In this multi cultural melting pot we call the United States of America echoes can be heard with resounding resignation calling for freedom, liberty, justice, and patriotism to America and the proclaimed majesty of “Old Glory” (our national flag). The historians have taught us that minute men rallied together, side by side, and in solidarity to win our independence from British rule. In that victory was forged a tradition which welcomed immigrants from all over the world to settle on our shores, and make America the land of the free and the home of the brave. It’s and ideology that many loyal red-blooded Americans revere, but freedom has come at a price to many brave Americans who have lost their lives in defense of so-called democracy. Centuries later, America continues to rely upon the bravery and patriotism of her citizens who travel across oceans to fight wars at the behest of our government. Consequently, many U.S. veterans return to the shores of our country battered, disabled, sick from PTSD, and without the proper support of our government whom they have fought for. As the streets throughout American cities continue to grow with disenfranchised American Veterans, who seemingly have been cast out by a society ungrateful for their service to this country, their poverty, homelessness, and psychological illness is a slap in a face to the loyalty, love of country, and faith in God promoted by American leaders over the years. The government’s failure to adequately support her fallen and struggling veterans has sparked grassroots efforts from churches, local civic groups, and other non-profit organizations to simply return a sense of dignity and humanity to the poor, homeless, and our beleaguered fellow countrymen who also just happen to be, in many instances, veterans who have defended America in many of her foreign wars. So when shelters, soup kitchens, and other homeless advocacy groups like “Love Wins Ministries” set up camp in the heart of the business districts within many American cities such as Raleigh, North Carolina, its not only a blessing, but an appropriate course of action when our government fails to honor its part in helping to insure the “pursuit of Liberty” for all of her citizens. Unfortunately, many communities in our nation are just as responsible for the lack of aid, support, and leadership when the plight of homeless Americans comes knocking. LWM in concert with several local church groups in the Raleigh area has consistently extended its support through no expense of taxpayers, to help lessen life burdens of homeless people within their community for more than 6 years. However, today all of that changed when LWM organizers and advocates  were threatened with arrest when they attempted to hand out breakfast (biscuits and coffee) to nearly a hundred people whom had gathered that morning for something to eat. There had never been an issue with the group’s efforts to feed poor Americans in the past, and police have often stopped by for coffee and breakfast as well. When organizers pleaded to simply feed people, they were told if they handed out food they would in fact “go to jail”. Organizers literally struggled to address American people whom had come for food and shamefully had to convey that the City Government of Raleigh, through its police prohibited them from displaying their usual merciful act of kindness, any they could no longer feed people. Baffled by the city’ seemingly impromptu injunction prohibiting distribution of food to homeless people, organizers failed to comprehend why such civic and Christian like practices had suddenly become a violation of Raleigh City Law. There was discussion regarding the fact that such activities in the park where the charitable efforts had previously taken place for years, was in fact inconsistent with the towns permit ordinance (assemblies of this nature usually require a city permit which cost $800 dollars per event), but the city had turned it’s head for years while LWM and other civic organizations engaged in charity for the poor, homeless, and suffering people within their community. Now it seems that if feeding poor people will continue at the traditional location it has in the past, it would cost LWM $1,600 dollars to hand out food to poor people on Saturday and Sunday respectively. The newly enacted policy of Raleigh City Law has left charity organizers scrambling for a new location to continue their work of giving to those in need. I’m sure that some organization, property owner, or a kind person will extend an act of benevolence to the church, and authorize such charitable acts of kindness to continue on private property that will shield organizers from police harassment. Yet, we are left with bitterness and anger over what appears to be nothing short of cruel, unjustified, and an obvious abuse of authority by city officials who have literally failed the most impoverished within their constituency. There simply is no rationalization that city officials can offer to explain why charity in the form of food for poor people is no longer legal for civic groups like LWM to offer its citizens in need, and even if for some unseen provocation the city’ actions are justified, the manner in which their enforcement of a newly adopted policy was carried out lacks decency , tack, and diplomacy. People following this story argue that town officials could have contacted church organizers well in advance before shutting them down entirely, and served noticed that their efforts would no longer be permitted at their traditional location. Perhaps an even better approach could have been adopted, while avoiding the appearance of officials being looked upon as careless tyrants, and shutting down their charity campaign without warning after having permitted such community service for so long. Many say the city could have partnered with the church in an effort to find more suitable facilities for the church to give back to the community. It seems that the brash and careless manner the city went about the entire matter was to send a message that there is opposition toward feeding homeless people in Raleigh, even if the source of such kindness derived from local churches. Organizers hinted that they were aware that the current site was only temporary while explaining that Raleigh had plans for property development in the area, but the church said they believed they had more time before such an acquisition would actually transpire. Even if the sudden change in town policy on the issue of homelessness has sparked over the required $800 dollar permit fee for events in the city, it’s unconscionable to think that officials would hinder aid to the poor over such a small monetary figure, considering the significance of how charity efforts by LWM has impacted struggling people within the community. We have encountered sickening human interest stories like this before in America, where the powers that be who are charged with representing the interest of the people, have used that exact sacred trust to suffocate the spirit of human dignity impacting those mostly in need of a helping hand during such hard economic times in this country.  Such deplorable actions are not only unjust, but it’s ungodly, and similar to the city having exporated sputum directly into the face of town clergy and it’s congregation who apparently are resolved to aid the poor in Raleigh. However, just like Christ, organizers plead for the community not to foster anger and hatred for the actions of city leaders, and have simply began to look for other venue to continue their work. LWM says they will continue to pray for God’s guidance, and even pray for those who have stopped them from helping poor people. Their efforts are truly the embodiment of the teachings of Jesus Christ and should be commended. Although this story is extremely moving and heartbreaking, the people must not be defined by the ineptness of public officials who just don’t get the concept of charity, support, and helping the people they are commissioned to do. I find it ironic that many of those who were there in need of food come from the black community, and while the church has never addressed such a coincidence, it’s clear that such heartless actions were more than likely driven by the seeds of racist hate in Raleigh, North Carolina. So, I urge all God-fearing people to rebuke these people who hinder righteousness, charity, and the spirit of humanity by contacting Raleigh public officials and voice complete outrage regarding this senseless matter. If your ever in Raleigh, North Carolina, don’t drink the water because it comes from a place without soul, dignity, and compassion.

“Love Wins Ministries” organizers address homeless people in Raleigh, North Carolina after having been advised by city police that they would be arrested if they proceeded in handing out breakfast to poor people. The church group has been feeding the homeless from that exact location for over 6 years, and police directives to stop, oddly comes one day after the 50th Anniversary of the “People’s March On Washington.”

The People’s Champion I’m David Adams

It was a day unlike any other in the history of the United States as the people came, marching side by side, blacks and white people alike, singing spirituals, and songs of freedom. The social climate in America had reached a breaking point and on August 28, 1963 the people marched on our nation’ capitol to confront a racist American society, who had continued to oppress her citizens of color with unwithering relentlessness, and on that day a message was sent that social change must not only come, but rather expeditiously. Many had come fresh from jail cells of historically racist states such as Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and from all over the world to take part in what was describe at that time as “the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of America.”

It was an event which transpired before many of my generation had even been born. Hundreds of thousands of devoted freedom-fighters consisting of clergy, entertainers, politicians, and young Americans who took the call for drastic social change in this country directly to the door steps of the U.S. government. Leading the way was an articulate young Baptist Minister from Georgia name Dr. Martin Luther King. Kings great oratory prowess and distinct articulation, brought the message home clearly, decisively, and very poignantly. At stake was “the negro’s long night of captivity” on the shores of America, having been enslaved, lynched, raped of human dignity, and valued lesser than a human being. Jim Crow laws which promoted separatism through so called separate but equal legislation in many southern states of the country, had run it’s course, while the black man in American finally stood upright with profound indignation of his centuries of mistreatment at the hands of the ruling white class in America.

