Political Assassination Attempt In New Jersey: Anger, Grief in Shooting's Wake
Think about all of the elements that would OTHERWISE lead to national outrage from the Civil Rights community:
* An economically stressed community of Black people gathered together to strengthen the bonds within their community
* An innocent young Black girl shot dead in her own community.
* A community/political gathering where a candidate for elective office is mounting a campaign for CHANGE in this same community
Gun shots ring out in an attempt to silence someone that is a threat while speaking loudly about the force of terror that the gun shot into the crowd delivers into the brains of all who witness it.
Today this would be the top story on the news.
The only problem that the antagonists that did the unthinkable act did not have the "exploitable surfaces" necessary to trigger the national condemnation.
The rhetorical outrage that typically is vocalized by the phrase "Is this America???!!!" is instead trumped by the genetically dominate thought of: "OH, this happened within the Black community. Never mind".
TRENTON -- It's a horrific reality that Tamrah Leonard's family are struggling to grasp how an exuberant 13-year-old wound up dead at a crowded city block party.
The Monument school student was cut down in a hail of automatic gunfire Sunday evening as she left the neighborhood celebration on Martin Luther King Boulevard.
The girl, her aunt and 3-year-old cousin were strolling through the warmth of the early evening toward home when Tamrah was hit in the back by a stray bullet. Minutes later, she was dead.
"This really tore everybody up," said her grandmother Shirley Champion. "And I really can't be lieve this happened."
Cousin Tiffany Juniors said the trio was at the intersection of Ros sell Avenue when she stopped to wipe the younger girl's nose, relatives say. She looked up to see Tamrah falling to the ground.
"I don't want to talk about it," Juniors said in a near whisper as she sat slumped in a folding chair outside the family's Sweets Avenue home yesterday.
Police believe the young teen was caught in the cross-fire of gang warfare. Her family and neighbors are outraged by the tragedy.
"That girl was an innocent by stander," said Patricia Owens, who lives near Tamrah's family on Sweets Avenue. "Whenever you find (the shooters,) give them a le thal injection."
"They're cowards, to do something like that to a child," added Champion.
Lining the stoop and sidewalk in front of the home where Tamrah made nearly daily visits to see her grandmother, family members unleashed their anguish and searched for answers the day after the 13-year-old was killed in a drive-by shooting.
New Black Panther Candidate Admits To Inviting Gang Members To His Block Party
NJ candidate admits gang-ties at fatal block party
BETH DeFALCO
The Associated Press
TRENTON, N.J. - A youth minister for the New Black Panther Party says gang members were invited to a block party where a 13-year-old was killed in the crossfire of gang violence.
Divine Allah says the event, which attracted about 100 people, was billed as an event to help stop the violence in Trenton's North Ward.
Allah, who plans to run for the city council in 2010, says he believes Tamrah Leonard's killing was an act of senseless violence.
Allah says he was about to start a spelling bee for the children when gunshots rang out.
Leonard's grandmother told The Times of Trenton the girl was walking toward the party and was shot in the back.
Police say the shooting was gang-related and may be connected to another shooting in New Jersey's capital city the night before.
2 comments:
To be totally honest that is a terrible act in that community. The men in the community need to definately stand for their children and their future. Because if this is how we are securing the future of our African-American history through gang violence to pass down. There what would really say about ourselves? I will pray for this family and pray that God makes those responsible pay.
My heart goes out to the family of this small child. This should not happen to anyone, but when it is a child an angel nothing is worse. I was born and raised in Trenton, NJ I moved south about 10 years ago it is the best thing I could have done for my family. I realize crime is everywhere but Trenton is making me sick just to hear the happenings there. I use to be able to come and go anytime day or night in Trenton and the likelihood of these shootings happening were slim. Now,today these children are not safe at all anywhere, because these idiots are to stupid to realize that these guns and its violence is killing innocent children and all those affected are going away, and there is no coming back. I pray for the day that these black people wake up and do what's right. Live your life to its fullest, be positive, change for the better and most of all, for all of us, keep God first. We need to pray for this family and their friends. Just an added note when I saw the little boy reading the obituary my heart dropped, saying this should not be. Everybody need to look at the little boy at the service of little Tamrah Leonard. Your heart and mind knows this should not be and has to stop now. To the Leonard family and all the families in Trenton touch by guns and vilolence stay prayerful. Gang Members try prayer it can change things for the better.
Post a Comment