It’s 2013, and we are still working on this issue of crime and violence across the country. However, I did get some feedback on my last article, so let me try to give some clarity again…
The savage murders of 20 children is still outrageous and insane; the murder of eight adults in the same city is still insane. However, I personally will continue to recognize the thousands upon thousands of our deaths ever since the 1960s.
I recently was invited to New Salem Missionary Baptist Church for a memorial service entitled, “Stop the Killing, Start the Healing” dedicated to the people who lost loved ones and headed up by Rev. Jerry McAfee, the president of the Minnesota State Baptist Convention. So I decided to say very little today and allow this article to speak for itself.
This speaks to all the human beings who are the victims of our pain and shame. Many filled this sanctuary. Many whose loved ones were not listed stood up and voiced to the heavens their loved ones’ names.
Minneapolis:
Demond Reed (age four); Pirkko Gaultney (70); David Fields (17); Augustin Navarro (14); Johanna Hollis (40); Luanyo Duangi (33); Darby Claar (32); Lajoseph Burgess (21); Antwain Turner(23);
Darius Robertson (18); Abdilahi Awil Abdi (18); Robert Bavnick (38); Joquese Brown (19); Michael Reich (46); Rick Rowan (29); Katricia Daniels (36); Robert Sheperd (10); Joseph Sodd, III (20); Jewe Burnett (28); Tyrone Hamilton (23); Tyrone Sain (34); Brian Lumbar (43); Jamall Djama (29); Kendel Johnson (28); Naquain Brown (35); Jerry Singleton, Jr. (36); Darius Miller (19); Ahmanur Ahmed Ali (20); Abdishakur Adan Hassan (21); Zachary Taylor (47); Jesse Mickelson (18); Pamela Sjogren (51);
Vernon Scott (58); Jermaine Hudson (23); James T. Barnes (25); Robert L. King (52); Quincy Deshawn Smith (24); Annshalike Hamilton (baby); Angelo S. Marcano (42); Luis A. Figuero-Morales (28); Larry Powell (48); Arthur Griffin (20); Ahmed Mohammed Guled (23); James Todd Rivers (42); Kyle Parker (19); Vincent Glover (29); Juan Francisco Ramirez (32); Alexander Love-Heikes (seven weeks);
Paul Fisher (27); Charles Means (24); Carlos Trevino, Jr. (39); Jeffrey Hall (55); Andra Perry (38); Arion Washington (18); Christopher Dozier (23); Christopher Ellis (17); Haywood Eaton (18); Gerald Brookins (42); Ali Yassan Ismael (23); Timothy Jackson (17); Brandon Keeler (31); Donte Johnson (31); Mohammed Warfa (30); Anwar Mohammed (31); Osman Elmi (29); Walter Dolley (19); Marvin Maynard (16); Orlando K. Nunn (21); Michael Fonta (45); Drew Heinkel (25); Alisha Neeley (17); James E. King Jr. (20);
Robert Castonguay (26); Kenneth Sims (21); Pauline Nash (42); Anthony Gale (37); Amy Terborg (28); Decari Starr (18); Anton Warren (31); Romaze Stevens (30); Derrick G. Martin (20); Cedric Hunter (18); Matthew Johnson (22); Phelandis Jackson (29); Andrew Battees (16); Lionel Franklin (38); Anthony Titus, Jr. (16); Lashon Scott (28); Tirso Gomez (24); Cordale Moore (26); Gilbert Jordan (28); Carl Miller (27); Christopher Bates (45); Stanley Rogers (58); Jeremee Krasky (32); Victor Handel (23); Tomika Swoope (20); Keontrell Govan (18); Kristopher Miller (27); Edward Baker (24); Guled Mohamed (26);
Dean Schmitz (47); Darrell M. Fisher (22); David Raisch-Day (18); Shea Stremcha (25); Justin Jackson (22); Quantell Braxton (14); Rayjon Gomez (13); Devic Hughes (36); Naim Jama (23); Michael McMillian (25); Shabar Hidebran (19); Brian D. Nelson (20); Mijamin Forest (29); Juwon Osborne (16); Jeffrey Paulson (46); Darren Evanovich (23); Francisco Hernandez-Villegas, Jr. (21); Steven Meyer (36); Delwin Cooper (35); Frank Early (37); Daniel Hart (32); Carlton Mercer (49); Brianna Jones (21); Terrell Mayes (three); Jeremy Shannon (33); Jason Youngmark (33); William Harper (56); Jody Patzner, Jr. (22); Abdurahman M.Warfa (27); Antoinette Hawkins (25); Trequan Sykes (16); Parrish Gray (25); Daron Bolden (20); Lois Swenson (76); Siyana Almana (one); Nizzel George (five); Harry Brown (50); Adelaida Lane (26); Jamary Hearn (24); Willie Hervey (37); Demarko Robinson (22); Kalvin White (24); Lavalle Priest (21); Michael Jones Jr. (30); Venesee Johnson (25); Evander Partee (46); Reuven Rahamim (61); Rami Cooks (62); Jacob Beneke (34); Ronald Edberg (58); Keith Basinski (50); Eric Rivers (42); Cordell Dalton (25); Beatrice Wilson (57); Peter Wilson (13); Jay Rosio (45); Michael Hayden (29); Koley Banks (33); Kerry Scott (41); Gianni Gossitt (22); Richard Jinkins (30).
St. Paul:
Vernon Cafle; Wahchong Lee; Jeffrey Logan; Jennifer Linnear; Robert Jeske; Tai Yang; Dionte Montantes; Chai Moua; Brianna Jackson; Roberto Flores; Troy Crawford; Julian James-Robert; Jean Wassenaar; Bee Vue; Darion Smith; Dwight Tate; Romell Hill; Justin Boecker; Richard Brown; Darius Maxwell; Anthony Gaither; Kelin Robertson; Brian Orloske; Isaiah Vinson;
Amir Coleman; Heidi Fircus; Sgt. Joseph Bergeron; Jason Jones; Clyde Malicki; Keristy Malicki; Mary Malicki; John Carr; Danny Wright; Jose Rivera; Patrick Jaworksi; Dominic Neeley; Carolyn Leete; Andrew Brown; Leonard Christian, Sr.; Marcelis Stafford; Roy Burgess; Desmond Harper; Jordan Hughes; Pauvieua Linson; Au Thu Bo; Lorine Johnson; Michael Henderson; Naressa Turner; Victor Gaddy; Chue Xiong; Melvin Fletcher, Jr.
That’s 252 victims of Twin Cities violence listed over the past five years.
In closing, I love my Black people. I love when my people are up and I love my people when we are down. I may not love all that we do, but I love my Black people.
Look for me to have another real talk with you real soon.
Spike Moss welcomes reader responses to Uhuru_Solutions@yahoo.com.
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You forgot a name, Charles Means of Minneapolis who was around 24 years of age
RIP TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE AND WILL DIE TO VIOLENCE PLEASE STOP WITH THE KILLING AND HELP OUR FELLOW MAN WITH EXTENDED HAND. MY BABYDAD IS IS ON THIS LIST RIP BOBBY FLORES I LOVE U. MAY GOD BE WITH THE FAMILYS THAT SUFFER AND MAY WE ALL UNITE AND STOP THE VIOLENCE ONCE AND FOR ALL. THY SHALL NOT KILL
RIP ROBERTO FLORES WE LOVE U ALWAYS