Rumors surfaced that there would be violence, but a well prepared team of organizers had successfully groomed marchers of the importance of peaceful protest. Fear had only developed within the white community because there had never been a protest of any kind by the negro in America the likes of which Dr. King and Southern Christian Leadership Council had brought to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on that day in 1963. Although the march failed to spark immediate sweeping social change in America, it was the foundation from which Civil Rights Laws for black people in America were ultimately born. However, the demonstration in it’s totality demonstrated to the U.S. government that the negro in America was now a developing organized community that would have to be reckoned with. Many of the surviving participants of the original march who were there that day, talk about the pride they felt when the black community came together, how they conquered racist hate through love and faith, and how the march was symbolic of what was to become of socialism in America.

Much of the accomplishments that were made during the Civil Rights era certainly most be attributed to Dr. King’s profound leadership, but if he were alive today, many say he would simply shrug off credit of any kind, and point to the cooperation of peaceful demonstrators who trusted his leadership and faith, by exposing themselves to vicious beatings at the hand of racist police, having police dogs let loose to attack them, attacked with high pressure water hoses, and jailed during peaceful protest for change. They say King would have given all credit to the people, and remark that he was only doing God’s will. Some historians say that King’s concept of protest through non violence is a hard campaign to sell considering the level of brutality many of the demonstrators endured.

Though King is rightfully credited for having made civil liberties a reality for blacks in America, his approach and idealism came with much criticism. Many other notable black leaders of his era were critical of the submissiveness of black people voluntarily offering themselves to senseless brutality in the name of peaceful protest. Malcolm X was once quoted as having called Dr. King “a glorious fool.” I might add that Malcolm’s remarks has merit considering many of the vicious attacks black people suffered during marches and protest, but the tactic was successful and brought much needed national exposure to the level of racist hate in our country, and literally showed America to it’s racist self via an international audience.

The Civil Rights era in America was an extremely turbulent time with war raging in Vietnam, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy. Malcolm X, eventually Dr. Martin Luther King himself, and all within the same decade.Fortunately freedom did come come for blacks in America at a violent, and costly price. A volume of people both black and white would perish through senseless violence on the road to freedom for people of color, and it’s a sacrifice that should be revered and cherished by every black person alive, because we have all benefited from the diligence of so many people who lost their lives so that all people could be free.

Sadly, the proper homage nor respect has not been given to the martyrs of black freedom in America. Many of our young people aren’t even aware of the march that took place in 1963, let alone the names of many of the notable leaders of that era, whose work and sacrifice is directly responsible for the very freedom they are now privileged with today. In fact, much of the social change which was orchestrated during the Civil Rights Movement has been inherited by an ungrateful, unworthy, and disgraceful generation that it is on a course of complete self destruction. Some will vigorously deny such assertion by pointing out that our youth face some of the greatest challenges unlike any other generation before their time.

Chiefly, it’s often promoted that many of the old oppressive tactics designed to suppress the social, educational, and economic development of black people are still at play in America, but are more covert, psychologically, and subliminally engineered to continue on a course of emancipation of black people as a whole. The American criminal justice system is often utilized as prima facie to substantiate the premise for argument related to indoctrinated systemic racism toward black people as a standard practice by white America. The alarming disproportionate rate in which blacks are incarcerated in this country in relationship to their counter parts of other ethnicity who are similarly situated in criminal cases, is categorized by many black scholars as being purposefully designed. However, though such arguments and other statistical data point to an unbalanced scale negatively impacting the black community, this is an area of disparity well within the scope of control of the black community itself.

Behavioral problems within our school system, in our communities, and within the black family as a whole is directly responsible for many of the incarcerations of black people detailed in most statistical data derived through research of the criminal justice system via the Department and Bureau of Prisons. In the 5 decades since we have fought for freedom, the black community in America has become more violent than societies within some of the most volatile places on earth, like Beirut, Iran, Mexico, and other traditionally violent third world nations around the globe. Every year in America black youth fall prey to violent street crime by the hundreds of thousands. Yet we continue to cry for freedom from white America when the black man is the most dangerous element that black people face within their own communities on a daily basis.

Moreover, leadership within the black community is for the most part non existent. Barring the blue collar  working class parent diligently striving to impact their impressionable kids, grassroots efforts developed through community outreach from local churches, and other localized community based organizations there are no other prominent figures who standout readily prepared to take the reigns of guidance for a people  vexed in a collective degenerate state of self inflicted oppression. When tragic stories like the Trayvon Martins, the Sean Belles, Rodney king, and other high profile cases of civil injustice occur, we see the race baiters the likes of defunct black leaders such as Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, and other political opportunist suddenly gain some degree of manhood. Often times their efforts only serves to bring the social climate in America regarding race, to further divide claiming that such cases are an injustice to the black community. Don’t get me wrong, they actually are, but so are the other hundreds of thousands of crimes committed against black people everyday in America by others who look just like them.

Today people will converge on Washington once again celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the people’s march with a theme of justice and freedom for black people in this country. There is tremendous legitimacy in such a protest, but black leaders should also be discussing how unjust we are as a black community to allow the killings of our kids by other black people, to go on for so long without taking a stand for the preservation of our youth. Where is the outrage for that? Even with the kind of racist incidents that black people still fall prey to at the hands of sick white people, the probability of a black man being killed by a white person today is highly improbable. Dr. King risked his life and died for the freedom of his people, and today I am ashamed of what his dream has become within the black community.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adamsd

Warning: Some may find the content of this article offensive and I apologize in advance. My efforts here are solely to bring the events of this tragic case to light with the hope that another family’s child will not fall victim to such a heinous crime. I will no longer print the names of certain individuals whose actions may have directly been responsible for the death of Phylicia Barnes,  and who are not being held accountable criminally. They are undeserving of such consideration. We remain encouraged that justice will prevail for this promising and beautiful child. Thank you!

A few months after young Phylicia Barnes, an honors student from North Carolina went missing while visiting her half-siblings in Baltimore, it was Gaetane Borders of “Peas In Their Pods” (an internationally recognized child advocacy group) who conducted one of the first public interviews of Phylicia’ older sisters, and asked tough questions surrounding their baby sister’s disappearance.  If the subtle but obvious inappropriate interaction during a radio broadcast of the Barnes siblings, that was clearly overheard during the interview, which included laughter, whispering, and a complete lack of genuine concern wasn’t enough to draw some suspicion toward the murdered teen’s sisters, then one of her older sister’s pausing for awkward periods of time during the Blog Talk broadcast  after being asked basic questions, should be sufficient to justify the widespread concern many from within the public developed towards the child’s family from the very start.

The Barnes older sibling confirmed that males unrelated to Phylicia had access to the apartment as well as the teen herself, while she was in fact at her sister’s house alone. Rumors circulated earlier on during the search for Phylicia that she had revealed to an older sibling, concern regarding the door to her sister’s apartment being left unsecured regularly with a volume of males coming and going all the time. Ms. Borders asked the older sister why was her ex-boyfriend at the apartment (a very relevant question because the sister had advised Phylicia’s mother, that only Phylicia and herself would be staying at her apartment while the teen visited Baltimore) , and many listeners probably were even more curious about the question, because it simply didn’t make sense and was very irresponsible to leave a pretty teen girl alone at home with males having access to the apartment while no adult related to the child was present to look after her.

It took the woman nearly ten seconds to begin answering the question, and her pausing simply opened the flood gates to suspicion that perhaps the truth regarding what actually happened that day would not be revealed during the broadcast, and it gave the appearance of deception on the older sister’ part. A previous question from the host to the older sister inquiring as to when she first became aware that something had gone wrong, is the starting point when inconsistencies in her story were actually revealed. The older sister told Peas that she first learned that something was wrong when she arrived home from work at 6 p.m. that day, but later contradicted herself when she said they (the older half-sisters) had lost all communication with Phylicia during the late morning hours on December 28, 2010, just a few hours prior to the child reportedly having last been seen by anyone.

