For Andrew--An Incident at the Chosen 300...

December 21^st, 2013 Saturday

TO: The Guardian Civic League

1516 West Girard  Avenue

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130

AND TO:

The 18^th Police District

Community Relations Representative

55^th and Pine

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19139

Dear Friends at the 18^th District and at the Guardian Civic League:

And To: Pastor Jenkins at the Chosen 300 Headquarters

Spring Garden Street Near 12^th Street

AND TO: Avenging The Ancestors Coalition

And their leader Attorney Michel Coard of Center City, Philadelphia…

Today {Actually yesterday, Friday the 20^th of December, 2013} I had the honor of eating dinner at the Chosen 300 at 41^st and Lancaster Avenue.  The dinner was disrupted when a heavy-set Black woman was asked to move Her chair in a bit because She sitting in the way of foot traffic. {There was quite a crowd there yesterday evening.}. She became belligerent and disruptive and started to curse the female leader of the church.  She cursed and cursed and refused to move. The Police were called and showed up in quick fashion.  They were not violent, belligerent, disorderly or rude in the Way they {The Police} handled the Black woman who was disruptive..  {A handsome young Black officer and a handsome young Asian officer answered the call for the police.}. The officers quickly and effectively removed the Black woman without incident or even physically touching Her.. {The woman seemed to be mentally ill , which is unfortunately, very common among people who utilize the free-meal system of church mission meals in Philadelphia}. There was no police abuse and the nice meal of roast turkey, gravy, stuffing, whiTe rice and string beans was served successfully without a problem. {There was also a short Christian service, like there always is at Reverend Jenkins’ famous Chosen 300—headquartered at 12^th and Spring Garden.} I know for a fact there are instances of police abuse because I witnessed and took pictures of an incident at 46^th and Market Street when I was a reporter and photographer for The Philadelphia Tribune in the 1980’s.  There are also problems in the Philadelphia Police Force concerning other issues of, for example, ethics, corruption, cover-up, mismanagement, honesty, drug abuse, sloppy record-keeping and so forth.  These problems, however, I cannot speak to from personal experience. There is also, most likely, a hidden problem of homosexual police officers, male and female, being accepted and being allowed to at least not be discriminated against or having their sexuality held against them in any Way. I don’t know this for a proven fact, but I do, as a homosexual myself, have a feeling about it. [GOD knows the officers who handled the call at the Chosen 300 in West Philadelphia on Friday may have been Gay, I would have never known.]  I am sure there are other problems on the Philadelphia Police Force as Well.  But like my uncle William Peterson used to always say, you don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. In other words, positive changes can be instituted that will greatly improve the Philadelphia Police force on ethical, behavioral, corruption, psychiatric, ethnic, racial and sensitivity lines and issues.  But it takes leadership to make such things happen.  It takes a Mayor who will have the courage to stand up against the leadership of the Fraternal Order of Police and perhaps even the Guardian Civic League and whatever other groups there are that represent Police Officers to make such positive changes.  He will probably also have to stand up against other factions and communities in the city that have always stood behind the Philadelphia Police Department, no matter what, such as the majority of the Italian community in South Philadelphia and the general established order and business community in center city.  I am not sure that our present Mayor is the man to stand up and do this. But I don’t want the act of cool tempered, controlled and mannerly courage from Last night to be lost or forgotten.  Those officers were just great.  That incident could have turned out to be a fiasco or a violent free-for-all for everyone there to witness.  It could have taken on proportions like the Mumia Abu Jamal case did and ended up in the courts and in the media. {By the Way, no one asked me, but I think Mumia should have a new trial, not be set free.  A new trial would expose the corruption and racism in the Philadelphia Police force and possibly even in the District Attorney’s office, and possibly even among Philadelphia’s political establishment, at the time the incident occurred.  This would be met with a fair assessment and greater acceptance from the public because many, many people and many, many organizations like Amnesty International, for example,  feel something went terribly wrong with the Mumia case.  I think justice would be served here through a New Trial.  Letting Him go would just cause a great catastrophe along racial lines and totally disrupt the city and proper and orderly living here. That is NOT something I want.}  So, anyway, to get back to the incident at the Chosen 300’s West Philadelphia satellite office at 41^st and Lancaster Avenue, I just want to publically commend the officers who answered the call and the people who run the Chosen 300 office.    The young woman who runs the office there was very professional and outstanding in the Way she handled being cursed terribly and went on with the service and the meal as planned.  I am sure she had Her feathers ruffled a bit, but she went on like a real progressive trooper for the Lord.  Something not to be overlooked or ignored. I want to publically thank all involved. GOD Bless you ALL…..

 

With Much Peace and Many Blessings,

 

Brother Tracy Gibson,

Also Known as The Wisdom Seeker,

 

1.215.471.64.94.