As I was leaving work today I ran smack into the press conference for the 15 year old boy who was murdered outside of St. Nicholas Park over the weekend.
Harlem mothers are “sick and tired” of the endless and senseless killing of their sons to gun violence and are making their voices heard.
View a short clip of the press conference by double clicking on the video or watch the full press conference.
Visit: harlemmotherssave.org
Advertisement
joe
June 17, 2009
This organization may not solve the Harlem epidemic of child shooting child but they may shame the black leadership into making this epidemic a priority. Currently the black leadership seems to want to sweep this under the rug, hope no one will notice this disgrace in the black community. But this group will bring uncomfortable publicity to the current epidemic of children shooting children in Harlem. Hopefully they may save some innocent lives.
Anonymous
June 16, 2009
Poorly thought out organization with a failure to understand human nature & reality.
#1 Guns are not going anywhere. This is like saying “Drugs” can be stopped or Teen Sex can be stopped. Guns in Harlem go back as long as there has been Harlem, literally to the Revolution, through the Bumpy Johnson days, fictionalized in film in the New Jack City era, through today. You are NEVER going to stop Drugs, Teen Sex, & Guns in Harlem and it’s a waste of time, energy, and effort to even try and turn back a tide that is empowered by Washington DC K Street Lobbying interest. As long as there are Guns in America (and the NRA will see to that), and as long as you have freedom to move and travel in America, there will be guns (all kinds) in Harlem.
#2 Today you don’t know who has a gun, a knife, a grudge, a bad attitude, a mental disorder, a drug problem, an emotional problem, a disease, nothing to lose, etc. That’s real. That’s why even when you are in the right, you are a fool, an idiot, and a dope to allow yourself to engage in an act of “Road Rage” (for example). If in walking down the street in Harlem – I bump shoulders, or bump a person going up and down stairs to the subway, or in the subway, or ANYWHERE….if I accidentally do anything that can possibly be interpreted by someone (an imbalanced person) as a “dis” or something “disrespectful”, a “slight”, a blow to their ego, their pride, even if it is not my fault I take the initiative to say, “PARDON ME”, or “I’m Sorry”, or “Excuse Me”. Why? It’s called preventative care and behavior when you live in a world of people with issues, problems, imbalances, wacked out egos, nuts, loons, and plain old crazy folks.
#3 More kids in Harlem will be dying of HIV/AIDS than from Bullets, if you want to get real and honest about it. Sure, they may not die instantly….but over time…they will die. And this is something wherein Harlemites have PERSONAL CONTROL, as opposed to trying to fight the NRA.
#4 More tough but real love? It’s the parents job to prepare their kids to learn tactics and skills to “de-escalate”, “diffuse”, and “calm” situations, even the most extreme. Got no parents? Then “it takes a village” – but a village that approaches things differently than this organizational village above. Think about it…when you live in a culture of violence & troubled people, that’s a toxic mix…and living in Harlem can be “toxic”. You would do better taking a page from Buddhist practices, learning humility, passive responses to the most inappropriate behavior. People in Harlem would be better off from an organization that taught Tai Chi & Yoga. Yes, I know they exist – but more ANSWERS and solutions of complete lifestyle changes – spread over all of Harlem….than this organization above. This organization above?….These organizations have been ineffective for over 40 years in Harlem, they will be ineffective tomorrow. Think out the box Harlem – Harlem need mandatory Tai Chi, Yoga, Meditation and de-stressing training – if you want to solve the problem…..the conventional stuff won’t work.