In fact it was discovered later during the broadcast that no one from the child’s family had even gone by the apartment to check on her until her sister arrived home from work in the early evening hours. Many still believe that the sisters were either involved or had direct knowledge regarding what happened to Phylicia Barnes, especially considering that another older sister was supposed to have picked her up to go for a hair appointment, and shop for beauty supplies that day. One of the most puzzling aspects of the Barnes disappearance has always been why her sister never came to get her or even check on her when she reportedly got off from work early, and only lived a few blocks away? The sister also told Peas that it had been a regular practice for young Phylicia to go to work with either of her older half-sisters every day (which denotes that they had concern for her safety), but the sisters say the child had been up late the night before, felt tired, and declined to go with her sister to work. Ironically, the only day that Phylicia doesn’t tag along with either of her sisters to their job, she mysteriously disappears, and was subsequently found floating nude in a river months later.

When these facts were revealed during the interview it was clear to many people following the Barnes teen disappearance case that things simply did not add up. It was just too early in the case to determine where Phylicia whereabouts were, or to tell if something may actually have happened to young Phylicia, but the account her sisters gave to Peas In Their Pods was disturbing to say the very least. Now that Phylicia’ accused killer (Michael Johnson) has been tried for her murder and subsequently had that conviction thrown out by a Baltimore Circuit Court Judge, the public has learned much more about the teen’s case, and the Peas interview revealed the sisters had initially said on record (during a live national broadcast) that certain alleged activities were not going on at the apartment where Phylicia was staying. Now that many of the shocking and disturbing activities have been exposed as a matter of fact, it’s a very strong possibility that the culture the child was exposed to may ultimately have been the factors which led to her demise.

Ms. Borders went on to question the older sister about rumors that Phylicia had fallen asleep on top of someone prior to her disappearance. The sister strongly denied that assertion by stating “No,no,no,no”, and reiterated that the comment came from the account when she was last seen,  and that she was falling asleep on the couch. We all now know her attempts to paint a picture that nothing remotely close to that was going on at her apartment was a blatant lie. While the sister was readily prepared to dismiss the notion that her younger sister wasn’t engaged in such activity while under her care, we have since learned she allowed Phylicia to run around completely naked with her accused killer, his brother, and at least one other adult male while playing a game she described as “jonking” (streaking and grabbing the nether regions of other game participants).

During Michael Johnson’ first trial the prosecution played a video captured on a cellphone which depicted the Barnes teen, her older sister, Michael Johnson, his younger brother, and another male (who filmed the clip) at a nearby school playground, with them all nude, kissing, and “jonking”. Prosecutors had argued that Johnson desired the Barnes teen sexually, and pointed out during the trial that while Johnson is observed kissing the teen’s older sister, he had his eyes squarely focused on a nude Phylicia Barnes. Therefore, deceptive comments under questioning during the Peas broadcast were an attempt to conceal these troubling facts regarding what they all had been doing while Phylicia visited Baltimore. If we flash back to a social media post that Johnson made while searches were being conducted to locate Phylicia, in which he stated, “D***a should just tell Phylicia’s mother what was going on at the apartment”, earlier fears from the public regarding what may have happened surrounding Phylicia were being leaked out by Johnson himself. The post was later removed from Johnson’ facebook page, but I personally believe he made the comment to intimidate the older sister, and planting the perception that she could be charged criminally for the activities she allowed Phylicia to engage in because she was a minor.

The trial also revealed that the sister had even observed Johnson grabbing at Phylicia’ private area on one occasion, and that she confronted him about it. Although she testified that she contemplated telling her father about the incident, she decided not to out of fear that Phylicia would no longer be permitted to visit her again. This testimony during the trial was very telling, in that it establishes that the nudity, “jonking”, and other activity going on at the apartment where Phylicia came to visit was obviously so wide spread, that Johnson felt comfortable enough to engage in fondling Phylicia, even with her older sister present. So, the sister’s allegations that she became concerned over Johnson’ actions is simply not credible at all.

Phylicia was a minor child, her being permitted to run around nude with any adult was criminal, and the fact that her sister didn’t kick Johnson out of the house immediately upon observing him attempting to touch her pretty kid sister in a sexual way is sickening. Her failure to have acted proactively to protect her baby sister from her boyfriend’ sexual advances in this incident speaks volumes, and probably sent the message to Johnson and other males visiting her home that she condoned such behavior. She admittedly knew that her boyfriend had eyes for Phylicia (based on her own testimony) but she permitted him to have continued access to her, and it’s simply very suspicious that she left that child in the apartment alone knowing what could potentially happen knowing that Johnson had a key to her house. The sister also denied other activity that she was accused of allowing Phylicia to be engaged in. One instance was when Janice Sallis confronted her about allowing Phylicia to drink alcohol and smoke pot, after the mother had been informed by one of Phylicia’s friends who had become concerned that something may have happened to her when she went missing.

The friend gave Janice a tearful account of how Phylicia had admitted to her that she ‘d been allowed to drink vodka and smoke marijuana during her visits to Baltimore. The sister lied during the Peas interview and on several other occasions when confronted with these allegations, and the Barnes family even attempted to paint Phylicia’ mother as a bitter ex of their father. Although TPC revealed images (sent from the public) of people who were known to be frequent visitors at the sister’s apartment engaging in parties with alcohol (Vodka) and marijuana present, the sister was never revealed in any of those images, and it’s suspected that she wasn’t in them, because she was more than likely the person who took the pictures. The sister knew those pictures existed, and she knew about the “streaking” video. It was a tremendous gamble to lie about the activities she allowed her kid sister to participate in, especially on radio and other media. She could have been charged with “obstruction of justice” at the very least.

During the trial, the sister had to tearfully, shamefully, in an embarrassing fashion, describe many of the events which were alleged to have occurred while Phylicia was staying with her, and admit they had in fact occurred while she had previously and publicly denied it. Some people may be empathetic to the sister’s attempt to cover up the dirty little games and other unlawful activity that she allowed her kid sister to participate in, because she was only trying to save her own neck. Perhaps the most telling aspect pertaining to these facts, is that the sister essentially hindered the entire investigation with her lies, at a time most crucial to police efforts to establish Phylicia’ whereabouts. Her constant lying about pertinent facts, coupled with the presence of a relative who is also a cop (who may have quarterbacked primary field investigation interviews), and the bogus story about Phylicia only having left to get something to eat demonstrates that they all initially tried to deceive authorities in an attempt to conceal their “dirty secrets”.

However, by not being upfront and forthright from the very start, allowed 9 days to elapse before the cops took the child’s disappearance case seriously. It has never been established who told primary police on the scene that Phylicia had gone to get food, and probably would be back a short time later, but that statement allowed her killers ample time to cover up what evidence that may have been available.  It wasn’t until police viewed surveillance cameras in the area and discovered that Phylicia hadn’t gone in the areas where she could have purchased food, and prompted suspicion that the accounts of those close to the child prior to her disappearance were suspect. Knowing that people were lying, the cops began to confiscate cellphones, other personal property of  individuals closely related to the case, and even obtained federal warrants for social media accounts. The seizure of personal items is what led to the discover of the nude “streaking” video.

Knowing that there was an active police investigation into the disappearance of Phylicia Barnes and that she was a minor, it’s unconscionable that anyone would retain a video clip on their personal cellphone of the child “streaking” nude. Anyone in possession of search media could be arrested, and the cops used the video as leverage to get people to start talking, chiefly Phylicia’ older sister. All of the lies she told in response to allegations of the kinds of activity she permitted Phylicia to participate in came back to haunt her, and her statements during the Peas In Their Pods Blogtalk broadcast guaranteed she would have to tell the truth in open court. The sister’s denials on a recorded radio broadcast were obliterated by the “streaking” video which depicted  Phylicia nude, visibly under the influence, and accompanied by her older sister who was charged with caring for the teen while she visited Baltimore. The Peas interview could easily have been used by either the prosecution or the defense to impeach her testimony. Her hands were tied and had no other options but to stop lying, and testify against Johnson.  The teen’ mother once told TPC during an interview that “the only way Phylicia would take off off her clothes in front of a man, is if she was extremely high on something”, and sadly the mother’s fears were revealed exactly as she had suggested.

