At 8pm, a gentleman from the Emmanuel Temple Apostolic Church (?) lead an open call to prayer, and as he called for Peace in the Community, there occurred a violent hit & run at the nearest street intersection. Immediately on the scene were, at least 5 monopolist news agencies, 3 from television news plus 2 newspapers, plus the Vallejo Independent Bulletin, and myself, with 80 eye witnesses to the occasion… there arrived a fire engine, an ambulance, 3 cops in two cars… the police stood silent guard for 20 minutes, leaving as Cyndi Mitchell took the floor to denounce their terrorism against her family and neighbors.
Already, people had spoken against the human rights abuse conducted by the Vallejo police, a reflection of the militarization of municipal warfare against gangs, against drugs, and against the homeless. The open mic wasn't abused, and it ended at 10pm.
The Prayer circle was called again, by this time the chill wind chipped and dwindled the urgency down to about 25 folks, most of whom were from disparate social circles, as seen by the limited engagement between strangers. Of course, it is useful to wait until end of any event for community peace, to see who sets up shop, and by what agency. With loudspeakers in use, I refrained from asking if they got a permit on such short notice, and am glad they didn’t receive any grief from the Vallejo Police who sat and parked there, or from their agents embedded in the crowd, some snitches were there, too. But, indeed, that was the whole point, the people have declared war, spiritual war against the street organizations dealing narcotics and death squads upon our people, our neighbors, every day. Snitching is a way of life to people engaged in war, and it is only just that the enemy sees an open call, for it draws the line in the quicksand.
Be aware, the open call for honest snitching is being made by progressive minded people within the fellowships of Christ. They call for a comprehensive sentiment, against racism, for the environment, for faith and values… but I don’t see the lumpen coming forward, sentiments ranging from disdain to hostility, most of our lumpen brethren overstand that to be a snitch is a death sentence, alongside with money and power, and with such at stake, life, paradoxically, becomes worthless. And this is what is at stake.
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