Tuesday afternoon, the body of Sgt. La David Johnson was returned home to the United States after Johnson was killed in an ambush in Niger. However, for Johnson’s grieving widow, the words of comfort that the President of the United States is expected to offer fell short and instead turned sarcastic.
Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida was in the car with Myeshia Johnson, David Johnson’s pregnant widow, when Trump called and spoke with her for five minutes.
“Sarcastically he said: ‘But you know he must have known what he signed up for,’” Wilson recounted to NBC6. “How could you say that to a grieving widow? I couldn’t believe… and he said it more than once. I said this man has no feelings for anyone. This is a young woman with child who is grieved to her soul.”
Wilson also told CNN affiliate WPLG: “Everyone knows when you go to war you could possibly not come back alive, but you don’t remind a grieving widow of that. That is so insensitive. So insensitive.”
“However Long It Takes”: The Rev. Taharka Robinson (far right), a founder of the Brooklyn Anti-Violence Coalition, addressed neighbors and supporters of an elderly couple attacked by home invaders. Standing with Rev. Taharka is Bruce Green, President, BAVC, (second from right); Bishop Ishmael Claudio, President, 82nd Precinct Council (third from right) and community residents. “The intruders who caused the death of 91-year-old Waldiman Thompson, and tied up his wife of 30 years, Ethline, herself 100, in their brownstone on Decatur Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, will be caught, however long it takes,” said The Rev. Taharka, speaking at a prayer vigil across from the crime scene.
The NYPD is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction related to the October 11 home invasion. Anyone with information to this crime is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stopper’s Hotline at 800-577-TIPS.
Four men had stormed into the home around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, tied up Waldiman Thompson and his wife, Ethlin, and put a sheet over their heads while they went through the house, police said.
The suspects fled after taking property, cops said.
Ethlin eventually freed herself and called 911, police said, meeting officers at the door and telling them her husband was still tied up inside.
Mr. Thompson was pronounced dead at Interfaith Medical Center, police revealed. The medical examiner’s office ruled his death a homicide, citing sudden cardiac arrest. Ethlin Thompson was treated at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County for marks on her legs from being tied up, police said.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, called the home invasion a “heartless attack that has struck a blow deep in the soul of Brooklyn,” has put up a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and indictment in the case.
So far, there have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing, police said.
Rev. Taharka reminded Thompson’s neighbors and supporters that it took ten years of activism and police work to find and charge the killer of Chanel Petro-Nixon, 16, and they would keep up the same activism around this “most heinous” crime.
Funeral Arrangements for Waldiman Thompson, 91
Wake:
Thursday, October 19 at 4:00pm
Hanson Place Seventh-Day Adventist Church
88 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, New York
Funeral:
Friday, October 20 at 10:00am
Hanson Place Seventh-Day Adventist Church
88 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, New York
Colin Kaepernick is known nationwide for taking a stand – better said, taking a knee – for racial justice. He suffered the consequences of his bold action all alone. No football team hired the young quarterback. Right-wingers complained he had disrespected the sport and the nation.
But in recent weeks, Black athletes and others have joined arms in growing numbers to support Kaepernick. They have knelt during the singing of the National Anthem as he did, showing him the support that is surely giving comfort to the angels of the Civil Rights Movement.
Paul Washington
Right here in Bedford-Stuyvesant, there is a man who some would call their own Colin Kaepernick. His name is Paul Washington and he is a captain in the New York City Fire Department.
Washington said he received a phone call on Tuesday, October 17, telling him he’s being investigated by the Fire Department, which is angry about a speech he gave to minority college students this past March at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. He was trying to encourage youngsters to take the test to become firefighters.
And so, what made his bosses and other (white) firefighters so angry? Answer: He told his young Black and Brown audience to disregard what they hear all the time, that the job of fighting flames is only about running into burning buildings. No, he said. It’s also about money. “After five years, guys are making more than a hundred thousand a year,” he said. After 22 and a half years of service, you can retire at half-pay.
Here’s what really brought out the white flamethrowers. He told students last March that “We do not run into burning buildings”. Those who know him well say he was speaking from the heart, trying to realistically reflect the work he loves and that he wants more Black men and women to know and love.
