arrested development...

International Black Activist Arrested:

My Arrest… And What You Can Help Me DO About It…


By Brother Tracy Gibson…

If you thought it was safe and legal to sit in 30th Street Station for a few moments while you take a breather before you get on your Way to the Public Library, you would be , apparently, sadly mistaken. This writer, international activist, businessman and scholar was arrested for ``defiant trespassing'' at Philadelphia's 30th Street Train Station after stating that I had no reason to buy a train ticket because I was on the way to the Public Library. I was just resting on my way to the library. {I often do this and had no problem before. I take a walk Down Town sometimes to help with weight loss and exercise, like our First Lady, Michelle Obama, wants us to do and has asked us to do more of...}

I was detained as the two officers in question {Am track Police Officer BUi Badge # 311 and Am track Police Officer Steckler Badge # 379} took me into custody. Officer BUi, who was small in stature and of Asian descent, took a harmless ink pen from me and broke it in half, destroying it as I attempted to take down their names and badge numbers. I was NEVER read any Miranda Rights, but was taken in a back Am track room and handcuffed at the ankle and at the back of my body at my hands. The citation says it was 9:25 A.M. on November 10, 2012 when I was arrested, but the clock said about 9:55 A.M., as far as I can remember.
I am to appear in court on November 13th, Tuesday, at 2 P.M. in Courtroom 404CJC; 1301 Filbert Street.

The trial is Wednesday November 28th, 2012 in Court Room B03 at 1301 Filbert Street.. at 11:30 A.M.

I was detained for an hour as the Officers did their paperwork--finding no prior arrest record. I was finally given a court date and released. I was escorted OUT of the 30th Street Train Station at the far left side of the 29th Street exit. I walked the rest of the Way to the Logan/Parkway Library at 21st and the Parkway.

The citation / complaint said I was sleeping in the station.

I will call my lawyer when I get home, and or e-mail Him or Her here on the Library computers. I would venture to guess that such arrests are made as part of the Patriot Act II that none of us want to take the time to look into and find out exactly what rights and civil liberties have been erased and or taken away from us with the passage of such laws. I do NOT want those officers to lose their jobs, but I will be taking on consideration of legal action against Am track....

Preparing a Defense:

THIS STATEMENT WILL BE SENT TO THE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND.....and The American Civil Liberties Union … OTHER ACTIVISTS, BLACK AND WHITE, AND MY SENATOR AND CONGRESSMAN [Rep. Chaka Fattah; Senator Robert Casey]... I have hired a lawyer named Daniel Conner of 5015 German Town Avenue: Phone: 1.215.849.54.14. I could use your donations to help defray the cost of legal assistance. You can send donations to:

The Black Millionaire’s Network

Brother Tracy Gibson,
Founder and President
Post Office Box 42878
Philadelphia, Penn 19101
Or you can call me at: 1.215.471.64.94

Note: The Black Millionaire's Network is NOT a group of millionaires, but is a group of ordinary, extraordinary people, mostly Black, who want to move ahead with their financial plans by being more thrifty, financially responsible, saving money for positive use in the future, improving their credit ratings, and preparing to go into entrepreneurship as effectively and quickly as possible to bring on a day of Bright Hope for our community.

XXXXX


My defense:

1] Please see charges on Citation.

2] There are no visible signs saying that 30th Street Station is NOT a Public Place as the Am Track Officers said.

3] I was told it was NOT a Public Place and that I had to MOVE on.

4] I fell asleep for about one minute.
5] I had no money to make a purchase as the Officers had required and requested to supposedly stay in 30th Street Station.
6] What about People who have no money, As I didn’t that Day {Nov. 10th} This is Blatant Discrimination Against the poor and the homeless.
7] I am an advocate for better and proper education for Poor, Black and Latin children and people.
8] I am also a human Rights Advocate and an advocate for Gay Marriage Rights and the rights of the HIV Positive.
9] I am an active social activist; writer; and promoter {I had an event coming up on the 26th of December that now has to be moved to March 23rd, 2012 because of the time I had to spend preparing to defend myself for this incident and generating money for the legal cost involved….
10] On November 10th I had over $100.00 worth of books in order at the Bookstore at 30th Street Station’s bookstore, which I totally plan to pick up when I get the funds….
11] I also have a SEPTA Transpass for the month of November, 2012 that I had on me when I was arrested. {Which is good to use for many Am Track trains especially the regional rail lines and the train to the Airport.}
12] I was NEVER read my Miranda Rights when I was arrested.
13] I have never been arrested before in all my 35 years as an activist…
14] Please see the story I wrote {above} about my arrest.
15] If there are any excess funds left over from my defense, they will be used for my activism projects, which includes my advocacy of Gay marriage and other Gay rights as well as advocating for HIV Positive people. If you don’t want to support any of these issues PLEASE DO NOT FINANCIALLY SUPPORT MY LEGAL DEFENSE!!
SOME OF THE ISSUES I HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR INCLUDE THESE ITEMS… [I GENERALLY SEND OUT ABOUT 30 PERSONAL LETTERS A WEEK ON A HOST OF ISSUES] INCLUDING:
*Putting a Black woman on the Supreme Court [Clarence Thomas does NOT represent Black people. He represents the conservative, right wing element in our country. We have had no Black Representation on the High Court Since Thurgood Marshal Left the Court in October of 1991.]
* According to a reliable source, a Letter I wrote to the State Department, the President and the United Nations and the government of Iran’s U.N. Mission was partially responsible for the release by Iran of the recent political prisoners who were caught on Iranian ground while lost during hiking.
* I have attended meetings to advocate for better fairer treatment of our poor, Black and Latin children by the School District of Philadelphia and better public schools in general…
* I have completed a 676 page manuscript of a book entitled: ``A Grass-Roots Criteria for Liberation: Writing in Wet Cement.’’ This particular book is dedicated towards building better ethical and moral values in our Black youth; educating them and the rest of the Black community on political, economic and social issues; and restoring traditional values to our neighborhoods, but in an up-beat and contemporary Way.
* I have advocated for the decent and humane treatment of the common man and the common woman, poor, disabled, gay and lesbian, and homeless people in a multitude of ways including going to demonstrations and support group meetings; and by providing funds for and or sharing information about various groups concerned with same such issues such as The Human Rights Watch; Blacks Educating Blacks About Sexual Health Issues; The National Minority Aids Council; Corporate Accountability International; Adodi Philadelphia and Adodi National; The Friends of Somafco [which does support work for South African youth and students and once ran a school in South Africa while I was on the Board [my tenure ran for eight years]; I also served on the Board of The African American Freedom and Reconstruction League {which does grass-roots work for African Americans in need in Philadelphia, holds an annual benefit banquet to respect our living ancestors who are politically active in the community, and helps tutor and act as a force of encouragement for our Black youth [they were formulated after the Million Man March in Washington, D.C. in 1996]….
*This list is by NO means conclusive. If you would like to read some of the articles for which I am being harassed by the police, please log onto: http://thepoliticsofreal.blogspot.com
Please sign on as a supporter on my blog if you would like to...
Signed, Sealed and Delivered:
I Am, Brother Tracy Gibson… a Proud, Black GAY MAN

I am a notoriously bad speller and my spell checker is not working.