[Read more about the growing relationship between the BCC and the Latin Kings in the article "Sharing the table." You can also view pictures of the media conference.]
The lead editorial in yesterday’s News & Record, “A truce among gangs?” would appear at first reading supportive of an effort by Latino and African-American communities to find peaceful and cooperative paths together. The editorial is referring to the news conference held Monday at Faith Community Church, lauding Jorge Cornell for his efforts to reach out to gang members in this area. Those of us who met last week at the Beloved Community Center’s weekly community meeting met many of these members of the Latin Kings, labeled as a “gang” by the editorial.
The approach taken by the editorial leaves questions in its wake. While apparently giving praise to the peace-making efforts mentioned, the writer implies some darker motives are at work. Questioning the reasons for such an effort at this time, the writer then makes some strange associations with local news about recent gang activities. A reader finds more than one message here.
What is even more bothersome about the editorial, in fact, is the continued “demonizing” of the Rev. Nelson Johnson, associating him only to the November 3, 1979 shootings, leaping past the ongoing and amazing works of social ministries he has led his Faith Community Church and also the Beloved Community Center to achieve in the years since 1979. It is as if nothing has happened in the intervening years worthy of mention, so that only the November 3 moment has any relevancy to Johnson’s history. Additionally, the editorial seems to forget the fact that the Greensboro Police Department, not Nelson Johnson, were found jointly liable with the Klan and Nazis for wrongful death. This editorial, in connecting him to that historical moment through such a negative lens thus smears the significance of what is taking place today. For example, the writer notes that “Some of us may question the involvement of the Rev. Nelson Johnson in Monday’s announcement. After all, Johnson is no stranger to controversy, especially as it pertains to the Nov. 3, 1070 Klan-Nazi shootings . . . etc.”
At the close of the piece, the writer credits the newspaper with prior efforts, in calling “for the local faith community to be an active part of the gang solution.” And then notes that Johnson and the Rev. Gregory Headen “appear to be doing” just that, and “more power to them.” What a patronizing and discrediting comment that is!
5 Comments
The editorial is referring to the news conference held Monday at Faith Community Church, lauding Jorge Cornell for his efforts to reach out to gang members in this area.
The only way we need to reach out to gang members is a one way ticket out of town (deportation). Jorge sounds like the proverbial fox complaining that the farmer is unfair because the chicken coop is locked. Gangs=Crime! not peace!
Toby, I think your algebra is a little off.
Gangs certainly is a contested term: some people use it to mean a criminal network, some use it to mean (fearfully) young men of color, and some use it to mean a group of friends. The legislation proposed in the state legislature assumes that any group of three or more “suspicious looking” young people wearing colors is a gang.
The reality is, humans are social creatures. They associate with each other in many different ways. Some of those forms are legitimized by the power structure–chamber of commerce, citizens councils, congregations–and some are not. While there are some groups, associations, and gangs that are violent and destructive (like the Bush gang in the White House with nearly 100,000 civilians killed in Iraq) there are others who are working for the betterment of their communities.
Let’s give Jorge and his friends a chance to do the work that they intend to do. Our responsibility is to come alongside them and support their work, not assume guilt by association.
“some people use it to mean a criminal network, some use it to mean (fearfully) young men of color”
For starters I dislike the term people (or men) of color as it’s purpose is to exclude white people. And, as you may know there are (were) plenty of white gangs in US history from the plug-uglies of the 1850’s to the KKK. And, the Nazi Brown shirts started out as a gang of ruffians as well until they began to demand political acceptance.
It’s not valid to compare the so-called latin king’s with a church congregation that’s like comparing a cancer cell with an ameoba simply because their both alive. Nor does your Bush analogy work since most Iraqi civilian deaths are the result ethnic/religious strife.
The anti gang legislation is not as vague as you make it out to be and I, for one, support it.
Toby,
I’m not interested in going toe to toe with you, I think reasonable people will work out these questions for themselves.
The argument that I’m trying to make is that gang members are human beings–and like all of us are full of flaws and possibilities. Much of the conversation around gangs that assumes their criminality and compares them to things like “cancer” seems to me to demean their human dignity. Am I saying that all gangs members are working for the betterment of their communities? No. But I am trying to make the case that we should remain open to that possibility; particularly when there are folks like Jorge Cornell who are trying to call for peace, unity and an end to racism.
If there is going to be real change on the streets, it is going to have to come from the people who are there day in and day out thinking, deciding, and acting together–not from politicians in Raleigh or downtown Greensboro. Let’s give Jorge and others room to do their work.
No need to go toe to toe at all but for Jorge and others to so quickly cry {racism) makes me wonder. And it’s important for dialogue to continue-though we must not be blind to the gang issue either. A recent spate of murder’s in L.A were committed by grafitti gangs and their targets ranged from a six year old boy to a 62 year old woman. I cannot think of a more appropriate term for that, than the dreaded disease of cancer.
I also would like an end to racism but that is something that will never happen. Racism is alive in various forms and practiced in one form or another in many of the world’s societies: India, Japan, Russia, Zimbabwe. Recent “white studies” programs and such professors as Harvard’s Noel Ignatiev represent another brand of the same malady. Justice, peace and respect are wonderful to work for but there are limitations to success.