Angered by shooting, Mayor calls on black men to save city
By Rick Armon
Democrat and Chronicle
(September 13, 2002) ? Mayor William A. Johnson Jr. is calling on African-American men to rise up after the latest shooting death of a black teen in the city.
"Today ... I am angry," he said Friday morning at a news conference at City Hall. "The death of LaTesha (Parson) should be a rallying cry for African-American men in this community. I'm calling on these men to get off of their behinds and to get involved in saving this community."
LaTesha, 13, was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting Thursday evening on Sixth Street. She was an innocent bystander in a dispute between her father and another man. Police are looking for two suspects.
"I want these people brought to swift justice ... I never want them to see the light or a day of freedom again in their lives," Johnson said.
He was calling on only black men because "for too long African-American men have been sitting on the sidelines." A disproportionate amount of the victims and perpetrators in fatal shootings have been African-Americans, the mayor said.
He added that he isn't advocating vigilantism.
Johnson has invited about 100 black leaders to a private meeting Saturday at City Hall. The meeting, which was scheduled before the shooting, is designed to formulate "a plan of action" on how to fight violence in Rochester, he said.
Good for the Mayor! He also called on black "religious" leaders/activists who are quick criticize police officers to show equal fervor in combating and speaking out on violence in the black community. They probably can't get as much mileage out of doing that though.
By Rick Armon
Democrat and Chronicle
(September 13, 2002) ? Mayor William A. Johnson Jr. is calling on African-American men to rise up after the latest shooting death of a black teen in the city.
"Today ... I am angry," he said Friday morning at a news conference at City Hall. "The death of LaTesha (Parson) should be a rallying cry for African-American men in this community. I'm calling on these men to get off of their behinds and to get involved in saving this community."
LaTesha, 13, was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting Thursday evening on Sixth Street. She was an innocent bystander in a dispute between her father and another man. Police are looking for two suspects.
"I want these people brought to swift justice ... I never want them to see the light or a day of freedom again in their lives," Johnson said.
He was calling on only black men because "for too long African-American men have been sitting on the sidelines." A disproportionate amount of the victims and perpetrators in fatal shootings have been African-Americans, the mayor said.
He added that he isn't advocating vigilantism.
Johnson has invited about 100 black leaders to a private meeting Saturday at City Hall. The meeting, which was scheduled before the shooting, is designed to formulate "a plan of action" on how to fight violence in Rochester, he said.
Good for the Mayor! He also called on black "religious" leaders/activists who are quick criticize police officers to show equal fervor in combating and speaking out on violence in the black community. They probably can't get as much mileage out of doing that though.
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