Washington’s detractors, including white officials of the firefighters’ union, have failed to mention that right away Washington added, “It can be dangerous, but it’s not nearly as dangerous as people think”. Plus, he said, “It’s a great job, this job. It’s a great career”. What he loved the most about his career, he added, was that he felt he was always helping people. Whether someone was trying to get out of an apartment that’s on fire, or stuck in an elevator, or choking violently, he can almost always say that, “We’ve made things better”.
Last week, Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro made things worse. He gave his “Memorial Day” speech honoring emergency responders who had lost their lives; and in doing so, he said, three times, that being a firefighter was about running into burning buildings. It was all an obvious slap at Washington. In reaction, Washington told the Chief Leader civil service newspaper that Nigro was “dog-whistling”, that he was playing to his base of firefighters, some already upset over Washington’s strenuous efforts over the years to integrate the Fire Department.
In 2008, when he was president of the Vulcan Society, the Crown Heights-based organization of Black firefighters, the group filed a suit against the city, saying racial biases were being applied in the hiring process. Federal District Judge Nicholas Garaufis determined that there had been a pattern of discrimination against Black candidates for the job. The administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio settled with the Vulcans, with a total payout of about $98 million, including compensation to those who had been unfairly treated. A result has been that recent hires have been the most racially diverse in the history of the department. Washington’s company, Engine Company 234 in Crown Heights, which he supervises, is the first majority-Black company in the history of the New York City Fire Department.
By the way: What was Washington’s supposed infraction that would allow the Fire Department to investigate him and take some kind of action against him? A New York Post article from September 2 says a Fire Department spokesman told them that “the department is reviewing the video (of Washington’s March talk to college students) to determine if Washington, who wore his uniform during the session, violated FDNY policies”.
That charge (unauthorized wearing of his uniform) would puzzle students and others who attend Career Days at Stephen Decatur Middle School (MS 35) in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Washington is one of a dozen or so professionals who regularly show up at those events, speaking in classrooms, telling the youngsters what they need to do to enter the respective careers. Washington, a devoted father of four, wears his uniform each time he goes.
Washington says he is deeply proud of a Black firefighter who is now president of the Vulcans. That new leader is Regina Wilson, the first woman to head the organization. This past Monday evening (October 16th), she led a Vulcan Society meeting at the group’s building in Crown Heights, where the members vowed to continue demanding that Washington, and Black job applicants, be treated fairly.
Reached by phone, Jimmy Tempro, a retired firefighter who, like Washington, lives in Bedford-Stuyvesant, said he and others have much work to do. Tempro was the first Black to receive the Fire Department’s James Gordon Bennett medal, given for heroism on the job. Recently, when Tempro learned that Bennett, a nineteenth century newspaper publisher, was pro-slavery, he asked that the Fire Department change the name of the award. Tempro said he hasn’t heard back yet from the department and that if he doesn’t hear back soon, he will return the medal.
Reflecting on the challenges of today, in the era of Donald Trump, Tempro said he recalls something that his tough mother, now deceased, used to say when raising him in pre-World War II Brooklyn. “When we saluted the flag and said the Pledge of Allegiance, her ending was always, ‘…with liberty and justice for all white people’.” Tempro laughed. Asked if he believed Colin Kaepernick would have pleased his mother, Tempro said, for sure. And he added that Paul Washington would have had her respect also.
A crowded Bedford-Stuyvesant brownstone encompassed the scene of a gathering of many community members in honor of both P.E.A.C.E. Health Center and a longtime community stalwart, Michael Kofi Mulezi Hooper. To say that there were many people present is perhaps an understatement. At one point, the front door had to be open to cool the large crowd that had assembled. P.E.A.C.E. Health Center is a holistic health space where people can visit and benefit from alternative healing practices. It was founded in 1992 by Shadidi Beatrice Kinsey, D.Ac., Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM), a New York State Licensed Acupuncturist, or “Dr. Bea,” as she is affectionately called by her patients and colleagues.