Additionally, the continued existence of the “streaking” video while authorities were actively searching for Phylicia Barnes reveals another disturbing perspective. I suspect the footage was kept to deter the sister from openly accuse Johnson, and his brothers of being responsible for Phylicia’ disappearance. Some how individuals may have believed that the clip was more damaging to the sister than the teen’ actual killer(s), and justified what ever may have happened to her. Even if my assertion falls short of this perspective, there existed a tremendous degree of arrogance and confidence on the part of Johnson and his brothers related to this disappearance case. considering the fact that cops are related to both the Johnson and Barnes families, the killer(s) appear to have had help covering up this crime. I have always made it clear that the band of “wannabe thugs” believed to have been involved in this murder case, clearly lack the intelligence to cover their tracks so well, thwart police investigative efforts, and sadly a member of Phylicia’ own family may unwittingly have assisted the cover up of her murder.

Many in our society are well aware of some of the stupid things that young adults do in the name of youthful fun. A primary aspect of individual development is predicated on errors we incur simply through life itself, and the expectation is that we all will fall short at some junction during our journey on this earth. That’s why parents like Raheem and Janice Mustafa took extra care in Phylica’ upbringing to soften the blow so to speak, and hopefully limit  their child’s shortcoming in her years of conformity. Some mistakes our youth make can never be undone and as in this case may result in a tragic ending, but perhaps I’m simply unrealistic about certain expectations that should not only be a right of passage for an older sister to take pride and honor in aiding in securing the safety, and development of a younger sibling who trust their guidance. Perhaps I’m just foolish to even ponder such a perspective that all family inherently are obligated to lead the way through positive example for our youth, and maybe I’m just wrong all together for holding and older sister accountable for her baby sister’s death, because she herself lacked the maturity to anticipate the results of allowing grown men to pleasure themselves through her kid sister’s promiscuity and innocence? Though Phylicia Simone Barnes has gone from us forever, in the city of Baltimore at least, we will always remember the pretty flower lost in a river, and in a river where “dirty secrets” still remain. R.I.P. Simone!!!

Part I of a series

— To be Continued

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

On the night George Zimmerman shot and killed young Trayvon Martin at the Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford, Florida, the cop wanna be exited his SUV, unholstered his firearm, and chambered a round. I know this to be true without any equivocation because it’s on the 911 recording from the call Zimmerman made to police that night. I won’t delay anyone’s curiosity for a second. Listen to the tape again for yourself, and around the 4:07-4:08 time of this Youtube audio tape you will hear the faint sound of a pistol being chambered. This will probably mean nothing to you if you have never handled a gun before, but I’d bet my life if you know some who has, they will tell you that what I am describing is an unmistakable, and very distinct sound.

The Police, State’ Attorney, and Zimmerman’s defense Counsel all focused solely on the police 911 tape which depicted someone yelling for help before the horrifying sound of a gun shot going off that has polarized the entire case. It’s mind boggling that none of the investigators picked up on this portion of Zimmerman’s call to police February 26, 2012, or perhaps it was deliberately overlooked by cops who appeared to be more than eager to set the cop wannabe free. You just might want to listen to that part of his police call again one more time for good measure.

You clearly hear Zimmerman exit the vehicle and then you hear him chamber a round. and probably loaded another round in his magazine (Cal Tech 9mm firearm has a mag capacity of 7 rounds), because cops found the clip full at the time they confiscated the gun from Zimmerman. This information coupled with that fact that George Zimmerman admittedly told the police dispatcher that he was following him, demonstrates he had other intentions, and wasn’t looking for an address has he has testified to in open court. It also means that Zimmerman more than likely had his gun already drawn when he encountered young Trayvon Martin on foot. If these facts don’t prove depraved mind, I don’t know what will.

As a private citizens if you pull a firearm on another person you can be charge with aggravated assault in most states in this country. Furthermore, if Trayvon had ran as Zimmerman described to police dispatch, the 17-year-old wasn’t posing any threat to Zimmerman, and there was no justification for Zimmerman to even draw his weapon. Some Zimmerman supporters and other pundits may argue that it was dark and raining that night, Zimmerman was alone, and may have just been taking precautionary measures for his own personal safety. This would mean that Zimmerman had apprehensive fear long before he engaged into an altercation with Trayvon, and highlights even more why he should have stayed put inside his vehicle.

Also, the comments Zimmerman made on tape (“these assholes always get away” and “fucking coons”) juxtapose to him literally and apparently having his gun drawn way before a physical confrontation with Trayvon ever occurs, goes along way to support that he pursued the teen after profiling him, and without question violated Trayvon Martin’ civil rights. I am convinced that this portion of Zimmerman’s recorded call with police dispatch fills in some of the missing pieces from that night, and perhaps may have been the instrument which sparked a fight. Let’s face it, even if Trayvon was hiding somewhere waiting on Zimmerman as many of his supporters have contrived in their minds, face with a gun pointed at you in close quarters just might in fact have cause the teen to act violently in an effort to save his own life.

I have said all along that if Trayvon Martin ran from Zimmerman as Rachel Jeantel testified, it doesn’t make sense that he would simply turn around and try to confront Zimmerman. Juror B37 said that she believed Trayvon wanted to approach Zimmerman and not allow him to get one up on him. Her rationale and thinking is extremely prejudicial considering the fact that she never met Trayvon Martin and didn’t know anything about his character. Her perspective only illustrates that some white people are readily prepared and often think negatively of black youth.

There is now very convincing evidence that George Zimmerman may have had his gun already drawn prior to getting into a fight with Trayvon Martin, and this would clearly demonstrate  that Zimmerman was the actual aggressor on the night he killed the Martin teen. Zimmerman will never be tried for his murder again because of double jeopardy laws, unless somehow the courts declare a mistrial for some bizarre reason. Whether or not he will be charge on a Federal level remains to be seen. I believe that his recorded call to police is the most compelling factor which proves he pursued Trayvon with his gun drawn, and had intent on using it. Why else would he pull his gun if the kid had already run away?

Moreover, two of the Defense witnesses perjured themselves while testifying during the trial. First off, the Good witness lied about what he actual saw. If you were paying close attention to the trial you would have observed Mr. good say he heard the commotion outside of the rear off his home. He said he actually stepped outside and stated “hey cut it out”, before saying “I’m calling the cops”, and going back inside his home. I am not convinced that he didn’t see more than what he testified to because he was the closest witness to the scene. He described the person being on the bottom of the fight as a lighter skinned person. That’s a complete lie, because in Zimmerman’s reenactment for police and during his interview with Sanford police, he is overheard stating that after he shot Trayvon he got on top of his back, attempting to restrain him, and someone appeared and said they were gonna call the police.

That person had to have been defense witness Mr. Good. No other witness testified that they made that statement, and Zimmerman stated in his reenactment and interviews, “I don’t need you to do that, I need you to help me with this guy.”  So, how on earth did Mr. Good see a lighter complexion person on the bottom of the altercation if when he stated he was gonna call the cops Zimmerman didn’t want him to do that? That would mean that Zimmerman had already shot Trayvon and climbed on top of him when Mr. Good came outside, according to Zimmerman’s own version of events from that night.  Mr. Good’s testimony was very crucial and deemed extremely compelling, as many pundits believed that he corroborated Zimmerman’s story, but as you can see it is very contrasting.

Either Good lied or Zimmerman did. Zimmerman says he was on top of Trayvon when Good came out and threatened to call police, and Mr. Good claims Trayvon was on top when he came out. Very confusing? I don’t think so, because they both can’t be right, and Zimmerman’s story has been so inconsistent that he has no credibility. Mr. good may have also been motivated to lie simply out of mere racial bias, while believing that Zimmerman was only protecting the community from some black kid up to no good (pun not intended).

