The latest police shootings, including the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner have sparked a turning point in
the civil rights of Black people, according to Benita Gooch, at this years Peace & Social Justice Center Wichita ).
She was the main speaker at the dinner and annual business meeting for the
Center, held at Lorraine
Avenue Mennonite
Church
Gooch's speech was planned months in advance but was made more relevant with the news of police shootings, grand jury investigations that lead to acquittals and the protests in the aftermaths.
" I though it would never get as bad as it was in the '60s," Gooch told the crowd. But now it seems to me it is as bad as the '60s and before. Michael Brown has proven that things have not worked."
She said these latest action is serving as a turning point inAmerica .
"There has been a lot of frustration fueled by the media and social media," she explained. The media and social media are fanning the flames. But there is some good in it. We couldn't have had a march so quickly if it weren't for the social media."
Gooch talked about marching in the Journey for Justice walk, which was organized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The demonstrators marched120 mile march fromFerguson
to the Governor's Mansion in Jefferson
City . As they went through a few small rural towns
they were jeered by some of the town's residents. There were confederate battle
flags, someone put a watermelon and chicken along the road and one man wore a Ku Klux Klan like mask.
"The things they said were Ugly," Gooch said.
At times Gooch spoke about local politics.
"(Wichita Police Chief) Norman Williams had to go," she said.
She added that he encouraged black people to remain silent when they had problems. Gooch said Black people in this community still have to deal with police profiling.
"I've been stopped myself," she added.
Gooch was skeptical that a lot of the ideas that are put forward will solve the police problems by themselves.
"Internal review boards?" she asked "I don't have much faith in those."
She added that videos alone won't solve all the problems.
"This week we have video and no conviction," she pointed out.
She said one problem we have now is over-criminalizing people. She supports the new changes in the marijuana laws that members of thePeace & Social Justice Center
She said too many people are being jailed for minor offences and the police should focus on the real criminals. She added that too many black people get harassed over minor offenses and they get tired of that.
Another problem she talked about is the militarization of the police. They often come into communities with army style equipment, including machine guns.
"Machine guns?" she said. "Stop the militarizing of the police."
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Gooch's speech was planned months in advance but was made more relevant with the news of police shootings, grand jury investigations that lead to acquittals and the protests in the aftermaths.
" I though it would never get as bad as it was in the '60s," Gooch told the crowd. But now it seems to me it is as bad as the '60s and before. Michael Brown has proven that things have not worked."
She said these latest action is serving as a turning point in
"There has been a lot of frustration fueled by the media and social media," she explained. The media and social media are fanning the flames. But there is some good in it. We couldn't have had a march so quickly if it weren't for the social media."
Gooch talked about marching in the Journey for Justice walk, which was organized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The demonstrators marched120 mile march from
"The things they said were Ugly," Gooch said.
At times Gooch spoke about local politics.
"(Wichita Police Chief) Norman Williams had to go," she said.
She added that he encouraged black people to remain silent when they had problems. Gooch said Black people in this community still have to deal with police profiling.
"I've been stopped myself," she added.
Gooch was skeptical that a lot of the ideas that are put forward will solve the police problems by themselves.
"Internal review boards?" she asked "I don't have much faith in those."
She added that videos alone won't solve all the problems.
"This week we have video and no conviction," she pointed out.
She said one problem we have now is over-criminalizing people. She supports the new changes in the marijuana laws that members of the
She said too many people are being jailed for minor offences and the police should focus on the real criminals. She added that too many black people get harassed over minor offenses and they get tired of that.
Another problem she talked about is the militarization of the police. They often come into communities with army style equipment, including machine guns.
"Machine guns?" she said. "Stop the militarizing of the police."
About 50 people came to hear Benita Gooch, editor of The
Community Voice.
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