Monday, August 2, 2010

Impressions of Sunday's Forum

This is not a full story on Sunday's "Call to Action" forum, just some impressions from the first hour and a half.

First off, the forum began in the time slot of Imhotep Gary Byrd's WBLS show, "Express Yourself." Byrd is a well-known radio personality and also has a show on WBAI, "The Global Beat Experience." Why his involvement was not mentioned in publicity last week is unknown, but surely is somewhat of a lapse.

Byrd hailed Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs as "a courageous sister" and added, "She's what we call a 'warrior sister.' "

He noted the reason for the call to action as the problem of gun violence and said that even as the program was being discussed, there had been a shooting incident in Harlem. Byrd mentioned a Monmouth County "Guns for Cash" program to get guns off the street.

Plainfield has had a rash of shootings since May.

The mayor said forum topics would include gang-related activity, affordable housing, foreclosure assistance, education, mentoring, and employment and lauded the recently formed "Taking Back the Streets" task force in Plainfield.

Byrd said there had been some objections to the program's announced focus on shootings, especially from the real estate community, as people felt it wrong to air "dirty laundry." But Robinson-Briggs noted wide coverage already of the issue, with panels and numerous newspaper articles on the shootings. She said the city worked very hard in 2009 to reduce crime, but suddenly this year there was a spike in shootings in the "West Ward."

She repeated advice given at a May 3 panel, which was to check bedrooms and backpacks of young family members for guns or signs of gang activity.

Byrd, noting keynote speaker Rev. Al Sharpton was on his way to Plainfield, said, "What we're saying is, let's network the community. Let's go back to a time when you actually knew who was living next to you."

Byrd said people came out "10,000 strong" for peace in Newark's West Ward.

After a break, Byrd said Sharpton would appear in the "7 o'clock hour" of the forum.

Next came a long list of panelists, including Salaam Ismial of United Youth Council, East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser, Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith, Bro. Lonnie of Nation of Islam Mosque No. 80, a representative of the ShotSpotter company that sells gunshot detecting equipment, local police officers and Union County Freeholder Nancy Ward. Robinson-Briggs mentioned she is the first female African-American mayor in Plainfield and is in her second term.

Both Smith and Bowser spoke in favor of the gunshot detection system. Smith mentioned the Weed and Seed program and also Ceasefire, both of which have been tried in Plainfield. The latter, which calls for investigating every shooting incident as if it were a homicide, fell to budget cuts and is no longer operating in Plainfield.

Advice such as "talk to kids" was given, also to form prisoner re-entry programs and to do community outreach. Bowswer said he went to Australia to learn how crime was reduced by 75 percent there over the last five years.

After another break, the program resumed with more general comments on crime reduction and a call for community involvement from Sgt. Kenny Reid, a former mayoral bodyguard.
People's Organization for Progress leader Larry Hamm also called for more community involvement.

By now, the program was well into the 7 o'clock hour with no sign of Sharpton. After another break, Bro. Lonnie spoke about supporting the youth in the community and the mayor talked about a job training program led by Debbie Myers.

I got as far as opening remarks from Congressman Frank Pallone after 7:30 p.m. and then, as I was listening in bed to the show on my big purple boombox, I dozed off. Maybe someone can fill in the rest.

Still to come were remarks from Sharpton and responses from audience members, who had been given cards to write on. The show was billed to air from 6 to 9 p.m. and by the mid-point, all I had heard was mostly speechifying. I'm sure Sharpton, if he actually showed, gave the best speech, as he can always out-orate anyone in the room.

I would have liked to hear more concrete information on how things are going with the task force, which has been meeting every Tuesday and visiting troubled neighborhoods. Are people responding? Are neighbors willing to defy the "stop snitching" mandate of gang leaders and cooperate with police? At the May 3 panel, it came out in the wash that police and community figures generally know who's who and what's what on the street, but can't get witnesses to testify in court. Gang members live by their code and residents do not want to risk being labeled snitches. It appears that only the dangerous stratagem of intense undercover work might yield enough solid information to pit the law against gang culture.

This is not to make less of the small increments of trust garnered by those who appeal to youth to forego gangs and gun violence. These one-on-one heartfelt appeals can turn young people away from crime, especially if they include an offer of longterm support for the individual's escape to a better life.

Plaintalker welcomes any comments on the forum or on the issue of gun violence.

--Bernice Paglia

14 comments:

  1. It is obvious Byrd doesn't know Plainfield and its needs.

    If the mayor wants to be a warrior, let her join the Army. We need a leader, and that she is NOT.

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  2. Al Sharpton did a wonderful job but what bothered me was comments by Ms Logan-Leach, and Mrs Belin-Pyles they both said that the Plainfield Public School District was HIRING. WOW they are laying off teachers, security officer's and the Plainfield School District are hiring. Here comes the law suits and again our children suffers.

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  3. I did not listen but it sounded not terrible.

    Whos's in charge and how much power will they have to get something done? When are the follow up meetings? Who on the the city council is going to step forward? Who's looking for more funding? Who's getting the Latinos involved, both legal and illegal? What are the schools doing about the no-snitch culture? Can Pallone get more Fed money and expertise? Who in the state is going to champion Plainfield? Speaking of whom, where was Jerry?

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  4. Bernice,

    It was a combination pep rally, political campaign, church service, and motivational speech session. Mayor Sharon basically sat there and echoed the comments of each speaker.

    There were no real strategies or solutions other than within comments made by only a few speakers. The Assemblyman was once again an embarrassment. Doesn't he get it? Does he have anyone advising him about how he sounds? He spoke about himself and the fact that the new governor knows not to mess with him. Sadly, his remarks were borderline race baiting as he kept referring to black folks versus other groups.

