Why we Protest a Cop Killing and Have Nothing to say When a 9yr Boy is Executed

On weds. August 20th Antonio Smith, 9, was fatally shot in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood of Chicago. Smith was shot multiple times in the chest in the 1200-block of East 71st Street. Following the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson many ask, "Where are the protestors? Where are the out cries?" I cannot speak for exact knowledge. Most of my life I lived in a pretty good neighborhood in Chicago (just 10 blocks from the Smith shooting). We first need to realize that this is not as much a race issue as it is an economic one. This is about poor people being killed and no one caring. I believe something huge needs to be done about the violence and complete lack of value for life that perpetuates many low income communities. The whole discussion of black on black crime is ludicrous. 83% of all murders of white people are committed by other whites but you don't here anyone talking about white on white crime. This increased violence isn't happening in black communities across the board because it is not merely a black issue. The significant characteristics of the perpetrators of these offenses have nothing to do with race. They are the undereducated, underemployed, previously incarcerated, and often members of gangs. The term black on black crime allows a majority of people to think that it's "their" problem. "They" need to do something about it. The more this feeling perpetuates the less value speaking up has. Why speak up when no one is listening accept to say, "oh those poor people". This is just one of the huge differences between Brown and Smith's murders. Smith's murder is considered "our problem" and in some ways it was exactly that. These senseless crimes happen when members of our communities are lost. When they have lost a sense of their own value and therefore cannot conceive the value of another. They crave the power, cred and status they get from the streets because they don't realize they have greater potential. Because of its media attention, someone will most likely be charged for Smith's murder and convicted. The guilty person? Who knows? In the mean while men will be harassed and the community will be prodded to turn in someone so we can get this out of the headlines. Some of the hesitation to cooperate with cops comes from a corrupt system that just wants to pin a crime on someone. It's a fact that many times leads will not be investigated but fabricated. After all, the people who have been empowered with our protection are the same ones who are gunning us down in the street- and that's when riots start. Our communities have problems deep problems rooted in generations of cultural degradation. Yes, we need help. We are destroying ourselves but when those who are supposed to serve and protect so blatantly show what we know is true, they don't care, people cry out. Many of these "bad cops" have the same traits previously mentioned they crave power, cred and status they get from their badge. As much as we need to help those committing violent crimes find away to change their behaviors good cops need to stop standing behind their fellow officers who are not capable of serving and protecting. Every time I have had a negative experience with the law (it's been a few I'm black) I have been innocent and sometimes even the victim of a crime and there was one cop incapable of compassion or even listening and other cops that silently supported their partner when he was clearly in the wrong. I've even experienced these good officers apologizing (after the fact). Just look at the Keith Vidal case when one bad cop murdered an unarmed subdued teen beside several great officers- and the boy shot was white! The system isn't working and we are stuck in it. It's very easy to stand on the outside and see black people killing themselves. Society needs to take a deeper look and realize that society is neglecting a huge part of our community. We need to find a way for prison systems to rehabilitate criminals instead of forcing individuals (sometimes guilty, sometimes not) into a life were they find no legitimate way to get ahead and their best option for self preservation is crime. We need to find a way to restructure gang culture and yes I said restructure. At their core there is good in creating family and a sense of community. Black Panthers were considered a gang. No one gives them credit, but they were a huge positive impact on black communities. Most importantly if law enforcement wants any sort of respect we must find a way to help bad cops deal with their abuse of power or take that power away from them. I am one of those who believes all violent offenders are victims as well. They are victims of a system that must change.

Good Grief

If you are in New York you should see this play If you are a part of a theater company you should read this play and consider it for your next season. Producers here's a play... Good Grief: the story of a first generation Nigerian girl and her best friend. It touches everyone, each in their own way. For me, I've had many best friends Ernest Jones who was my constant running companion from birth to somewhere in our teens. Steve Leaver, Mark Witucke , Charlie Medders, Martin Robert Holland III Kevin Riordan Anna Weiler Menekseoglu Ronald Riqueros Berg and I guess I can throw in Kyle Larsen as well. Over the years our relationships have changed but when you have a best friend they shape so much of who you are. In what was probably my most formidable years that best friend was Roxanne Zeilstra (Gniadecki) When she passed 14 years ago it was the most tragic experience I had ever had. When someone like that passes a piece of you dies. All the secrets and experiences that only you two shared seem somehow lost. I couldn't face it. Instead of going to her funeral I went to New York to visit another friend. Editha Rosario-Moore. I spent a lot of time at INTAR, the theater where she was then performing and would later become the executive director of. For Fourteen years I've mourned her loss regretted not saying goodbye. In many ways I've had a hard time forming intimate relationships and it's something I think about almost every day . It's a grief like no other. Almost exactly fourteen years later one of the first ny people I became and remained friends with Ngozichukwuka Anyanwu sent me a play. Good Grief- a best friend play. it was being produced at INTAR. It was beautiful. It's a story of grief and love and moving on. I knew I had to be a part of it. I wasn't going to risk losing a role to another actor when the queen of NYC Black theater ChiChi Anyanwu who knows every actor of color is casting so I volunteered to do costumes. Then by a series of strange events I got a txt Saturday morning on my way to work in the hamptons, "could you cover one of the roles if needed?" Sure I said after all this was a worst case scenario. On Sunday I was told I was playing the part and we opened last night. Playing the role of papa I have learned to move. That grief, although an essential part of life, can be crippling if we allow it to stop us from moving forward. We may forever relive the pains and sorrows we experience in life because with them is also great joy, love, and happiness. But if we continue to move each time the pain gets easier and we become lighter. I dedicate my performance to Roxanne who taught me how to create my own happiness a skill I've gotten out of practice of. It's also to everyone who's been a best friend Eric Schnuelle Andy Albright Matthew Stinton Michael Malavarca Libya V Amy Fulgham Tanny Sven Lins Tyler W. FrenchFrank Pullen Mark Omi PeteWolf Winninger and I'll also include Henry Hertz who was a teacher friend mentor surrogate parent all around godsend Just like those I named before we've all shared some good times and some bad times but I am who I am because of the times we shared I miss all of you and dedicate this show to best friends thank you for being you although it's taken some time because of you I am a better me this play also helped me see that. It's BEAUTIFUL!!!