Newark anti-violence rally unites thousands
On the weekend of the anniversary of the vicious inhumane murder of Michael Brown of Ferguson, Missouri, thousands of people marched and rallied this past Saturday against violence in Newark, New Jersey.
This historic united march and rally was entitled “Occupy the City” by Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, which was modeled after the Occupy Movement in New York City and other parts of the country in 2011.
The Occupy the City event was inspired by the success of weekly Occupy the Block events in Newark, which have been occurring since May of this year to unite the entire City of Newark against despair, violence and crime and to promote love, hope and empowerment.
Newark residents marched from each of the five neighborhood wards wearing purple and yellow t-shirts until they all met in the heart of Newark’s downtown business main cross streets of Broad and Market.
Once assembled at Broad and Market, the marchers gathered in front of a mobile stage where various speakers gave exciting and inspiring positive speeches. Those speakers included Newark Police Director Eugene Venable, Councilwoman President Mildred Crump, NAACP President Deborah Gregory, N.J. Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker, Newark native and actor John Amos, and N.J. native and Extra TV correspondent A.J. Calloway; surprise speakers included Sean Bell’s fiancée Nicole Paultre Bell, Dominique Sharpton (Rev. Al Sharpton’s daughter) and the featured speaker was 2015 Academy Award winner (Selma-for best song), rapper/actor Common, who spoke poignantly of the personal tragedy of losing a close friend through gun-violence in Chicago.
The rally was planned as a result of a spike in street violence in Newark. Yet, Newark is not alone; all across the nation there seems to be an epidemic in street and gun violence in cities like Ferguson, Charleston, Ohio, Texas, Staten Island, Oakland, Chicago, and Brooklyn.
In response, Mayor Baraka organized a march and rally that said “Black Lives Matter” in Newark.
Baraka also gave the most powerful and inspiring speech as he called on parents to set positive examples for their children, while citing that many parents use social media to complain about conditions in Newark, yet neglect their children misbehaving and allowing their children to listen to music that preaches violence and destruction.
In a raised voice, Baraka repeatedly exhorted, “Turn off that radio! Your children listen to songs that say, ‘I got high last night’ and ‘murder, murder, murder.’ We need music that is positive. Teach your babies to sing positive songs at age 8, 9, and 10. We want them to sing at age 10: ‘I am beautiful on purpose and understanding,’ Not that I am going to shoot some dude on the corner. Put on songs that make babies love each other and make kids think they are big, strong and powerful. Listen to that in your house instead of complaining on Facebook about where are the police at! They should be in your living room! Culture is a weapon. It can be for us or against us.”
The mayor reminded all attendees of the importance of speaking up and exposing members of the community who are known to be involved in criminal activities.
He said, “Open your mouths. No more silence. Tell. It’s over. When you tell, you’re not a snitch. It’s different. When you tell, you’re saying, ‘I’m not with you. I’m not part of what you’re doing.’ Being a snitch means ‘we’re together.’ Telling means you’re saying, ‘You don’t belong on my block, you’re causing problems in the community. I’m calling the police.’ We should all be telling. Then go to the next block and make them tell, too…. People aren’t dropping these kids from helicopters or UFOs into neighborhoods. We know these kids. They’re related to you all. They are our sons and brothers, yet you don’t’ stop them. You need to speak to them. Pull them aside. Have a rally in your own living room and kitchen. Hold an ‘Occupy Your House’ rally!”
The Mayor called upon state and federal agencies to replicate the Marshall Plan that rebuilt western Europe after World War II, specifically to rebuild America’s cities. “Our cities and infrastructure are crumbling. We need new schools, hospitals and roads. We need jobs. Not 100, or 1,000, but 5,000 to 10,000 jobs,” commented the mayor.
Mayor Baraka’s departing message to the attendees was, “Each person assembled here today must join an organization and start organizing your community and neighborhoods in order to respect each other and to join in helping to heal our communities and rid our communities of all gun violence.” –risasi dais