    Al Sharpton was late, brief, and entertaining as in comical. That's pretty much it. How much did this charade cost the taxpayers is what I would like to know.

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  5. Maria, as a blogger who reports on the goings on in Plainfield you should have made it your business to stay for the duration of the Meeting. You seem to be critical without knowing what went on. My husband and I arrived @ 5:00 and left @ 8:45. I for one, was very pleased with the Meeting, and hope we can get the community to be more involved.
    We must follow-up and take back our streets.
    The one person I had a BIG problem with was Jerry Green. He rambled on and on about making Gov. Christie give him respect and how embarrassed he was..... When in fact he was embarrassing.

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  6. To 11:31 AM - I hope you and your friends will remember that at voting time and vote Jerry out.

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  7. Seriously?? Some actually described Sharon as, "a courageous sister" and added, "She's what we call a 'warrior sister.' "
    Ok. I might get around to using those words to describe her after I go through every variation of the words, " incompetent ", "ineffective", "failure", "self-serving", "narrow minded", "lacking leadership" etc.
    And to those who are surprised by Jerry Green making himself again seem like a horses behind...that's one of the few things he does well. And Governor Christie being the least bit intimidated by him is as funny as it gets. I don't think Governor Chris Christie would be caught dead being quoted as feeling "violated" about campaign signs being put on his lawn. Governor Christie has made it quite clear he is nobody's lap dog unlike Jerry and Sharon.

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  8. This was the most well-attended meeting I've been to since the Save Muhlenberg meeting at the high school two years ago. Because I begin work at 6PM Sunday I had intended on listening to it streaming over the internet. But work was slow and after 1 1/2 hours I decided to head over. I live only 5 minutes from Washington School (I work from home)and hopped in the car just as Congressman Pallone began to speak. Rev. Sharpton hadn't spoken yet, but by the time I got there he was already in the parking lot and leaving. I don't know what he had to say.

    The Fire Department was keeping the doors shut because of over-capacity, but being the ever-intrepid trespasser I made it to a backstage door to the hallway, walked behind the curtain at the rear of the stage and out the door stage left and into the cafeteria.

    I'd say that you covered most of the salient points Bernice. While several panelists saw a need for top-down measures such as jobs programs and police technology, others saw a need for a bottom-up response from all corners of the community. An important point is that involvement with gangs often comes from a lack of attractive alternatives. Whether it's a job, a recreational or after-school activity, family support, or participation with a religious group, among other things, it is clear that more needs to be done to compete for the time of those most prone to asocial behaviour.

    Homilies were paid to Plainfield's diversity, but for diversity not to turn into division the City was put on notice that more needs to be done to bring together the disparate racial, ethnic, and religious groups in town. There's a big difference between throwing various sops to specific groups, as opposed to creating activities and services that span us all. We've got to improve on this.

    Going beyond the meeting, I am compelled to two observations: First, healthy recreational activities are an alternative to crime. There is a problem when the rec division is led by one of the more polarizing individuals in city government. This is not the formula for either creating a wide range of rec activities or getting widespread and diverse participation. Second, our political appointee department directors. We need an Economic Development leader whose mission is developing the city's commercial side so there are decent career opportunities available in the city, and who isn't stuck in a pothole on a street that needs repaving. We need a police chief who is respected by the department and has strong ties to the community. And we need a social services professional leading a dedicated Health & Social Services department that is responsive to the needs of our residents. We cannot afford the extra layers of management that cost money better spent elsewhere and obscure rather than improve communications and problem solving.

    All in all the town meeting was a success and the great attendance speaks for the concern so many have for our City. But there wasn't much that we don't know already. Decades of neglect have gotten us to this point, so a big hoop-dee-do meeting is just that if we don't make the changes and develop the responses that will at least give us a fighting chance to combat the ills that brought so many of us together last night.

    So what did Rev. Sharpton say? I caught his getaway and everything else. But five minutes was all it took to miss his take on matters.

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  9. Dear 11.31

    This blog belongs to Bernice, not Maria, and it's strictly an unpaid labor of love, and so she's under no obligation to cover anything in its entirety.

    But thanks for knocking Jerry Green, who deserves all the derision he can attract.

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  10. Can someone please get an accurate break down on the cost of this town hall meeting.
    Lets see how much it cost us tax payers
    The entire cost not just certain parts
    I charge you Bernice with the duty

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  11. To 2:16 p.m.: Maybe I should charge you as a citizen with filing an OPRA request as follows:

    COST OF AUG. 1 TOWN MEETING, including school rental, speakers’ honorariums or fees, security, setup, including WBLS requirements,cost of videographing, food and supplies, plus any other incidentals

    You do not need a blogger to do this. You can do it yourself. However, I will give it a try and hope you will do so as well.

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  12. Who cares what it costs!? Probably way less than one year's post-retirement benefits for one fireman or one teacher.

    Get on with the business of controlling gangs and violent crime and stop obsessing over the mayor's discretionary spending.

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  13. What about the fee for Al Sharpton?

    I would agree with Alan Goldstein, except for the belief that people may have come out to hear Rev. Al than a genuine concern about gangs, violence, and youth. The radio station presence was also a draw.

    Look, the Mayor has tried to get people out and involved and like Rob said, people dont usually come because they dont see her as a leader.

    Her failed ability to lead the City and respond to issues is appalling.

    Sadly, I think most people came out to either see the show (Rev. Al) be in a show (WBLS), or be the show (Jerry Green).

    My point is that last night was all for SHOW. No real benefit will come to our community and youth. Only a bill. How many people got paid last night?

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  14. Bernice, I for one give you credit for lasting as long as you did. When I have heard the same old story over and over my eyelids seem to fail on me rather quickly. Now action as in criminals going to jail [not buying more toys to put in the empty Teppers basement for justification of that boondoggle] would be different. GB

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