Dr. Shadidi Beatrice Kinsey, Founder, P.E.A.C.E. Health Center
For 27 years, P.E.A.C.E. Health Center has been a fixture in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community, providing therapies to help those suffering from various ailments better manage their health maladies. To help ensure that the P.E.A.C.E. Health Center continues to be a mainstay in the community, an annual fundraiser is held at the center itself. At the fundraiser, a plethora of testimonies were given by patients along with those who work at the center as health aides, thereby giving credence to the effectiveness of the remedies offered at P.E.A.C.E.
Rasheeda Ali, affectionately called “Mama Rasheeda,” had nothing but positive things to say about her experience at the health center; first as a patient, then as an employee. She specifically said that her nearly 15 years with P.E.A.C.E. has, for her, been a “love fest.” Mama Rasheeda first went to P.E.A.C.E. because she has tendonitis. Since then, she has not looked back and is now an assistant to both Dr. Bea and another practitioner at P.E.A.C.E., Dr. Ali Talib Abdullah.
Additionally, a female professional dancer named Jacqueline gave her testimony. Jacqueline shared with the attendees the story of her friend introducing her to the center nearly ten years ago. This dancer and longtime Brooklyn resident also added that she is a “lifelong” patient as she has found the therapies offered at P.E.A.C.E. to be exceedingly useful in helping to manage her hip-related health issues. Specifically, this dancer had a hip-replacement and said that the treatment that she received at P.E.A.C.E. leading up to her hip-replacement surgery made life a bit more bearable. At the end, Jacqueline showed just how far she has come health-wise by doing a dance that required that she (excessively) move her hip.
Just as Black Health is advocated for at P.E.A.C.E., so is its close cousin, Black Wealth. Consequently, there were several African-American vendors who gave short presentations on their products. Among them was Kwasi Mensah, a natural health enthusiast and Multi Pure distributor who talked about the water purification system that he has sold for over 25 years. His wife, Earline Mensah, who was also present, gave a testimony on how effective the water is as she uses it every day. A presentation was also given on a sanitary napkin product by an African-American businesswoman, Josephine. Josephine both verbally described and showed a visual demonstration on how much more effective her product, Cherish, is than the leading sanitary brands. In this case, the proof was in the pudding that was her live demonstration.
Included in the program for the evening was the recognition of a notable community activist, Michael Kofi Hooper. Recognizing Mr. Hooper was one of the highlights (if not “thee” highlight) of the evening. Aside from the fundraiser itself, recognizing Hooper was one of the primary reasons why so many were gathered, filling up two floors of the brownstone that doubles as the P.E.A.C.E. Health Center. Dr. Bea gave a gloating tribute to Hooper, saying that, “When I think of Kwanzaa, I think of Michael.” She goes on to add that “Michael always put Black people first”, beginning back at his days as a student at Howard University. Moreover, Dr. Bea called Michael “our black candle,’ underscoring his contribution to the Black community as the black candle is the first candle lit during Kwanzaa.
When Michael received the Uhuru Sasa Award (translated to mean Freedom Now), he was extremely grateful and overwhelmed by the standing ovation given to him by the fundraiser-goers. In his speech, he stressed that African – Americans must “go from articulation to action.” To talk about something is one thing, but to do something about it is another. Michael’s entire life has been spent in action; action that has proved to be beneficial to the growth and improvement of our community. The honoree of the night spoke briefly about his activism in the community stating that he is the Chairman of the Kwanzaa Collective and founder of the Umoja Food Collective. From his speech, two things are clear. First, one can easily ascertain that Michael is humble because, though he is clearly accomplished and well-respected by his peers, he kept his speech to a minimum. Secondly, it is evident that Hooper is a man of his word as he did not go on in deep, in his own words, “articulation.” Rather, true to his word that espouses living a life of action, Michael handed out literature on one of his latest projects. Unmistakably, even as he is being honored, the betterment of his people take priority over all else. Specifically, Michael was handing out information on a program that he currently has in the works called Roots Revisited. Roots Revisited is a nonprofit, community-based organization founded in 1984 aimed at providing elementary, middle and high schools students with positive educational enrichment. Overwhelmed by the tribute given to him, Michael humbly and very emotionally reminded those in attendance the first of those who paved the way for him, some of whom are now ancestors. In staying true to his love for his people, Michael offered, “We [people of African ancestry] were the first ones on earth, and we will be the last ones.” Above all, his statement served as a positive affirmation of the power, strength and resiliency of African-Americans. Michael closed by reiterating the popular saying, “A people united can never be defeated,” which everyone chanted in unison.
