Baber AME church launch 'It's ok to snitch' campaign by Rajesh Barnabas
Sat, Oct 20, 2001  Saturday, Jan 5. "30 busses and 30 billboards is what we're starting with," said Pastor Marlowe V.N. Washington of Baber AME Church. The Pastor wore a long black coat, which alone would not have distinguished him, had it not been for the stylish broad-rimmed black hat that he complemented it with. He was addressing a sizable crowd for a bitterly cold morning. Assembled around him were local and state officials, members of the Church, and murder victim family members enraged enough to put grief into action. None of them seemed intimidated by the weather. Standing on the corner of Jefferson Ave. and Bartlett St., with the backdrop of "You Bet I Told" billboard behind him, Marlowe provided a quick history of the campaign.
"It all began following the tragic death of James C. Slater, a long-standing member of Baber Church, and witnessing the heart-wrenching loss of Latasha Shaw, Devon Scott, Hershel Scivens, to name a few. Numerous meetings were then conducted to decide what the church could do to lend peace to troubled minds and hearts."
After much "prayer, fasting, and seeking the face of God," and at a meeting of clergy, community leaders, and law enforcement officials at Baber, Pastor Marlowe and others were moved by the words of Elder Rond House, the Director of Monroe County Affirmative Action. "You Bet I Told!" he said, and with that the campaign was conceived.
Literature handed out at the rally read: Each month a new message will appear in six different locations throughout the city of Rochester - all aimed at counteracting the negative connotation of "snitching" with the positive reinforcement that telling what you know is an empowering act that can save lives.
"This is not a city problem," said Marlowe, "this is a county problem, a state problem, this is a north, south, east, west - this is a national problem."
"I have a question to ask…Why is it that thirty years ago we did not witness crime like this, even 15 years ago we did not? With unemployment up, a failed education system - youth violence is a symptom, not a cause of our problems. And what is lacking today is the moral fortitude, the moral will to do something about it.
"We don't value human lives the way we used to. We let our kids watch junk, listen to junk, eat junk, and junk on top of junk leads to junk."
After the series of hard-hitting remarks, Marlowe lightened up. "We are starting off with just a few billboards but the plan is to have many throughout the city. We will suddenly be like Celino and Barnes. So Celino and Barnes you better watch out!"
Marlowe emphasized the role of the church in bringing together neighborhoods and community. "We can't continue to blame the police, we have to try new approaches and build new bridges. That's why our church is working with the police in encouraging community members to have the courage to tell them what they know."
Marlowe concluded with a dose of realism. "We recognize that gangsters won't listen to a board. We aim our message to those with moral convictions." He said that building relationships with police takes time, but that they were instrumental in keeping neighborhoods safe.
"We need to go back to the days when neighbors knew neighbors. We don't want to have to hide in our houses when the sun sets, lock the doors and close up."
Mayor Robert Duffy was up next. His message: prevention. "We know that many of the homicides that take place in this city are not by first-time offenders. If someone came forward after the first killing, then the second, and third could have been prevented."
"Change comes from within. We can add extra police and extra help, but that isn't going to change anything unless the community steps up."
The former police chief then commended Daryll Porter -Assistant to the Mayor, for his handling of a recent shooting that alleged a family member of his was the shooter. "He said, 'I don't care if he's family, I want justice.' That's the kind of courage we have to have from witnesses in coming forward."
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter recognized the campaign organizers for sending a strong message to the community that "we're not going to take this." Whether intentionally or not, she then gave a subtle shout out for the candidate she was backing in the Democratic primaries.
"Some lady you all know once said, 'It takes a village,' well it takes a city and we all are family." And fitting of her role as political matriarch, Louise bestowed her loving appreciation. "I am proud of all of you and very proud of Baber Church."
District Attorney Mike Green then spoke. He was the only one not wearing any coat and also happened to be the loudest at the mic. The DA was heated up.
"The time is done for us to let thugs run this city."
He said that resources were available from the state for witness protection programs but that they can't be released unless people come forward.
"Two years, three months and three days. This is how long my son's murderer has been walking the street capable of killing anyone he crosses, including someone you love," said Shauna Stott. Her son Devon Stott was murdered on Meigs and Caroline St. in October of 2005.
She said the new message on the billboard gives her hope. "It's normal to speak up about what you see, it's not normal not to talk."
Alpha Harris did not prepare a speech. "I speak from my heart." Her son Norman Williams was gunned down four months ago, only a few blocks from where she stood now on Jefferson Avenue.
"I don't know how could anyone sleep at night knowing that you killed somebody. How do you wake up in the morning knowing that you are a murderer?"
Harris was comforted by members of her family following her speech. She said that she can understand some of the pressures not to tell but believed "honesty should come before fear."
"We have to ask ourselves, what if it was my brother, my sister. Wouldn't we want someone to tell us what they knew? We can't be afraid of this code of the streets.
"The dead can't speak. I am sure my son saw something the minute before he died - the make of the car, who was in it, but he can't speak now. If he could he would."
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