Pubdate: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL) Copyright: 2003 St. Petersburg Times Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419 Author: Penny Hess STANDING UP FOR THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY Re: Turning East Tampa around, editorial, Aug. 25. The St. Petersburg Times faults the African People's Solidarity Committee for our stand that problems facing the African community can be traced not to drugs but to "poverty and oppression." The Times calls our demands for justice "inane" and "knee-jerk rhetoric." The African People's Solidarity Committee is a white organization working under the leadership of the Uhuru Movement. APSC is calling for social justice and economic development for the African community, not martial law and mass arrests. Apparently the Times expects that white people should remain silent as Tampa and St. Petersburg attempt to rid the streets of black people to make way for white gentrification and investment. The African People's Solidarity Committee recently protested Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio's "Operation Commitment" which last month made a sweep of nearly 500 African people from one of the most impoverished sections of East Tampa. The sweeps netted $1,200 in supposed drug money, about $1.25 a person. Here in St. Petersburg, similar sweeps have taken place as 490 mostly African youth were arrested on the south side where 70 percent of the citizens live in poverty. The St. Petersburg police made a huge display board of photos of young black men and their rap sheets which was pictured in the paper. A look at the police data reveals, however, that 195 of those arrested had no prior record. Many were only charged with such things as "giving a false name," "obstruction," or "littering." Statistics show that 72 percent of all illicit drug users are white but almost 60 percent of those in state prisons on drug charges are black. Yet, in the white communities we don't experience sweeps of people standing on corners and criminalization by the media and police. Both Mayor Iorio and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker came into office with a promise of economic development for the African communities which elected them. The legislature just voted $66-million for new prisons in Florida while money for education is being taken away and promises of economic development for impoverished African communities are nothing but empty words. The African People's Solidarity Committee is one group of white people who will not be silent and complicit. We demand economic and social justice for African people. We will not accept economic benefits for ourselves at the expense of the black community. PENNY HESS St. Petersburg - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFlorida)