opinion
As I followed the news of the George Floyd killing and the erupting protests, I heard the words, “If this keeps happening, we’re going to burn this country to the ground,” ringing like an alarm through the streets. It reminded me of 25 years earlier when a relative of Lawrence Myers, a Black teen killed by police, said similar words to a reporter as the city of Paterson swelled with grief.
On Feb. 21, 1995, I was a teacher at Eastside High School when news of a white officer shooting 16-year-old Myers broke. According to a New York Times article, the officer was aiding Paterson police during a narcotics investigation. When he ordered passengers out of a car under surveillance, Myers ran. A tussle ensued, and the officer’s weapon accidentally discharged. The other men in the car later disputed this claim. They said they were all lying face-down when the officer shot Myers in the back of the head. The officer was later acquitted.
In the days after, the city’s pain exploded into angry protests around Paterson City Hall. Schools and businesses closed for several days. I can’t forget the unrest, the youth-led marches, and the police in riot gear. Eastside hired counselors to help students manage their trauma. We all wondered if any of us would be next. Renowned Detective Sgt. DeLacy Davis, Director of Black Cops Against Police Brutality, tried to hold our city together. He urged us to build our neighborhoods instead of burning them down. Our city was in turmoil. We wanted leaders to take swift action to prove that our youth mattered. Many promised greater investment into recreation programs and public school education to keep children off the streets.
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In 1990, when police killed Phillip Pannell, Teaneck residents demanded recreational opportunities. The township responded by building a state-of-the-art facility, renovating its sports fields and upgrading their playgrounds. Paterson residents had the same demands. The city made some improvements. In 1999, Mayor Martin Barnes increased the recreation budget to more than $3 million. In 2016, the city spent more than $1 million to build a recreation center in Buckley Park. Unfortunately, since then, the recreation budget has been defunded annually. Today, the recreation budget is .2% of the entire city budget, and the recreation center itself is only a trailer.
Paterson Public Schools have experienced disinvestment that is even more severe.
For the past ten years, the school district has been underfunded by over $300 million and was forced to lay off 1,600 teachers.
In the end, it isn’t the residents burning down our communities; it’s the unmet promises.
This time was the catalyst for my run for the city council and then the state assembly. I was a young man who worried that I would be next to die at police hands. My fear fueled my commitment to community service.
For the past 10 years, I’ve aimed to keep those promises by pushing for increases to the recreation budget and added investment into job programs and summer camps. I’ve also overseen the passage of legislation that appropriated $34.2 million to expand academic capacity at schools like Passaic County Community College. I’m proud of our many accomplishments, but we have much more work to do.
As the protests continue through the current moment, I appreciate politicians, business owners, community leaders, and other allies who pledge their support to our community. However, as seen in the past, we know that words are not enough. Promises are not enough. Our community demands action.
We want fully-funded public schools, recreation opportunities, and job training programs. We also want meaningful investment in affordable health and housing programs, as well as programs that will drive recruitment and foster success for residents interested in education, law enforcement, public safety, and legal services.
The lost lives of Lawrence Meyers and George Floyd and every life lost in between are representative of the state of our communities today. Whether we die by a bullet or the socioeconomic effects of being devalued in society, the outcome is the same.
We need a change. We need hope over fear. We need to come together as state and local leaders to put action to the words and the promises. We must get this right this time. Lives depend on it.
Benjie Wimberly is an assemblyman representing the 35th Legislative District.
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June 29, 2020 at 11:38PM
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