Friend —
What occurred in Dallas yesterday was tragic. What we’ve been experiencing all over the country is simply unthinkable. It has to stop. We have to come together and not in just words. The relationship between the police and young black men is beyond strained. We saw the results of that yesterday, we’ve been witnessing it all over country with the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.
I am member of the Atlanta City Council and I am a black man. I look at this from a different vantage point than many. This is not only because of my role here in Atlanta but as a result of my background.
My parents were civil rights activists who fought alongside Dr. King as young people. I learned the principles of non-violence just as I learned to walk. It is important that we stop to remember that this fight has been fought before, right here in Atlanta. However, we have a major systemic problem that derives from hate and we must stop it now. We are here to respect each other, to love one another and live together in spite of our physical differences. We in Atlanta, are hurting for Dallas, for Baton Rouge, for St. Paul, for the lives lost because we can not talk it out.
Atlantans, we need to be the example again. Many Atlanta Police officers are striving to carry out Dr. King’s legacy as well. If we can successfully improve communications and relations within our own community, we can be the city of that shows the world how to live as an equitable and inclusive society. Even with all of our differences we will not resort to violence. Words have power and so does listening.
As a leader I call on all of Atlanta, young and old, to join me in helping our nation heal by being the example. We are privileged to have such a history in nonviolence and we need to own up to that. Everyone is screaming “we need a solution.” But solutions don’t normally come these days without an example.
I also challenge my colleagues in the political arena to work with me and others to pass policies that reshape the way we protect our citizens from the ground up. We do need to overhaul our criminal justice system and our police need to be re-trained using tools for peaceful dialogues and outcomes with our young people. No one talks about this but I would be remiss if I did not tell you that I have experienced the threat of losing my life in the hands of a police officer and a security guard as a young child and later, as a young man. It still haunts me. And it scares me because I have young men of my own and can’t imagine living life without them or them without me. I wake everyday walking the streets of my community, going to meetings, working with our police officers, passing legislation, working through issues that I believe help people. But we need to take it the next level.
I was in Piedmont Park last night, prior to learning of the Dallas shootings, listening to young people of all races. They were angry, hurting, confused and lost on what to do. We don’t know this shooter in Dallas, who he is or what he was thinking completely. But we now have reports of what he did say. He too was angry. This anger is in our neighborhoods, in our schools, in the workplace, in our city, in our homes. We have to come together now. I don’t have all the answers but together I believe we can be the example in Atlanta on how to live a great life as a multi-racial, multi-ethnic city, feeling protected by our police and strengthened by the communities we live in.
I want to hear from every person in Atlanta their ideas on how we can be that change. I’m ready and willing and I ask that you join me because we have a lot of work to do. I pray that God continues to bless America and Atlanta, and that we prove that we are really too busy to hate.
Thank you,
Kwanza
About Post Author