Jenna Lauer who also testified at the Zimmerman murder trial, who was called as a prosecution witness, also lied on the stand multiple times. During her testimony she claims that neither her nor her husband went out side to see what was going on the night they heard commotion before young Trayvon was shot and killed. The 911 recorded call she made to police which actually depicts the gun shot, you can hear the sliding door that leads to their patio open. The sound his so prevalent in that recorded call that it can almost be mistaken for the actual gun shot. Lauer is also overheard calling her husband, telling him to get in here. In here from where? Thoughtt neither of the two had gone outside, but clearly her husband had gone to investigate something. There are blinds covering their window on the patio which could have provided them with the ability to discretely look outside to see what was going on, and be relatively undetected. I am not convinced that her husband didn’t peak outside at the very least. An image of the rear of the Lauer home where Zimmeman encountered Trayvon is depicted below:

Jenna Lauer’s home is the first house on the right where you can clearly see blinds in the window to there patio.

you don’t have to take my word for it listen to Jenna Lauer’s recorded 911 call again. At  the 0:32 period in the below Youtube audio you can hear the sliding door come open as Jenna is on the phone with police dispatch. Her husband states “they need to send someone out” and she responds “they’re sending” and at 0:50 you hear the sliding door moving again right after the gun shot, and I suspect that Mr. Lauer more than likely rushed back inside after being startled by the gunfire:

Why did he open the sliding patio door if he didn’t go outside to try and see what was going on? It would be difficult to prove what I am describing, but basic common sense and listening skills will reveal that my perspective isn’t far fetched at all, besides this piece of audio when scrutinized thoroughly case serious credibility on the Lauer testimony, her credibility, and integrity related to the Zimmerman murder trial proceedings. Like I said this would be hard to prove and you will have to be the judge of that recording and decide for yourselves why the Lauers would want to lie about what they saw that night. On the other hand, Jenna Lauer outright lied on the stand and actually perjured herself when prosecutor De La Rionda questioned her and asked if she were friends with Robert Zimmerman who is George Zimmerman’s older brother.

Lauer told the court that she wasn’t friends with him on Twitter (which actually wasn’t a lie) because she only follows him on Twitter. You don’t actually have to be friends with a person to follow their Twitter page, but Lauer stated that she didn’t even know how to use Twitter, and that she is never on there (Twitter). Well she obviously told a lie and here is a snapshot of her Twitter page that has been circulating around the internet after her testimony:  http://i.imgur.com/1M3WmwZ.png @jenna_lauer. If you scroll down you can see that she in fact follows Robert Zimmerman. So technically she made not have told a bold face lie, but she was deceptive to the court by not actually being forthright about her affiliation with him.

You can also see by scrolling her Twitter page that it is an active account with various people that she follows, and more than likely lied to the court about not knowing how to use the account. Her testimony regarding something as minute is who she follows or who she is friends with on social media creates serious doubt about her truthfulness and overall credibility. I believe Mr. Good and Mr. Lauer both actually saw George Zimmerman with his gun drawn before he shot Trayvon Martin that fateful night, and then came to court and lied about what they saw. The biggest question is why? I pray the Department of Justice does a complete and thorough investigation into the tapes from that night as well as their relationship to witness testimony, and hopefully they will discover what I have already. Justice for Trayvon Martin continues.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

PLEASE, please, please look at those freaking pictures of Zimmerman, because they are truly taken from two different times! A known fact – when and if you are ever punched in the face or nose the eyes blacken almost immediately – in all the photos of Zimmerman taken at the police station, and several days later – his face has no bruising nor are his eyes black!!! Secondly, LOOK at the picture of him supposedly coming out of the police car – his nose is broke and bloody – but 4 hours later photos taken of him at the police station show NO signs of swelling nor is his nose disfigured!

Based on the testimony of Vincent Di Maio – (defense pathologist) swelling cannot disappear within 4 hours, even if ice was placed on it (he was speaking of the swelling on his head)!!!! Why am I the only one that has noticed this???? Furthermore, I believe the jury was bought & paid for – because how could Taffe possibly know what was going on in the jury room – he was ADAMANT the other night during two separate interviews, that one jury was holding out, as if she was swaying the others!!! How could he possible know this??? And she is probably the same juror, who we known now as B37 – the news reported, she never looked at Rachael throughout her entire 6 hours of testimony… 6 hours & this juror kept her head down to avoid looking at Rachel!!!!

They need to look very closely at the juror’s financial records for the past 6 months as well as phone records and cross check them with key players on the Defense team!!! How could B37 already have a book deal, which has now been rescinded? She also continually called George Zimmerman  – George during her interview and referred to Trayvon as the boy or colored – truly a sign of racism!!!! The medical examiner needs to also be looked at also; who changes an autopsy report six months after the initial report because they were subpoenaed to testify in a high profiled case? He often made the statement that he couldn’t remember ANYTHING, claiming to be telling the truth, because he didn’t want to perjurer himself on the stand – it appears that someone spooked with him before his testimony. Very strange behavior for a professionally trained  Medical Examiner!!!

I always said there is something very fishy about this entire case & court drama… Glad the DOJ has decided to do a further investigation into this case… Double Jeopardy – “The law forbids the same man to be tried twice on the same issue.” However, he can be charged on a federal level. If it was your family member, you would want the same thing for them and that’s all Trayvon’s parents want for him. #<https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/justicefortrayvon>JusticeForTrayvon

Furthermore, a fractured nose that Zimmerman claims to have had & based on his own medical documentation – they’re claiming his eyes were blackened, but where’s the photo’s to prove that fact – heck, they made sure to show his minor head injuries with band-aids, and something of that significance – he never photographed???? Really??? Lies, Lies, Lies!!

WHERE ARE THE PHOTOS OF HIS BLACK EYES IF HE CLAIMS HIS EYES WERE BLACKENED & LIP SWOLLEN????? LIES, LIES, LIES!!! NO PHOTO’S TO PROVE HIS CLAIM!!! WHY???

I  pray that these key points of observation are investigated and looked into more closely, because there is definitely foul play involving the Zimmerman trial.

The People’s Champion

I’m FancyKattt1

Every now and then people just become tired of the same old things, tired of wiping away tears , tired of burying their children over senseless violence, tired of being picked on, tired of being mistreated, and tired of watching our mothers cry. I may not be qualified to accurately convey a complete expression of the frustration which dwells deep within the spirit of my people, but I can definitely testify to the black experience of oppression, inhumane treatment, and injustice committed against people of color upon these shores. For, “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” These are the words which Frederick Douglass once spoke, and perhaps such rhetoric has never been more pronounced associated with the struggles of the Afro American Community until now.  The time has since long passed for nullification, palpable justification, and an antidote to sufficiently suppress the constant attack of racism, hatred, and the complete destruction of the entire black family by racist white Americans who diligently labor our demise.

When the frustrations within the black community boiled over during the mid 1950’s and a mass mobilization of our community developed into the Civil Rights Movement, many believed that it was sparked by a young woman name Rosa Parks who simply became tired of being picked on one day. However, that is one of the greatest myths of that entire era. The incident that was really the final straw which broke the camel’s back or should be credited for being the catalyst for change regarding the mistreatment of black people in the United States was the brutal slaying of Emmit Till, a 15-year-old boy from Chicago who was viciously beaten, shot in the head, and thrown in a Mississippi river. His mother’s courageous advocacy to have his funeral with an open casket brought home the horrors of the sickening, barbaric, and pervasive reality of racist white brutality, in the minds of many Black Americans.

I am sure I speak for all people of color when I convey a basic principle harbored in the minds of parents who readily concede, “you can do whatever you want to me, but don’t harm my child.” The bold, unmercifulness, and savage attack upon a black child predicate solely on race will always spurn emotion, proactiveness, and direct conflict in an unprecedented fashion almost every time. When a black child is no longer able to simply walk to a local business in their community to buy snacks and something to drink without being killed for no other provocation other than somebody might deem him/her as being suspicious, and can be killed without impunity, it’s clear that an immediate course of corrective action must swiftly manifest itself.  If the U.S. Criminal Justice System fails to protect black babies from the violence of racist hate simply because killers from a  privileged economic class can afford a good attorney, then the black community should no longer stand by idle and permit such practices to remain the order of the day.

Therefor, the killing of Trayvon Martin must not be allowed to fall between the cracks of America’s apathy toward the injustice directed toward black people in this country. Now is not the time for petty divisiveness, more violence, senseless rioting, and other unnecessary behavior which may result in further killing of our children. An intelligent, strategic, and relentless mass mobilization within the African American Community must occur. The projected acquittal of George Zimmerman will prove to be a new policy on race in this country, where racist people will have a license to kill black children indiscriminately while clinging to some sort of superficial apprehensive fear or bogus self defense claim. We must not allow such a practice to take form again in this country.

