EAST ORANGE, NJ — East Orange 4th Ward Councilman Casim Gomez held an anti-gun and anti-violence rally Saturday, Aug. 12.
“It was amazing all the support East Orange received today for the March for Peace,” said Gomez on Aug. 12. “The plague of gun violence is not quarantined to a single city or community and the remedy is going to take the input of as many concerned citizens as possible.
Gomez said it’s also going to take support from the federal government and local grassroots organizations, such as the National Action Network, the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition, the People’s Organization for Progress, and others joining forces to fight for a common cause to improve public safety. However, he noted that East Orange is still ahead of the curve when it comes to leading the way in crime reduction, historically low crime statistics, and implementing new and innovative ways to use technology to help police protect and serve the community — measures that began under the watch of former Mayor Robert Bowser and former police Director Jose Cordero.
But Gomez said East Orange can’t and won’t rest on its laurels.
“Violence has become so common that many of us have become desensitized to it. We feel that we are immune until it touches us, our family, our friends, then we are overwhelmed,” said Gomez. “We need to work between these extremes. Find a balance between the apathy and grief. That is the path towards peace. Not the fairytale, magical peace but one that is earned from effort, commitment and patience.”
Bashir Akinyele of the NAVC said that sounds good to him. And although his group did not participate in the Aug. 12 event, he said all the anti-violence groups are comrades in arms in the same ongoing public safety struggle.
Akinyele recently attended the campaign kickoff event for Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy and his running mate Sheila Oliver. There, he said he and Leroy Jones, the Democratic Committee chairman for Essex County and East Orange, discussed the need for established political forces to cooperate and with “revolutionary” individuals and groups.
“We were not involved in the East Orange New Jersey anti-violence rally,” said Akinyele on Monday, Aug. 14. “But we are in solidarity with any movement in East Orange to stop the violence in the African-American community. On the national front, the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition condemns the racial violence perpetrated by white racists in Charlottesville, Va. We must find a way as Americans to respect the diversity of our country.”
On Sunday, Aug. 13, People’s Organization for Progress Chairman Larry Hamm and the members of his grassroots social and economic justice group held a rally to protest the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Va., that had occurred that same day as Gomez’ anti-gun violence rally in East Orange.
Hamm and his group have marched against gun violence in East Orange in the past and said they will do so again. Gomez said he and everyone else participating in the Aug. 13 march and rally appreciated offers of support, solidarity and assistance.
“Gun violence is not just a problem here, it is a national issue,” said Gomez on Aug. 12. “As the White House declares opioids a national epidemic, those who suffer under this infection of senseless killings ask, ‘Where is the alarm for gun violence that torments our neighborhoods?’ We are going to have to continue to help each other in order for this process to grow and manifest a cure.
“True change comes from the people. It has to be organic. It must be nourished and nurtured. That’s why I am so inspired by our rally, because it represents our community, our people getting involved to heal our neighborhoods.”
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