took a village to raise children. Well that concept has entered into an era where the village has become fearful of the children, condescending, abrasive, dismissive, and demanding one way respect. Respect in today's world is earned not given like it used to be. The elders of this community need to understand that and realize that my generation is demanding to be seen and heard.
Black Mumba: Amen! You also spoke to not wanting Ferguson to happen here, and that the elders of the community can prevent that? Explain
Bishop Dean: I attended the Million Man March in D.C. One of the speakers was a young guy from Ferguson. He was angry and visibly frustrated about the lack of support his city has had from the lack of response from national leaders like Al Sharpton. Also from local leaders. Ferguson happened not just because of what the police did and didn't do, the elders in the black community played a role in not willingly to embrace the passion of the youth, to help them organize and move. So the "steam" as one minister mentioned tonight, wasn't contained and you know the rest. You don't ignore your legacy. You encourage, educate uplift, and push forward the leaders of tomorrow... TODAY! Because it is my generation that will be wiping your asses in the nursing homes, and running the retirement communities you will be living in. And we will remember how you ignored us, disempowered us, and basically fed us to the police. God forbid you won’t have to sit all day in your diaper and wait on a glass of water from them.
Black Mumba: Oh my you just went all the way there! Let me move on with my last question. What did you mean by city council sleeping with police? Now had to gasp? You know something we don't??
Bishop Dean: Laughs... No I didn't mean literally. I meant figuratively. When the city council calls Hinson for domestic disputes, squabbles with their constituents, the CSI unit when their Cadillac is vandalized, DUI's and a host of other unethical and even illegal activity. It comes with a price! When you place yourself above the law, you become a slave to it. You can’t defend black people trying to get justice like Towana Sampson and Scales brothers for example, AND hold the police accountable, fire the city manager etc., if you have manipulated your power on council to have them sweep up your mess, block public information request reports, redact almost an entire police report, and give you rides home after DWI's and not expect them to demand protection and a blind eye to a complete disregard for legal and ethical standards. The most powerful man in Greensboro, in my opinion is Jim Westmoreland. There is a reason he is not in danger of losing his job. It is my belief that he has had to clean up more messes and PR nightmares for this council so to the point that he has them by the "balls". Keeping him employed keeps his mouth shut. If the council would pull a “Charlie Sheen" so to speak and come clean about whatever, then they can take back their power and reprimand him and the police Chief without fear of being exposed! Yvonne Johnson getting elected is living proof that one can survive public opinion and rise above scandal to serve the community. I like her don't get me wrong; however I am informed concerning the issues surrounding her husband losing his license to practice law. In spite of that her public servant record is concrete, and she does go hard for East Greensboro, and I welcome future dialog with her, and all my city council representatives. However some of them I feel forgot that small print that said being elected to public office means you are subject to public opinion, scrutiny, and being accountable. I have only reached out to two council members directly regarding dialogue and accountability. Jamal Fox blocked me on Facebook and Twitter and rarely says anything in my presence (I actually voted for the SOB the first time). Sharon Hightower will speak and engage me like an Auntie. She is stern and solid on her beliefs, however my experience is that she is open to speak with anyone and we have done so with mutual respect and she popping my hand occasionally. Sharon doesn't shy from accountability, she will engage the youth, and she moves for us behind the scenes that we are not even aware of. She's cool with me. To me Nancy Vaughn seems more comfortable in black spaces than Justin Outling, and he's black! Just my opinion. I'm open to a retraction and correction if I'm proven wrong. My thing is they represent the entire city of Greensboro, and the pay is horrible I know, however a large percentage of this community feels segregated from the rest of the city socially, economically, and judicially. 46% of Greensboro is black and 64% of that 46% live in the highest policed district in the county. We are in crisis and we are tired of seeing the same 4 or 5 councilmembers on average at various events. Tony Wilkins, if you are too conservative to spend the gas to drive to Philips Ave, take the damn bus! Mike Barber put that damn golf club down and ride with someone black through our neighborhoods and see how many cops follow you, Nancy Hoffman, there is more to East Greensboro than the occasional CEEJ meeting. We are a community within a community that are, angry, frustrated, struggling, and over policed. Now this council fought and still yet fighting SB 36 because it violates the democratic process our country is founded on, yet the majority of Black Greensboro cry out for justice for our victims, acknowledgement of past wrongdoings, and a realistic timeline for change and we hear silence from the 9 mics in the Melvin Municipal Building. Last time a checked Robert's Rules, You go with the damn majority! Shame on your hypocritical selves. Damn shame
Black Mumba: Well said Bishop, thank you again for taking the time. I know they only gave you a minute in the meeting, they needed to really hear all of this!
Bishop Dean: Write it and post. THEY WILL LOL
