Anger not hate can be a positive driving factor that can create change in the deplorable conditions of Blacks in “Up South Pittsburgh”. Are we too passive, laid back, reluctant, scared, cowardly or just don’t care?
Allow me to present some examples. Three Black females who work in the same city of Pittsburgh department believe they are being discriminated when it comes to promotions. They also stated that the White female in charge absolutely failed to meet with them to discuss their concerns. My response was why have you individually or collectively not filed a complaint with the NAACP or obtained a lawyer and filed charges? The answer was—maybe we should think about it.
The Allegheny County Police Department is comprised of a meager 2 percent Black officers and there has not been an outcry of protest and thereby nothing changes.
Construction contracts, goods and service contracts being awarded to Blacks and women are almost non-existent and once again there is almost no outcry of protest.
The Pittsburgh Police Department has White class after White class of White police candidates and uses the flawed argument that it is almost impossible to find qualified individuals in the city of Pittsburgh, and once again almost complete silence from the communities.
Allegheny County District Attorney Steve Zappala dropped the charges in two cases that involved the negative actions of Pittsburgh Police and both were slow pitches, but in the high profile cases of the beating of Jordan Miles and the shooting of Leon Ford he refused to get involved. We have said nothing again.
Allegheny County Executive KING Richard Fitzgerald fired Attorney William Simmons as director of Shuman Center and used his influence to remove Allegheny County Councilman William “Bill” Robinson from the influential position of budget chairman of Allegheny County Council, and once again only a few persons ever said a word in outrage.
There are a number of 501c3 organizations who are serious about solving some of the problems that are so detrimental to the Black communities and it is understood that money is important, but you can’t expose the persons, who provide the funds. So once again a number of persons are silence.
I am not opposed to those, particularly in leadership positions, who are getting paid, but I am totally opposed to those who sell Blacks out for three pieces of silver. Richness is not defined as materialism but as helping others.
Three of the greatest Black men in history Jesus Christ, Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died relatively poor by world standards, but they were rich beyond imagination when it’s equated with helping the people.
Yes the time is now for us to become angry enough to speak up, speak out and even act up.
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(Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a weekly contributor to the Forum page.)