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Newark Crips, Bloods truce
By: Nayaba Arinde
Challenge Group
Originally posted 5/25/2004
Attempting to stop the violent bloodshed, two main Newark street gangs have called a cease-fire to halt bloody hostilities.
With dozens upon dozens of people recently murdered in Newark as a result of gang violence, reaction to Friday's truce between the Crips and the Bloods, is ranging from optimistic to cynical.
As city officials including Newark’s Deputy Mayor Ras Baraka; local community organizers like members of the Nation of Islam’s Mosque Number 25; and the People's Organization for Progress - looked on, apparently over 150 gang members signed a truce in Newark.
''The so-called gang bangers who we prefer to call members of street organizations already have the necessary tools and structure in place to protect and defend our communities,'' said Craig Muhammad, former assistant to Min. Khallid Muhammad. ''We do not want to break up the gangs, we want them pointed in a direction which is beneficial and not hurtful to our community. They have what most Black people and other organizations lack, which is total unity. All Black leaders, especially youth-orientated ones, should work with them in a way that is not going emasculate them, but empower them, spiritually as well as physically.''
Recently with the Newark Housing Authority, Muhammad said that his former employer ''sponsored this initiative. They get a drug elimination money, and with a lot of young people living in their projects, this was one of the things they used the money for.''
Subsequently, the truce was signed in the basement of the Newark Housing Authority headquarters.
It was Baraka, son of New Jersey poet laureate Amiri Baraka, whom two members of the Crips and a member of the Bloods asked to facilitate a settlement between the two traditionally warring factions. After several months, the ten-point Newark Street Peace/Cease Fire Initiative was drafted. In signing, it was agreed that nonviolent conflict resolution would be the new order. They determined that they would no longer use coded hand signals or graffiti to signal a hit.
Baraka told the press that he thinks that the agreement can lead to peace.
With gun violence running rampant, calmer heads in the Crips and Bloods evidently said that enough, is enough.
According to the new agreement, public places like schools, parks and places of worship, are to be immediately seen as neutral areas. Plus, those who signed members agreed not to go into each other’s neighborhoods.
At least not in uniform, but probably present any way, Newark police claimed to not have been at the signing, but said that they will monitor the new move.
With other Crips and Bloods factions expected to sign up, the monumental development is being attributed to the truce protocol written by the incarcerated Stanley 'Tookie' Williams, co-founder of the Crips street gang in Los Angeles.
Currently, asking California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to grant him clemency, the 23-year San Quentin death row inmate, Nobel Peace and Literature Prize nominated Williams, is something of a staple on the news circuit.
The author of Blue Rage, Black Redemption,' and subject of last weeks Cannes film festival applauded 'Redemption,' is seeing his 'Protocol for Peace,' being adopted by street organizations across the country.
''The Tookie Protocol for Peace is a process for initiating street peace, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, city by city,'' according to the publicity information. ''Tookie wrote this document to engage community leaders and gang members in the peace process. It is a series of procedures - a 'protocol' -designed to bring an end to gang violence around the world, and to begin to heal the damage in communities caused by years of youth gang warfare.''
In a book called ''The Apology,'' Williams said in April 1997, ''Twenty-five years ago when I created the Crips youth gang with Raymond Lee Washington in South Central Los Angeles, I never imagined Crips membership would one day spread throughout California, would spread to much of the rest of the nation and to cities in South Africa, where Crips copycat gangs have formed. I also didn't expect the Crips to end up ruining the lives of so many young people, especially young Black men who have hurt other young Black men.
''Raymond was murdered in 1979. But if he were here, I believe he would be as troubled as I am by the Crips legacy.
So today I apologize to you all - the children of America and South Africa - who must cope every day with dangerous street gangs. I no longer participate in the so-called gangster lifestyle, and I deeply regret that I ever did.''
The man currently battling his 1981 conviction for four robbery-related murders by an all-white jury in Torrance, California, goes on, ''As a contribution to the struggle to end child-on-child brutality and lack-on-lack brutality, I have written the 'Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence' children's book series. My goal is to reach as many young minds as possible to warn you about the perils of a gang lifestyle.
''I am no longer ''dys-educated'' (disease educated). I am no longer part of the problem. Thanks to the Almighty, I am no longer sleepwalking through life. I pray that one day my apology will be accepted. I also pray that your suffering, caused by gang violence, will soon come to an end as more gang members wake up and stop hurting themselves and others.
''I vow to spend the rest of my life working toward solutions. ''
Deputy Mayor Ras Baraka did not return Daily Challenge phone calls.
''I live in New Jersey, and I hear about a lot the gang violence, but I don't understand that with all the talents and skills that these young people have, they devote their time to robbing and stealing and dealing,'' said Orange local Henry Thomson. ''They can figure out how to pop a cap, but they don't know how to vote. Somebody asked me if I am a member of the Bloods or the Crips, and I said: 'I am a man.' These kids can learn how to steal a car, but they are failing school, explain that to me?''
The truce has potential, said Muhammad, but; ''It'll only work if the proper people stick to it, ones who have a full knowledge of self and are committed to helping our people and are not afraid of the white man.
''To those involved in street organizations: you must be diligent in your desire to stay united and you must be willing to take a leadership role in defending our community. I, along with many other young Black males am willing to work with the youth in a capacity, which promotes your righteous leadership in all aspects of life.''
