Black Lives Matter: The Term Isn’t Just Limited to Police Killings or Excessive Force
This commentary is being republished in the wake of the New York Daily News report about 10 people being shot in what is believed to be a gang-related incident.
By Gary Glennell Toms
I have a special message for all of the wannabe gangsters slithering within the Black communities of America. You need to wake the hell up! You’re not only killing the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement, something revolutionary and spectacular in this country, you’re killing our future every time an innocent child is lost because of your dumbass actions!
Efforts to ensure the system of policing in America is fair, and that overzealous and rogue police officers are held accountable, are more than justified. However, people of color also have to stand up and call out those in the community that pose a clear and present danger. Incidentally, anyone that adheres to or supports the “no snitch” rule is a damn fool! Here’s why. If the little brothers, sisters, nephews or nieces of gang-bangers were shot and killed in the street because of gunfire between rival gangs, they’d want people in the community to provide as much information about the alleged killer(s) as possible. That’s a fact, and anyone refusing to cooperate or choosing to look the other way is one of two things: heartless or morally deficient.
For the record, as the founder and editor-in-chief of this independent news and information site and a Black man that grew up in the hood, the Redfern and Beach 40th Street Houses of Far Rockaway, I’m well-aware of the fact that many in the hood would or will proclaim….”Fuck that!! I’m not saying shit because the gang members will retaliate against me or those I love.” From The G-Man would like them all to answer this question. If overly-aggressive police officers attempted to take one of your loved ones into custody and busted their head open in the process, and you caught the entire incident on your cell phone, do you really think you or your family wouldn’t be targeted if the video went viral or became a global news story? Crooked cops do crooked things. Period! The shooting of Detective Frank Serpico and the final report issued by the Mollen Commission, among other examples, serve as confirmation. The question is…..which “blue brotherhood” would you fear most?
The only way these senseless killings will stop is if people of color stand up in mass and hold the people with guns accountable for their actions! If millions in support of Black Lives Matter are willing to march and hold police officers and departments accountable, and they should, the same level of commitment should be displayed when innocent children and promising teens in communities of color are shot and killed by those that have chosen to walk the darkest of roads.
Addendum: Many who love and support From The G-Man urged me not to republish this article. They felt doing so would be the equivalent of signing my death warrant. I’m also well-aware that members of the Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings and other gangs in New York City are extremely dangerous, may take exception to the comments, or consider me a “snitch” that must be dealt with. Well, let me be very clear. I’m not a snitch. I’m a hardcore journalist and a Black man who reports the truth despite numerous threats from those in power. I fight for all people and what’s right, and I stand for what I believe in.
For the record, some of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met or established friendships with where gang leaders. I have a message for them. Have your soldiers review the 12-year catalog of From The G-Man and the 8-year catalog of The G-Man Interviews. If they do, they’ll come to realize that my sites have been fighting for and lifting up people of color ever since I created them. To the gang members with young children, I need you to understand that every news report about injustice, police brutality and corruption, and greedy, self-serving politicians is published with them in mind. My news sites serve the people, not the powerful, and tirelessly work to ensure society will be better for all children in the future, including the children of gang members.
In a world where many attack or hate the media for being “fake,” this independent news and information site is doing its best, without any financial compensation or political/moral support from elected officials or community organizations in Harlem over the last decade, to prove real journalism isn’t a thing of the past and that quality reporting can still affect change. I hope gangs in New York City and all across the country will understand what I’m saying. Put down the damn guns, pick up a book or find a mentor, and join me in my quest to try and make this rock we live on a better place.
This commentary is from the heart and…..from The G-Man.