Vendor of Multi Pure water purification product, Kwasi Mensah can be reached at kwasi.mensah.1000@gmail.com. Josephine, the distributor of Cherish, can be reached at nspirednetwork.com/beyond wellness/646-319-8888. For more information on Roots Revisited, Michael Hooper’s organization, contact 718-778-0009, Ext. 17 and ask for Cory who will assist you.
Priscilla Mensah is an avid reader and scholar whose passions include community development and empowerment. She can be reached at pmensahbrooklyn@gmail.com.
I am currently training to run the NYC Marathon on November 5th. As part of my training, I often run down Bedford Avenue, tracing the actual marathon route into and through Williamsburg. A large portion of the southern end of Williamsburg is home to a very large Hasidic community. On a run I took a couple of weeks ago, while running down Bedford in that community, I witnessed a car accident between two Hasidic men. A white sedan ran the red light heading east, and as he crossed Bedford Avenue, he T-boned a metallic blue minivan. The minivan went into a spin and crashed into the light pole on the corner.
It was around 7am. The block was quiet, and I was less than half a block away when the crash happened, so I reached the crash site first. When I approached, the man in the white sedan was already slowly getting out of his vehicle. The minivan’s air bags had deployed. The driver in the minivan was dazed, trying to move the air bag aside to reach the door. I grabbed at the door and pulled it. It was unlocked, so it opened without problem. The guy sort of rolled out of the minivan and onto the ground. He seemed shaken by the crash but he didn’t have any visible injuries.
Instinctively, I asked, “Are you okay?” He didn’t answer, but realizing that he was on the ground, he reached at me with his hand, motioning for me to help him up. Once on his feet, the man went to surveying his minivan. It was totaled. Wanting to help, but not really knowing how, I asked, “Do you want me to call the police?” He turned to me, and the only thing he said to me was, “Thank you but I don’t need you to call the police. We will take care of this ourselves”.
The guy that was in the sedan came over to the man I helped out of the minivan. He apologized profusely to the man in English, and then they began to talk in their native tongue, both seeming to ignore my offer of assistance. Resigned with the notion that they were okay, I continued my run.
The conversation though, or rather the lack thereof, stuck with me for my entire run. Two men have an accident in their community. The aggressor admits fault. The victim refuses to contact police and the two of them discuss the issue rationally and without violence. A dialogue like that has to come from a place of mutual respect, some internal connection to one another that belies a mutual responsibility for one another. Albeit a terrible accident that could’ve been worse for both men, their sense of community was admirable.
Last Wednesday, a group of men invaded the home of Waldiman Thompson and his wife Ethlin at 160 Decatur Street in Bed-Stuy. The invasion happened in the middle of the afternoon as kids traveled home from school. The men tied the Thompsons up, threw sheets over their heads and ransacked their home. Ethlin eventually freed herself once the men left and she was able to contact the authorities. However, her husband tragically passed away as a result of this heinous crime. It was a horrible thing, an elderly couple known throughout our community robbed of so much more than whatever material things were stolen. They lost their precious time with one another, a thing that cannot be replaced. This was wrong.
The neighborhood though, they responded immediately. Every neighbor who had any information at all made it known to the authorities. Every small business in the neighborhood with security cameras made their footage available for review. People traded stories, tried to find common links and discussed ways to make their block more secure. I walked through that block on the day after the tragedy and I witnessed it with my own eyes, neighbors talking with each other, working together to find sense in the chaos, hoping that someone may say something that will lead to the capture of the treacherous men responsible for taking Mr. Thompson from his wife and community.
It reminded me of that car accident that I witnessed, neighbors exhibiting a mutual responsibility for one another, coming together to rally around a tragedy instead of simply doing nothing. When we all feel accountability, we all take ownership and we work together. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. That is the definition of community.
We will find the ones responsible for the tragedy on Decatur Street because we are looking. All of us.
