There comes a time in each generation where something happens that is so grievous and horrendous that all people of decency and good-will are issued a clarion call to action.
The not guilty verdict in the George Zimmerman trial is such a moment. The gauntlet has been thrown down to the Black sons and daughters of Marcus, Martin and Malcolm; Harriet, Ida and Fannie to act now to raise the level of struggle. The body of egregious injustices against our people, especially young Black males is far too long–Emmitt Till, Amadou Bailo Diallo, the Jena 6 and now Trayvon Martin. The list of Black male victims of a racist, oppressive system continues to grow.
The only long term solution is a mass organized peoples’ movement. And, the time is NOW.
We must relentlessly pursue every avenue to obtain justice; a civil rights suit, a civil suit for damages, new legislation outlawing citizen vigilante frontier (in)justice . We must demand the repeal of the so- called Stand your Ground laws that are clearly designed for some and not for all, and that justify legalized murder in the name of “self-defense.”.
But most importantly, we must move swiftly to build a mass movement across the length and breath of this nation demanding an end to this American tradition of racial profiling, beating, arresting, incarcerating and killing of Black men simply because they look “suspicious” and are considered “dangerous”.
Ever since President Richard Nixon railed against “Crime in the Streets” and declared the “War on Drugs” the criminal justice system has waged a WAR ON US, one that has been disproportionately and systematically carried on Black people, other people of color and the poor of this nation.
The Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW) calls for the immediate formation of “Justice Collaboratives” in every dark ghetto of the USA to oppose the web of racially biased law enforcement strategies, court judgments and vigilante injustices by groups and individuals taking the law into their own hands and acting as judge, jury and executioner.
IBW stands with the majority of justice-loving citizens who know that a grievous wrong has been committed and will not rest until justice is done. For more information please visit https://ibw21.org/initiatives_projects_programs/petition-on-the-war-on-drugs/
