Attack on Black leaders decried
Activists call for boycott of Channel 13 at Town Hall meeting
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“Who is next?,” was the mantra at the
SHAPE Community Center located on Live Oak Street in Houston on October 3. The question
was the result of an apparent onslaught of attack on the Black leadership in the city of
Houston. The Town Hall meeting was called by several leading institutions in the area.
Minister Quanell X of the New Black Panther Party called different Black organizations to
join together to address the issue. After several standing ovations it became clear to all
in attendance that something must be done quickly.
In attendance was the former Dean of Texas Southern University Law School, John Britton,
Yolanda Smith, executive director of the Houston NAACP, Rev. Hays, CEO of the Peoples
Defense Fund, Constable Perry Wooten, Carole Porter, CEO of Kid Care, and other community
activists and leaders. “It might be you,” said the charismatic human rights
activist Deloyd Parker, founder of SHAPE. Minister Quanell X said, “We thank you for
your attendance I promise not to be long. But I will be strong, God blessed me to call
this Town Hall meeting. My job is not to lighten up, but to tighten up. My job is not to
be the ambassador, the diplomat or the head of state. I don’t want to be the elected
official. That is not me. When Chief Bradford was indited I was hurt, I was angry because
I thought it was a dog and pony show and the brother did not deserve to be indited. But
when I saw Chief Bradford in court sitting in the same pews where the criminals sat, where
the dope dealers, robbers, the con men sit, I said that’s it, we must do something to
defend him we must. We need to protect our brother.”
Minister Robert Muhammad, the regional minister of five states, and the local leader for
the Nation of Islam under the leadership of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan was
very animated to say the least. The Minister of Mosque #45 of Houston said, “We need
a regime change at Channel 13 and The Chronicle. We must change the culture of the
newsroom. They will not laugh at us any longer, and after this meeting I can guarantee
you.” He continued, “You got to where you are because of people like the
brothers and sisters here tonight. Some of us did some tree shaking for you and you need
to recognize that you need to give back to the tree shakers. You need to support those who
fight for you. This is a campaign. We will challenge their license. The protest will begin
this month. We know that some of the enemies’ agents are here with us tonight, so we
are not going to be too specific, but keep your ears open, we will let you know.”
Judge Al Green said “We will never get to the promise land on Pharaoh’s
chariot.” Full of energy and articulate was Councilwoman Carroll Mims Galloway.
“We have to start now. The same thing is happening at City Hall, who is next? We must
stop the brutal on slaught of wronging the right. We must touch base with the entire Black
community.” She went on to say that those in the know must wake up other members of
the Black community to let them know what is happening to the Black leaders in Houston.
“A song isn’t a song until you sing it, a bell is not a bell until you ring it,
and love isn’t love until you give it away,” said Rev. Hays, CEO of the Peoples
Defense Fund. “I am tired of the Big Negro Club. Many preachers don’t like me
because I am radical and raw. I love it. I love Brother Quanell X and Minister Robert
Muhammad because they are not afraid. God gave me a vision. I have worked with Brother
Perry Wooten; he has been put on the back burner. He is in my neighborhood. He takes drugs
pushers and drug users off the street, by my church and in my community. They are going to
try to make officer Wooten give up because he does not have enough money to fight
them.”
The Honorable John Britton, former Dean of Law at Texas Southern University represented
the the African- American Lawyers Association said “We are about to take a position
for the chief. What we seem to have here is that we have two different people - Police
Chief Bradford and Capt. Aguirre with two different versions of a story. Does that amount
to perjury? The DA office should never have presented this to the grand jury to begin
with. Even if the chief is lying about swearing, swearing is not a crime.” The
attorney said that he and his organization believe the chief is innocent. Perhaps the
strangest and most awkward moment came when Sylvia Brooks, CEO of the Houston Chapter of
the Urban League (HAUL) spoke to the audience.
Brooks gave accolades to the greatness of Black women and their relevance to the success
of Black people as a whole. She also said we need to publish the right information in our
newspapers. “Mr. Roy Malonson had no business putting that kind of article about Mrs.
Slade in his paper,” she said referring to a previous article written in AANI about
Slade. Brooks went on to say “President Slade has given up her family to make sure
that TSU turns itself around.”
She continued, “I will admit I am not accountable. I did not call Roy Malonson and
say one word to him, but I am going to say something in the end. Be sensitive, pay
attention, if it wasn’t for us women, you would not be here. Take care of our
women.” Quanell X hugged Brooks. He said, “One thing I know about Brother Roy
Malonson, is that man has given us access. Other Negro papers run away from us. If you
have a problem with something that he writes, you call him.”
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