My Dearest Neighbors,

The Jury Selection phase of -- "The State of Florida vs George Zimmerman concludes its fifth day. In this clip from day three Atty Benjamin Crump, Esq., in defense and representation of the Martin Family speaks to the Media's unfair characterizations and reprehensible victim blaming rhetoric usually employed to slant "Public Opinion". Maybe feeling compelled to respond to the statements made in a FOX News segment featuring a former NYPD officers comments about how "Trayvon Martin would be alive today if he didn't have a 'street attitude'".

Its come to my attention since our last annual Taste 'O Soul Festival that the 'emotions' of a 1960's style Revolutionary fire-starter group known as BA Revolution - Nothing Less, have become unceremoniously and overtly aggressive in our Community. Now using the painfully raw wound of Trayvon Martin's murder as their 'mascot' and rallying cry for REVOLUTION against the "System". They are very busy, working hard to recruit members in Our Community to "fight" a Revolution that they envision will solve all of our problems! Under the Leadership of a fellow named Bob Avakian there appears to be a menacing whiff of misguided turbulence to their operation. Not a scent of cooperation, harmony and serious solutions. 

With that said. In case you missed it?

On Monday, June 10, 2013 - There was a protest demonstration in our "Leimert Park Village Drum Circle". It was wholly sponsored by an Organization calling themselves BA Everywhere Committee from Revolution Books in Hollywood, CA. They presented a very lively event. There was a flat bed style truck positioned as a stage, a portable book table fashioned into a vending stand complete with their publications and a large billboard. There were portable speakers set-up adjacent to the table that blared a tape of Revolutionary commentary of Bob Avakian [?]. There were bull-horns, a few non-resident individuals dressed in beautiful Native American feather costumes, a host of guest speakers, also non-residents, a Channel 2 News truck and a Los Angeles Police Department escort for their MARCH up and down Crenshaw Blvd. The committee group members -none of which are black or residents- wore BA Revolution T-Shirts and Black Hoodies. A giant arena-size poster of TRAYVON MARTIN was paraded on the street and their stage with another large poster of Emitt Till & Trayvon Martin side by side. With raised fists they implored the Community to join in with their chants of: "From Emitt Till to Trayvon Martin we say no more".

Now what I found odd, unacceptable, disturbing and most difficult to process about this demonstration was the divisive energy that was injected into the "Regular Drum Circle" Folks of the Community by this Organization's presence and unwillingness to hear their voices or acknowledge their concerns. People who live here were dismissed as "trouble makers"! Can you imagine? Added to that, to my knowledge, not one Leimert Park Village Business Owner; Community Journalist, eg. The Los Angeles Sentinel, etc, or Neighborhood Council liaison stood in support of, nor were mentioned as sanctioning this BA Revolution Committee's activities. And to top it all off, one of the young men who is a Resident and regular at The Park claimed to have been physically attacked by an Organizer of this group.

It is my fervent prayer in Solidarity with Trayvon Martin's Parents, Family, Friends and all of us by extension that this Trial be Fair and that Justice :will: prevail. 

Maybe its just me. Surely, I will be the first to admit it could just be an overreaction on my part. However, as a Neighborhood Grandmother, I felt compelled to share with you what I saw. When MalcolmX spoke as Al Hajj Malik Shabazz just before HE was murdered, I was just entering High School. Now his Grandson Malcolm Shabazz has been quietly murdered under no less than dubious circumstances and it pains me greatly to see that a void of this magnitude could even exist in Leimert Park Village. My Home!

~nPeaceW/Blessings of

Love * Safety * Happiest "Juneteenth" Ever!!!

AJea*-_-*