Melvin B. Miller
Editor & Publisher

Violence in America

A tragedy of errors

The epidemic of gun violence by and against Boston’s black youth destroys the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Recent front-page stories in the dailies created the impression that the problem was finally solved. However, those with some knowledge of the situation suspected that such reports were exaggerated.

The homicide of 20-year-old Jahmol A. Norfleet, a former leader of the H-Block gang, indicates that that group’s truce with the Heath Street gang has disintegrated — if, in fact, it ever existed. Sources in the community indicate that Heath Street had never assented to the proposed terms.

In short, the negotiations failed, and the city administration does not get why. How can anyone with an ounce of political sense believe that Rev. Jeffrey Brown, a Baptist minister from Cambridge with no Roxbury or Jamaica Plain ties, would have the stature necessary to negotiate the truce? He cannot be criticized for trying — any prominent person would try to do whatever he could to stop the bloodshed.

The real tragedy is that there is an effective way to end the violence. The one organization with a successful track record in resolving such disputes is the Nation of Islam. However, they can be effective only with the support and the cooperation of the Police Department and the city administration. This commitment has not yet been extended.

The question is: why? Are Christian and Jewish organizations in opposition as an urban re-enactment of longstanding religious disputes? The NOI established its effectiveness against crime in the 1980s and 1990s. No other organization has been as effective, regardless of the distortions in the press to the contrary.

The key element in the successful negotiation of a gang truce is that both sides respect the negotiator. No individual in the black community is more respected by these warring youths than Minister Don Muhammad. It is time for others to step aside and let the Muslims try their hand at negotiating an end to this sad chapter of Boston’s history.

A form of police brutality

It happened again. On Nov. 25, police officers in New York opened fire on a car with unarmed blacks inside. Sean Bell, the 23-year-old driver of the car, was killed in a hail of 50 bullets. One passenger, Joseph Guzman, 31, was shot at least 11 times and Trent Benefield, 23, was hit three times.

This incident reminded New Yorkers of the 41-shot fusillade that killed the unarmed Amadou Diallo in 1999. In that case, all of the police officers were white, bringing racial tensions to the forefront. However, the majority of the officers in the Bell shooting are black. Therefore, this case will be quite different.

There will undoubtedly be several varying accounts of what took place that night, but the central facts are clear: the passengers in the car were unarmed, they had not committed a crime and the police fired a barrage of bullets at them.

The untimely death of a young father is a tragedy for his family, but it is also a tragedy for the psyches of many African Americans. It makes them feel like victims once again. One of the most difficult challenges for black progress is to create a sense of self-esteem and a positive spirit. The idea that you can be arbitrarily gunned down is a serious setback.