I implore you all to stand in solidarity with the parents of Trayvon Martin during this dark hour, and support the Trayvon Martin Blackout Movement by promoting an all black image or other suitable pictures on your social media profiles until justice is obtained for this slain youth and his grieving family. We must continue to be vigilant during this verdict watch. Rise up black people and aid in the efforts to save our black babies. Justice must prevail for Trayvon Martin or there should be no peace in America.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

I won’t attempt to convey that I am speaking for the entire black community related to the tragic killing of Florida youth Trayvon Martin. Perhaps my perspective echoes many of the thoughts expressed by friends in social media and from other sitting places where intellectuals dialogue about current news. Clearly there are a growing number of black people who have become quite dissuaded that justice of any kind will ever materialize for the late teen’s family. News coverage of the ongoing trial is the main reason such a discouraged perspective has began to take shape within the black community. T.V. analyst characterize various aspects of the trial’s court proceedings to weigh very heavily in the favor of Zimmerman’s defense, despite a multitude of inconsistencies and outright lies that the prosecution has exposed regarding the account that Zimmerman gave police during questioning after he killed Trayvon, and the absurd plausibility that an unarmed teen with no prior brushes with the law for no apparent reason or provocation would simply attack George Zimmerman that fateful night in Sanford, Florida.

Also, the volume of white Americans who have supported Zimmerman and others who have even donated money to his defense, are a glaring and constant reminder that hatred toward people of color in this country is still very much prevalent in our society. Many pundits will argue that such a comment is a typical of the black perspective, and playing the race card is a constant theme for the black community when difficult race relation, social, and other political hot topics arise in mainstream media. In reality, I believe the white community itself is the driving force behind most racial strife in America, and the black community is constantly reminded about racial disparity in this country, simply because black people remain the most impacted ethnic group on the subject of race in the United States. The entire Trayvon Martin case is textbook on how blacks are unfairly targeted by the white community in modern society. White people believe George Zimmerman with unwithering and no questions asked equivocation, and the lingering question that most black people are asking, simply is, “why?”.

No one in the media, none of Zimmerman’s followers and supports, and not even his defense counsel has established with certainty what was so suspicious about Trayvon Martin the night Zimmerman profiled, followed, and subsequently killed him. The lies and inconsistencies that have been revealed in Zimmerman’s story is of no consequence when pondering the basic facts that initiated the encounter between Martin and Zimmerman that night. A tall, slinky, and seemingly nerdy kid armed with a bag of skittles candy and a can of Ice Tea was such a threat to the Retreat at Twin Lakes that night, that Zimmerman had to call the cops to have them check him out. I have personally patrolled similar communities and some even more plush than TRATL where the killing occurred, and from a patrol perspective, basic common sense would tell you not to get out of your car.

For one, your all by yourself, and if Zimmerman actually believed Trayvon had something in his waistband as he told the 911 dispatcher, it’s mind boggling to many experienced patrolman why he would put himself in harms way by following a person he allegedly believed may have possibly been armed. Logical thinking related to one’s own self preservation, whether you’re carrying a gun or not, should  be to discourage a confrontation at all cost especially with possibly an armed person who may be up to no good, and besides the cops were just minutes away and staying in the car seems to be the most intelligent course of action, as it provides the ability to flee immediately if such a need arises, and he could also have monitored the teen more strategically in his car as opposed to on foot. As a neighborhood watch person, Zimmerman should have been well abreast on various practices related to conducting surveillance and monitoring alleged suspicious people within his gated community. It’s clear that Zimmerman wasn’t going to allow Trayvon to get away from the cops, not this time, and his comments on the 911 recording in which he stated “these assholes always get away” and “fucking punks/coons” (whichever you believe you overheard) demonstrates his frustration, hostility, and the depravity he fostered toward young black men who fit a certain profile while traveling through his community.

Zimmerman suffers from the same disease that many white Americans do. Any black man, particularly those wearing a certain attire (like baggy jeans or hooded sweatshirts) are suspicious, up to no good, and a danger to society in the minds of many ignorant white people. While there have been extremely heinous crimes committed by blacks donning such attire, it isn’t and shouldn’t be a sweeping indictment of the entire black community, and for some reason the white community either can’t or refuse to grasp such a conceptual fact about the black community as a whole. In the Zimmerman murder trial it’s not only irresponsible for media to predict what the seated 6 panel juror will conclude during deliberations, it’s also absurd, and outright stupid. However, black people are well aware of the tactics utilized by white controlled media. The obvious bias color commentary offered by networks such as Fox News and CNN, is only being circulated to construct a perspective within the masses (chiefly conservative and well-to-do white people) that Zimmerman was right, had credible apprehensive fear, and most importantly that it’s acceptable to kill unarmed black youth in this country for no other provocation other than the fact they may look or are perceived as being suspicious.

Whites will campaign that Zimmerman was beat up by the youth and offer images of insignificant injuries which were blown out of proportion as smoking gun evidence that he was justified in killing Trayvon Martin. Most people living in urban settings regardless of ethnicity will tell you, that if you follow someone and get too close in the fashion which Zimmerman did to Trayvon, it’s a good chance you probably will get your ass kicked. Anyone who doesn’t understand the rules of urban culture are not even qualified to pass judgement on the actions of young Trayvon Martin, given the circumstances that have been revealed so far in the case. The fact that Zimmerman nor anyone else who observed even a portion of the conflict that night didn’t see Trayvon Martin commit any crime, clearly demonstrates that George Zimmerman was operating on his own perceptions of the youth (profiling), and the foundation from which this entire senseless tragic event was born.

Zimmerman was admittedly following young Trayvon that night and was even told by a police dispatcher “we don’t need you to do that”, and resulting in the teen’s death only minutes later. “Zimmerman is innocent” pundits rationalize that the dispatcher only suggested that he not follow the youth. It’s not rocket science that if you’re on a recorded call with a police dispatcher and they advise you not to follow the person, chances are you more than likely will be viewed as the aggressor if something bad happens. Zimmerman knew that no one was around, that it was dark, and believed that he was intelligent enough to manipulate the system and get away with killing a black teen. After all, he had studied criminal investigations and was very knowledgeable about Florida’ “Stand Your Ground” law. In fact, I even believe Zimmerman thought no one would raise too much of a fuss over young black Trayvon Martin’ death, and he created a bizarre story about what happened that night. People may have observed Trayvon on type of him, I mean it’s clear that George Zimmerman got his ass kicked by a 17-year-old kid, but if Zimmerman was really fearful that he was going to sustain severe bodily injury or death, why would he then turn around and give police false or inconsistent accounts of what actually happened which led up to him killing an unarmed teenager?

Zimmerman lied to police in recorded interviews, claiming that once he shot Trayvon, he got on top of his back and spread his arms apart to control the kid, and even claimed he solicited assistance from a neighbor to help him control the teen. It’s simply not very credible that Trayvon remained combative after having been shot in the chest with the bullet penetrating his heart. More importantly, several responding officers to the shooting scene that night testified that they found an unconscious and unresponsive Trayvon Martin lying face down with his hands beneath his body. This major inconsistency in Zimmerman’s story is perhaps the single most important indicator that he not only lied to police, but lied because he knew he had done something wrong. Let’s face it, even if we believe his story that Trayvon attacked him and he was in fear for his life, leading to him having to shoot the teen to stop the attack, the fact that he lied about particulars related to the altercation tends to point to guilt on the part of Zimmerman, and if he lied about how the incident unfolded he should not be deemed as credible regarding his account of that night in it’s entirety. He also stated during a live television broadcast on the sean Hannity show that he knew nothing about “stand your ground” legislation, and had that lie uncovered when his former professor Alexis Carter testified that he taught “stand your ground” continuously during his instruction of the course because the class was very interested in the topic.

