With the rise of White supremacy groups—which now have no shame in speaking their minds and marching with confederate flags and guns—there has also come a rise of a new generation of Black activists, who relish in speaking their minds and marching with peace.
They believe that White supremacists are infiltrating our police forces and that explains the blatant disregard for Black lives. They also believe that the peace that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about years ago may finally be achieved through the counteractions of the new generation.
“Now this is a mass movement,” Pastor William C. Smart, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Los Angeles (SCLC-LA) said as he marched on May 31 with thousands of others. “This is a movement that’s going to transform. I’m so hopeful today that this is the type of thing that’s going to transform this country.”
The SCLC was originally founded by Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement. Smart posted his video comments on the SCLC-LA facebook page and stated that the movement’s goal is to deal with racist police and White supremacy.
“This is a movement,” Smart said while marching. “This is a people. We’re here today because we’re making a statement all over. And you know what, it’s just not Black folks… everyone’s here, because we’re sick and tired of being sick and tired. This is indeed the straw that’s broken the camel’s back. It’s going to be a hot summer in America because we’re going to turn away racism and injustice.”
Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles), who attended the Pan Pacific Park march, tweeted, “There are no amount of hashtags or social media posts to remember the effects of the internalized trauma from experiencing repeated police brutality in America. I stand firm in the fight to decriminalize Blackness.”
Kamlanger was inspired to get into public service when, as a child, she walked picket lines with her mother and helped her grandmother as she worked to elect the first Black mayor of Chicago. She worked on Barack Obama’s two elections.
When she spoke with Our Weekly, Kamlanger was in Sacramento, fighting for a change in probation procedures.
“Even today, in the wake of George Floyd, we are still fighting and some people think probation is run just fine as it is. ” Kamlanger said. “Are you kidding me?”
Yet, ever the optimist, Kamlanger is looking forward to a brighter day.
“I’m hopeful,” she said. “But it takes hard work, it takes consistent work and there are lots of obstacles and lots of minds to change.”
The National Action Network (NAN), another civil rights organization, was founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton. According to its website, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda. Last Thursday, Sharpton led a prayer vigil at the site of Floyd’s arrest.
“This has been extremely good,” said Rev. Jonathan Moseley, chapter president of the marches. “There are a multiplicity of ethnicities involved.”
Moseley believes that although the Rodney King beating was also taped by a bystander, the video of the Floyd crime has made the difference in this case.
“Now the whole world is seeing what’s happening and you can’t lie to them,” Moseley said. “You can’t say I didn’t’ see what I saw.”
Unlike the King verdict riots, where a jury outside of the City of Los Angeles ruled in favor of the police, Moseley hopes that law enforcement won’t get away with this crime.
“America has become a stage and now the whole world sees it” Moseley said. “If you want to change policy, that’s easier said than done, because law enforcement in the country is a strong union.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he understood the raw emotion that sparked the protests.
“Over the last few days, we have seen millions of people lift their voices in anger, rightfully outraged at how systemic racism is allowed to persist,” Newsom said. “Every single day, people of color are disadvantaged and discriminated against. Black and Latino men in particular face mortal danger all across this country simply because of their race.”
The governor also condemned the violence that has sidelined the protests.
“In California and across the country, there are indications that violent actors may be attempting to use these protests for their own agendas,” the governor said. “We are closely monitoring organizing by violent extremist organizations. To those who seek to exploit Californians’ pain to sow chaos and destruction, you are not welcome.”
At press time Tuesday, Los Angeles County was under a countywide curfew that ran from 6 p.m. through 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
This is the fourth night of a countywide curfew ordered to protect public safety. The County curfew applies to every municipality in Los Angeles County, but cities can implement stricter curfews based on their local needs. Check with your local city to determine if they have implemented stricter curfews. Beverly Hills implemented a stricter curfew, starting at 1 p.m.
