Open Letter to the Council in Jersey City:
As a concerned citizen – I am now afraid, I am afraid that the leadership in Jersey City has lost control. Not by lack of will, but lack of knowledge and engagement of working cross party-lines. The negligence and political patronage has turned this city south. The wars waging in our city with employment and business, the mangled affairs, and for the last 700 days – where 135 recorded victims have been daggered by gun fire. And we just can’t imagine of the victims that go un-reported. Even though numbers and hard work in the police force have limited the need for crime reported to go down. Yet the message of controlling crime hasn’t, and the formula on crime prevention hasn’t changed. Jersey City should get all the credit it would need for catching those that commit crime, but the method needs an upgrade.
700 days ago, I came to this council, after getting a letter from those in higher offices: to work with local government on fusing change on how the youth is treated. It was 700 days ago, when I was approached by students from Lincoln High school, after a young boy was shot down after walking off the bus line called NJ 87. The problems we are facing with the level of armor and arms fire, isn’t or hasn’t been subjected to last 700 days of a not thought off plan. The wave of teenage crime has been a detour for the youth of this city and possible across the nation for the last 25 years. Jersey City NJ, is missing that pioneer, the same pioneer that roamed the street when Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was preaching to the masses.
Randy Brown, who change his name to Kabili Tayari: and I am here calling out that pioneer before he changed his name. Because maybe he hasn’t gotten the picture—the leaders before Kabilli Tayari, wouldn’t leave their children in this mess, and he should leave such a mess for the Next Generation of Leaders: Randy Brown, with the latest riot and shootings happening in the ring of battle in ward F. Jersey City needs a rebirth of that pioneer, and we need that leader now.
We have a problem in this city, and yes I am an outsider – maybe I wasn’t born in this city, or even groomed in the city. I am an advocate, I fight for the voices that go un-heard, I fight for the teams that gets ignored. The leadership in Jersey City is ignoring the major problem that has been a problem for many years: the crime in the African American community, and the growth of teenage crime. You see, I am a fighter: and I am not going to preach to the streets about changing the codings of how we govern the streets. I know what they want on the streets, they want a job that pays them well, and a vision they can believe in. And the Change that we all thought we can see: we are not seeing that change coming from this administration.
I, Omar Dyer: resident of Jersey City from 2004, until now – born in Hoboken NJ: a graduate with a Masters Degree in Literary Arts and Education. And I come to this council, as a concerned citizen that specializes in teenage crime prevention. I am here pleading to you and this isn’t a political stunt for me, because I was asked to come here 700 days ago, and 700 days ago, I still haven’t gotten answer. And with the recent spree that has an unofficial counting of 10 deaths, with 4 bodies said not to be found on the New Year of 2011 – I am sadden to come back to this council, and back to the people of Jersey City with a report: on this administration.
This administration has fumbled the ball, and it’s not because of the pressure from the resistance, and its not the pressure from the right or minority. I am not going to attack this administration on the management of the city. Yet, will attack them on where are the leaders: Randy Brown, where are you? Mrs. Viola Richerdson: Where are you? To the church and community leaders: Where Are You? We are loosing our young men, and the pioneers of the 70’s are winged in the same practices they fought so hard to stop in their twenties. We are facing some tough economic times, and it a leadership mad economic crisis, rather than a exploded financial crisis. On times like these, the best detour for high levels of crimes are: Job Placement, police force, and community awareness. This state lacks, employment, community awareness, and now a weak public sector. Government’s only job is to help and assist in job creation – not prevent them. A Mayor’s job is to work and find innovation: Not ban and prevent them. Or force and demand contributions to a campaign—or make an impression of one—Jersey City needs to change in a better direction than where it’s going with the massive cuts to the public sector.