Despite the plethora of lies and inconsistencies that have been exposed about Zimmerman, the media, and his supporters strangely refuse to give such contrast in his stories any weight and continue to claim Zimmerman did nothing wrong the night he shot and killed Trayvon Martin. Some white people have raised the bar for a new standard of racism in this country, by defending a killer of an unarmed teen, and a killer who was actually caught with the gun smoking while still in his hands. Instead of allowing this case to playout in a court of law, some racist white people in media and within the public at large have the usual tools of manipulation, prejudice, and media propaganda at play. Through media and other means of public persuasion, the old racist American south mentality of injustice toward people of color has manifested it’s way into the forefront of modern socialism in this country.

Black people can accept that Zimmerman wasn’t arrested the night he shot Trayvon Martin because we are accustomed to the manner in which whites who commit crime are treated in comparison to black criminals. The injustice of Zimmerman not having been immediately arrested that night has been trumped by his eventual arrest and subsequent pending criminal charges. The proactive advocacy for justice in this case by black people is what sparked a serious investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement into the killing of Trayvon. The black community collectively has only sought for the case to be heard in court, but the fact that a volume of white people who lack sound, logical, and basic reasoning pertaining to many of the particulars in this case is what has many black people extremely angry about this entire ordeal. It’s safe to say that many within the black community are becoming increasingly impatient with the constant unfair, unjust, and racially motivated treatment and attack upon our people.

The Trayvon Martin killing is simply another straw pulled from a perpetuating societal issue which many within the black community believe will eventually erupt into more violence pertaining to race in America. While the racist American system continues to aid in the constant mistreatment of people of color in this country, it’s widely understood in our community that black people will one day by vindicated from the vicious and deadly hands of some racist white people by any means necessary. No Justice No Peace!! Justice for Trayvon Martin, his family, other black youth, and we should also steadfastly pray for peace for all of God’s people.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

It was a hot and muggy summer afternoon in West Baltimore yesterday as a group of demonstrators marched down North Avenue crying out to it’s fellow citizens to stop the violence. The demography of the crowd was of mix race, as white people strolled along side blacks, and people of other ethnicity. There was none of the obvious divide between race, social class, nor education that typically has strapped down this city’ growth for decades, a town more well known for being a place where the killing of young people. is the order of the day, and a cultural way of life. Grandmothers with young children walked holding hands and politicians as well as local Clergy finally began to make their presence known in a desperate attempt to end the killing of Baltimore’s sons and daughters. My commentary is quite difficult for me to compose while tears reveal the impassioned, gut wrenching, and heartfelt empathy for the city’s struggles, and the communities that many of our youth are born into. Baltimore City is my hometown, my birthplace, and where I also once had to navigate the mean, tough, and murderously violent streets. In a week’s time 37 people were shot in Baltimore, killing 15 of them, and sparking a citywide protest to bring an end to the senseless violence that continues to plague the entire town. The sudden spike in violence has caused Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake to seek unconventional methods to add more police presence on the streets. State Police, Transit Police, and even Sheriff Deputies will be apart of a task force to bolster police presence in many of the hotspots in Baltimore that are known for gun violence, but is that enough? I think the mayor’ promptu efforts is nothing more than a bandaid for a problem which has long since spiraled out of control. Baltimore has serious financial and economic woes that have been ignored from as far back to the administration of it’s beloved, and late leader William Donald Scheafer. The educational system is in shambles with elementary school kids seen playing on the filthy trash thrown streets of the city during school hours. There is no secret about the lack of education for Baltimore’s youth and the lack of state funding needed to rehabilitate it’s public schools. It’s simply a sign of the modern day social class struggles that existed when I attended school in Baltimore during my youth. Coupled with the city government’ inability to properly educate it’s young people, there is also a stagnant job market that has only afforded economic development to corporate enterprises, like the Johns Hopkins conglomerate, and other business developers who have been successful in brokering back door deals with city politicians lining their pockets with personal profits. While the people of Baltimore are left holding the bag through their tax dollars, a well organized system of pay for play holds the town hostage, and allows the criminal justice system to become the main source of commerce in a violent city which resembles other troubled American towns across the nation. In Baltimore the Medical Industry and Division of Corrections have ballooned into the largest industrial profit for the city. The availability for citizens to find work to support their poor families is limited, while corporate brokers and other big businesses extract the market resources out of the town and never invest in the city’ financial and economic growth. However, the seemingly endless open air market for drugs and guns remain a prevalent alternative source of revenue for the poor, hustling, and desperate people of Baltimore, who see nothing more than remedial industry service jobs as insufficient employment to aid the sustainability of their families. The problem reaches far beyond a culture of uneducated, ignorant, and violent thugs who terrorize the city. The problem is systemic because of the absence of a middle class that long fled the city in search of a better quality of life. Baltimore’s epidemic of violence has long been fueled by a predominate community base that ranks at the very apex of illiteracy in the country, and is home to the largest community of uneducate African-Americans in the nation. To address the violence in Baltimore and other troubled cities just like her around the country, a grassroots effort by the very society mostly impacted by crime and street violence, must be born, and an awakening by people of color related to black on black violence has to be the starship to end the oppression of our people in this post civil rights era.  There is no easy solution to violence in the black community, but a good place to start is reeducating or youth along the lines of personal value systems, and the indoctrination of other cultural experiences that would allow many of our youth to adapt to communities and activities other than the day to day routine that many of them experience the duration of their entire development. We have to start some place, our youth is the best place to begin, because I am not convinced that city governments lack the resources for economic, and financial growth to create jobs, and other community base services which offer educational and recreational development for young people so they can stay out of trouble. The system appears to be designed to aid in the expedient failure of black youth and black people as a whole. We simply have to wake up and realize that we are an enemy of this land that our ancestors built, and that the killing of black babies at the hands of black people, simply plays into the hands of the powers that be like a well written script. Pray for our children who face perhaps the greatest challenges than any other generation before their time. Stop the violence!!

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

If you have been following the George Zimmerman murder trial and are supporting the family of Trayvon Martin, chances are you’ve had a few cocktails at happy hour today in celebration of Rachel Jeantel having concluded her testimony of behalf of the state. Witness #8 as she is often called, was supposed to be a ” star witness” for the state, but the sassy, attitudinal, and disrespectful 19-year-old woman turned out to be a tremendous liability for the prosecution. Though Ms. Jeantel persistently stuck to her story that Trayvon told her he was being followed by George Zimmerman the night he was shot to death, other aspects of her testimony were like a gift to Zimmerman’s defense with her being cited for a number of inconsistencies which very well may create a credibility issue for the state in the eyes of the jury. Ms. Jeantel’s testimony was like a playground for the defense to toy with and pick holes in. The woman also displayed what appears to be serious developmental issues and the defense took full advantage of the situation, in essence, turning the state’ “star witness” into what many considered to be a witness for Mr. Zimmerman’s defense. Additionally, the state has lost on the “reas0nable doubt” battle ground with essentially every witness they have presented to the jury so far in this trial. State witnesses have come forward with only very thin circumstantial evidence and the defense has been able to make it’s case by creating doubt about their individual testimonies. The constant theme appears to be state witnesses testifying to what they believe to be facts, only to have the defense team produce depositions contradicting what the state’ witnesses are now testifying to before the jury. So far, there has been no smoking gun by the state’ case and have many worried that George Zimmerman may even walk if more culpable evidence isn’t produce in this case. Zimmerman’s defense team has done their job in creating the required reasonable doubt that could free their client. However, some observers believe that the state has already won it’s case through the testimony of the primary officer who arrived on the scene the night Trayvon Martin was killed. Sanford Police Officer Anthony Raimondo testified that upon arriving on the Trayvon Martin shooting scene, he found the teen lying face down on the ground with his hands underneath him, and between his chest and the ground. That testimony should prove to be critical because Zimmerman is recorded during his initial interview with Sanford Police describing how after he shot Trayvon, he climbed on the youth’s back, pulled his arms away from his body, and held them down in an attempt to control him. Zimmerman even repeated that account a few days after the shooting when he gave police investigators a walkthrough of the crime scene (see featured image for this article). The Testimony of a sworn police officer who strongly discounted Zimmerman’s version, should weigh heavily during deliberations. The account that Zimmerman gave didn’t settle well with some of the investigators on the crime scene that night, some of whom went on record to say they believed he lied to police regarding what actually happened. In fact Sanford Police Detective Serreno (the original investigator) wanted George Zimmerman jailed that night, but Florida’s Attorney General drove over 50 miles to Sanford to intervene, and resulted in Zimmerman being allowed to go home. The disparity in the interpretation of the law (stand your ground) and detective Serreno spiraled out of control and he was eventually removed as the lead detective in the Trayvon Martin shooting. Some of the state’ witnesses somewhat depict Zimmerman as the aggressor, but the defense team did a hell of a job creating doubt during cross examination of each and every witness the state produced and it’s no guarantee their testimonies collectively are sufficient to convict Zimmerman for killing Trayvon Martin. The fact that Zimmerman obviously lied to police demonstrates that he himself acknowledges that he did something wrong, and tried to mislead the police. I mean after Trayvon died did he mysteriously tuck the kid’s arms back underneath his body, and if so, why? There is enough evidence proving that Zimmerman lied and we can only hope and pray that this jury is astute enough to pick up on it during their deliberations. Zimmerman supporters have tried to rationalize that when the human body suffers head trauma, often times they become delusional, incoherent, and confused which may account for the inaccuracies in his initial statements to police. The jury must also conclude the improbable plausibility of such rationalizations and see Zimmerman’s account for nothing short of a lie.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

