Black on Black Violence

The Gantt Report, by Lucius Gantt

I am very unhappy about the recent surges in gun violence and murders taking place in America’s Black neighborhoods.

     Some others, in urban communities especially, are so upset about the killings they have shown interest in President Trump’s plans to mobilize federal troops and deploy soldiers in cities led by Democratic elected officials.

     Well, if you don’t know, the United States military is supposed to protect and serve American citizens and are not to be used as a Presidential private militia.

     Soldiers can, however, be used to guard government property and to protect government workers but city streets are not always federal government streets.

     The President cannot stop Black on Black violence just like he can’t stop domestic violence.

      Every community has to find ways to curtail violence acts by citizens that live in those communities. What Chicago must do may be different than what Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami or what Houston would do.

      All of us should track down, deal with and punish the people that chose to gun down eight year old children that are shot while taking a car ride with their parents and those cowards that chose to spray Black families with automatic weapons who are attending funerals to mourn the deaths of loved ones.

      This type of lawless and insensitive behavior must be responded to with tempestuous vigor and stopped by any and all means necessary!

     But, can we stop Black on Black violence everywhere, forever? I think not.

     Black on Black violence has been going on since the beginning of time.

     Our African ancestors were frequently involved in African tribal warfare.
This column is not long enough to list each and every tribal war but the Ndwandwe–Zulu War is one of the most documented and “celebrated” tribal wars the world has seen.

      Conflicts between rival Black street gangs are used by some writers to suggest a so-called modern-day example of Black on Black violence or tribal war.

      I think most inner-city killings are not the result of territorial or land disputes. Too many acts of violence in Black neighborhoods are a result of nonsense and BS!

     Somebody hits on somebody’s side piece, someone spilled a drink on someone at the club, someone wore red when they should have worn blue, someone cut someone off in traffic, someone cheated when betting on a golf game or someone disparaged or criticized someone’s mother’s weight or hairstyle are just a few of the crazy reasons that provoked someone into committing violence.

     Oftentimes, residents of neighborhoods know who their violent neighbors are. If you report shootings and gunfire on the streets where your children walk and play, that is not “snitching”.

     If you are afraid to report unlawful shooters and the violent crimes that take place, you should be more afraid of the fathers and mothers that will take the lives of anyone that harms their loved ones. Be afraid of the real-life “John Wicks” and “Peppermints” that will not stop until justice is served.

     I urge Black community members to do all you can do to address neighborhood violence. You can’t depend on Donald Trump to do what is best for you and your family.

     If you get killed by your neighbor or you get killed by a police officer, either way you will be taking your final journey to The Land of Plenty, dead is dead!

     If the government can’t stop one form of city violence it cannot stop the other.

     Depend on your community and depend on yourself! Come together as a community and decide how best to deal with shooters that murder innocent unarmed community residents!