Newark Crips, Bloods truce
By: Nayaba Arinde
Challenge Group
Originally posted 5/25/2004
Attempting to stop the violent bloodshed, two main Newark street gangs have called a cease-fire to halt bloody hostilities.
With dozens upon dozens of people recently murdered in Newark as a result of gang violence, reaction to Friday's truce between the Crips and the Bloods, is ranging from optimistic to cynical.
As city officials including Newark’s Deputy Mayor Ras Baraka; local community organizers like members of the Nation of Islam’s Mosque Number 25; and the People's Organization for Progress - looked on, apparently over 150 gang members signed a truce in Newark.
''The so-called gang bangers who we prefer to call members of street organizations already have the necessary tools and structure in place to protect and defend our communities,'' said Craig Muhammad, former assistant to Min. Khallid Muhammad. ''We do not want to break up the gangs, we want them pointed in a direction which is beneficial and not hurtful to our community. They have what most Black people and other organizations lack, which is total unity. All Black leaders, especially youth-orientated ones, should work with them in a way that is not going emasculate them, but empower them, spiritually as well as physically.''
Recently with the Newark Housing Authority, Muhammad said that his former employer ''sponsored this initiative. They get a drug elimination money, and with a lot of young people living in their projects, this was one of the things they used the money for.''
Subsequently, the truce was signed in the basement of the Newark Housing Authority headquarters.
It was Baraka, son of New Jersey poet laureate Amiri Baraka, whom two members of the Crips and a member of the Bloods asked to facilitate a settlement between the two traditionally warring factions. After several months, the ten-point Newark Street Peace/Cease Fire Initiative was drafted. In signing, it was agreed that nonviolent conflict resolution would be the new order. They determined that they would no longer use coded hand signals or graffiti to signal a hit.
Baraka told the press that he thinks that the agreement can lead to peace.
With gun violence running rampant, calmer heads in the Crips and Bloods evidently said that enough, is enough.
According to the new agreement, public places like schools, parks and places of worship, are to be immediately seen as neutral areas. Plus, those who signed members agreed not to go into each other’s neighborhoods.
At least not in uniform, but probably present any way, Newark police claimed to not have been at the signing, but said that they will monitor the new move.
With other Crips and Bloods factions expected to sign up, the monumental development is being attributed to the truce protocol written by the incarcerated Stanley 'Tookie' Williams, co-founder of the Crips street gang in Los Angeles.
Currently, asking California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to grant him clemency, the 23-year San Quentin death row inmate, Nobel Peace and Literature Prize nominated Williams, is something of a staple on the news circuit.
The author of Blue Rage, Black Redemption,' and subject of last weeks Cannes film festival applauded 'Redemption,' is seeing his 'Protocol for Peace,' being adopted by street organizations across the country.
''The Tookie Protocol for Peace is a process for initiating street peace, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, city by city,'' according to the publicity information. ''Tookie wrote this document to engage community leaders and gang members in the peace process. It is a series of procedures - a 'protocol' -designed to bring an end to gang violence around the world, and to begin to heal the damage in communities caused by years of youth gang warfare.''
In a book called ''The Apology,'' Williams said in April 1997, ''Twenty-five years ago when I created the Crips youth gang with Raymond Lee Washington in South Central Los Angeles, I never imagined Crips membership would one day spread throughout California, would spread to much of the rest of the nation and to cities in South Africa, where Crips copycat gangs have formed. I also didn't expect the Crips to end up ruining the lives of so many young people, especially young Black men who have hurt other young Black men.
''Raymond was murdered in 1979. But if he were here, I believe he would be as troubled as I am by the Crips legacy.
So today I apologize to you all - the children of America and South Africa - who must cope every day with dangerous street gangs. I no longer participate in the so-called gangster lifestyle, and I deeply regret that I ever did.''
The man currently battling his 1981 conviction for four robbery-related murders by an all-white jury in Torrance, California, goes on, ''As a contribution to the struggle to end child-on-child brutality and lack-on-lack brutality, I have written the 'Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence' children's book series. My goal is to reach as many young minds as possible to warn you about the perils of a gang lifestyle.
''I am no longer ''dys-educated'' (disease educated). I am no longer part of the problem. Thanks to the Almighty, I am no longer sleepwalking through life. I pray that one day my apology will be accepted. I also pray that your suffering, caused by gang violence, will soon come to an end as more gang members wake up and stop hurting themselves and others.
''I vow to spend the rest of my life working toward solutions. ''
Deputy Mayor Ras Baraka did not return Daily Challenge phone calls.
''I live in New Jersey, and I hear about a lot the gang violence, but I don't understand that with all the talents and skills that these young people have, they devote their time to robbing and stealing and dealing,'' said Orange local Henry Thomson. ''They can figure out how to pop a cap, but they don't know how to vote. Somebody asked me if I am a member of the Bloods or the Crips, and I said: 'I am a man.' These kids can learn how to steal a car, but they are failing school, explain that to me?''
The truce has potential, said Muhammad, but; ''It'll only work if the proper people stick to it, ones who have a full knowledge of self and are committed to helping our people and are not afraid of the white man.
''To those involved in street organizations: you must be diligent in your desire to stay united and you must be willing to take a leadership role in defending our community. I, along with many other young Black males am willing to work with the youth in a capacity, which promotes your righteous leadership in all aspects of life.''