The murder trial of George Zimmerman who is acussed of murdering 16-year-old Trayvon Martin February 26, 2012, has began with much fanfare as many following the tragic story has expected. The state came right out of the gate with both barrels blazing quoting obscenities Zimmerman made during his call to police that night. “These fucking punks” and “These assholes always get away” is what the state prosecutors began their opening remarks with, and they were repeated and repeated again. The presiding judge appears to be stern and well vested on the law so far as procedures for cases of this magnitude goes, while tolerating the profanity state lawyers made. Judge Debra Nelson began today by conducting a hearing on sequester rules for this capitol crime. The Defense raised issue that the court had seemingly created “an unbalanced and unfair” climate for the trial by prohibiting George Zimmerman’s parents from viewing the trial in the confines of the courtroom. Attorney O’Mara argued that Trayvon Martin’s parents Sabrina Fulton and Tracey Martin were being allowed to be present during the trial. “All I am asking is for the parents for both sides to be present your honor,” he said. Nelson dismissed the Defense’ request and cited Supreme Court rulings that allows for the next of kin to be present during the trial so far as long as the relatives are not on the witness list. Unfortunately for Zimmerman, in the wake of the Bail Hearing debacle when he lied about the amount of money he and his wife had in the bank, his parents were brought into the mix of things and will be a part of the trial as potential witnesses. O’mara strongly objected, but was shot down by the Supreme Court ruling. O’Mara went even further and tried to have Tracey Martin dismissed from the courtroom. The exchange between O’Mara and Judge Nelson became extremely heated at one point when O’mara tried to over talk her. Judge Nelson told the Defense Counsel, “don’t say alright okay to me like that either.” She would eventually allow O’Mara to proceed in his attempts to get Tracey Martin Barred from the courtroom, while stopping him mid-argument and asking if he had anything to present that would prejudice or prohibit Mr. Zimmerman from obtaining a fair trial. The defense presented a witness (a family) friend who claims that Tracey Martin had called him a “mother fucker” in passing during one of the trials rest breaks. During close examination of this witness under cross by the state, it was determined that the incident had actually occurred 2 weeks ago prior to today’s hearing. At that moment you could hear subtle dialogue from the courtroom spectators. Judge Nelson would ultimately rule that the court had no issue with the conduct of any family members doing the course of proceedings so far, and noted that she had monitoring the activities of relatives during the witness selection process of the case. However, she made it clear that she reserved the right to admonish and depose and one who conducts themselves inappropriately during the trial. Why is the defense trying to have Tracey Martin removed from the courtroom? I am sure those unknown reasons will eventually reveal itself later on during the course of the trial. The state called several key witness on day one, including the 7-eleven clerk who was working the night Trayvon went there to buy Ice Tea and Skittles. As the tape recorded surveillance evidence from the store was played in court, Martin, a tall, slinky, and even seemingly nerdy teen was seen making a purchase in what would be the last moments of the kid’s young life. Under cross examination of the clerk by the Defense, Counsel O’Mara tried to get the witness to say Trayvon was suspicious looking and that he was following him around the store. That obvious attempt to cast Trayvon in a negative light in front of the jury failed. The state also called Sean Naffe (911 dispatcher) who took Zimmerman’s call to police the night he shot Trayvon Martin. Some Fox Network followers strangely believe that the defense did major damage to the prosecution’s case while cross examining this witness, but the more logical thinking, unbiased, and perhaps coherent followers of the case observed what I did. Naffe testifies that 911 dispatchers are trained not to give callers direct orders out of fear that their directives could become a liability if something bad should occur as a result of their directives. This clearly creates a credibility issue for Zimmerman because during his initial police interview, he told cops e had exited his vehicle to get an address at the dispatcher’s request. Naffe also testified that he never gave Zimmerman any directives or made any request whatsoever. Under cross of Naffe by the defense, the argument was raised that his request, “which direction is he running” could have been easily interpreted by Zimmerman to get out of the car and look for Trayvon. Naffe did agree that he has no control over how callers interpret what dispatchers say to them, but Naffe’s testimony was otherwise concise and gave the Defense nothing they could use to bolster their case. In fact the veteran dispatcher seemingly purposely dismissed questions from the Defense Counsel that would cause him to speculate. The trial was also full of exhibits and other evidence such as aerial views of the Retreat at Twin Lakes town-homes and the recorded 911 tape from that fateful night. Judge Nelson interrupted the trial on several occasions to settle procedural disputes between both sides, but the most interesting, crucial and highlight of the first day of trial came when the Defense made a huge procedural error culminating in a disastrous first day of their efforts to free their client. During the state’ examination of the town of Sanford’s Custodian of Records, Ms. Ramona Rumph, the state requested to introduce audio recording evidence, and Mr. O’Mara agreed to allow the evidence into court without objection. I am uncertain if the defense was preoccupied with preparing their cross examination of the witness, but something went terribly bad for them. Judge Nelson granted the state permission to play the tape, and the jurors would hear another unrelated 911 call in which Zimmerman was reporting another suspicious black male to police. In the recording Zimmerman is overheard saying, and I quote “I have just observed a person who broke into a home in the neighborhood a few weeks ago.” The 911 dispatcher ask Zimmer for a description of the man and he gives it, citing that the man was wearing black socks and brown sandals. How suspicious can you be if your walking around with sandals on? The dispatcher is then heard asking Zimmerman if the man lived in the neighborhood, and Zimmer says “I don’t know I have never seen him around here before”. Attorney O’Mara immediately jumped to his feet and strongly objected to the evidence, and Judge Nelson reminded him that she had ask beforehand if the Defense had objections to the introduction of the evidence, and the counsel had replied no. Obviously that tape is a huge blow to the credibility of their client. The judge dismissed the jury once again and held a hearing on the issue, both sides argued their interpretation of case law, but Nelson didn’t budge and asked the Attorneys to produce any available case law they had to support their arguments. It was very clear that Judge Nelson nor either Attorneys were prepared to argue on the merits of the issue that had now arose. Moreover, there has to be strong procedural precedent for court cases when evidence has been introduced after both parties having already agreed to it’s permittance before a sitting jury. Zimmerman’s Defense Counsel have made it’s first misstep in the efforts to free their client. It was a colossal F*&^kup that they may not be able to overcome. Judge Nelson recessed the trial for the day until 8:30 tomorrow allow the attorneys to present case law supporting their arguments. On this issue it’s just another upheaval Zimmerman’s lawyers will have to overcome as a direct result of their failure to focus on the evidence being presented in this case. I can’t see the judge directing this jury to dismiss this damaging evidence to Zimmerman’s defense, and even if she does the seed has already been planted that George Zimmerman is a liar.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams