Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Daryl Brooks Has The Solution: Non-Violent Teachings

Daryl Brooks






Photo by: Delonte Harrod

It is said that violence destroys a community; it is known within the state of New Jersey that Trenton is no stranger to crime, poverty, and a poor education system. As of late, the ugly snake of has raised its head once again. In the last few months we have had death in the city streets and violence in schools. Up until this point, Trenton High is only graduating an estimated 120 students this year; out of 357 students in the current senior class, 237 students failed the standardized tests required by the state of New Jersey. Other reports indicate that students have one more chase to take the HSPA test in April, to give these students a winning shot at graduating.

However, a community activist Daryl Brooks says that he has the solution to Trenton’s problems. On April 13, of 2010 Brooks held a press conference at the Trenton Public Library on Academy St., announcing his initiative to move forward with a plan that will teach non-violence skills to students in grades K-12.

“There is too much violence in our school system, elementary school, junior high school and now in high school were now Trenton High School is becoming a kind of a police community…more students are becoming more violent than ever,” said Brooks.

His philosophy is “if you teach these kids how to be non-violent and understand how to deal with conflict” they will be better students. Brooks has teamed up with non-violent activists Priscilla Prutzman, who heads a non-profit organization located in Nyack, New York and Hal Flemington who is a member of the Trenton Meeting of Friends, a Quaker Organization to face these issues. These individuals stand alongside Brooks supporting him in his crusade to drop the rate of violence that pollutes schools and neighborhoods in Trenton.

“We are talking about giving young people tools to resolve conflict without violence… in all the world this is being done,” said Flemington.
Prutzman agrees and her pedigree proves she and her organization’s “Creative Response to Conflict” have worked with school systems in New York City and in Newark, New Jersey. “We are trying to create a safe and welcoming school environment where students can learn.” She also makes the claim that violence affects the way a student learns and the rate of retention in schools: “When students drop out of school it’s because of bullying,” said Prutzman.

Prutzman lays out some of the skills that they would like to teach to these students: “students need social and emotional learning skills, skills of getting along with each other, cooperating with each other, skills of communicating with each other, listening, speaking in a way that other people can hear what is being said, basic conflict and resolution and problem solving tools….. the skills are out there and students will make more progress in this type of environment.”
The pioneers of this program have a desire to see others in the community get involved and show support. They are hoping for cooperation from politicians, churches, and other community activists. The funding of this program will most likely come from federal dollars in the form of grants, and private donations. When Prutzman was challenged about the validity of the non-violent teachings at other high schools her response, “I have seen a decrease in violence!” 
By Delonte Harrod

Monday, June 25, 2012

Another Unarmed Black Youth Shot & Killed. Darius Simmons was Only 13 Years Old *UPDATED*


Patricia Larry holds a photograph of her son, Darius Simmons, 13 (AP Photo/Dinesh Ramde)
Just a few short months ago Hip-Hop journalist Davey D blogged about the 29 Black people that had been killed by police or those claiming to be security since 2012, 16 after the murder of Trayvon Martin. This was before police in Oakland, CA killed 18 year old high school senior Alan Blueford under very questionable circumstances. This morning I just got word from the Executive Director of the League of Young Voters, Biko Baker, that another Black youth was shot down, he was only 13 years old.

Darius Simmons was by all accounts a good kid. The fun loving 6th grader was simply moving a garbage can in front of his home when his neighbor, 75 year old John Henry Spooner confronted him with a shotgun and accused him of stealing from his home. Darius, who was in school the time of the robbery, denied being involved with the theft. John Henry Spooner then proceed to shoot Darius in his chest, while he had his hands raise showing Spooner he was unarmed. His mom, who was watching in horror, ran to Darius to see if she could find a pulse, she couldn’t. Darius, 13 years old and unarmed, was murdered in cold blood in front of his mother.
John Henry Spooner (Photo by AP)
According to Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan, he had breakfast with Spooner an hour before the shooting and Spooner told him he suspected Darius of the crime and was upset that the police hadn’t done anything about it. Spooner then told the Alderman, that there were other ways of dealing with these problems. That qualifies as premeditated murder of a 13 year old boy. To make matters worse, the family only lived next to Spooner for a month.

John Henry Spooner was arrested and charged with first-degree intentional homicide. A judge set cash bond of $300,000.

“Black youth are being stereotyped, targeted, and killed by law enforcement and now community vigilantes. This is bigger than the Castle Doctrine (Stand your ground law) , this is about our country’s continued refusal to acknowledge that we are still suffering from the sins of our forefathers. And the more we try to push the racial boogieman under the cover, the more it is going to bite us in the ass.” – Biko Baker
*UPDATE*

Community Activist David Muhammad spoke with the family yesterday and sent me these corrections and information the family wants to get out.

Spooner shot Simmons with a 9mm handgun five feet away from him in the chest, in front of his mother. 

Darius was shot once in the chest with his hands raised. He ran to escape and collapsed at the corner, while Spooner attempted to shoot him in the back, and tried to fire a third shot.
After police arrived, Darius’s body remained on the sidewalk, while police questioned his mother, Patricia Larry, in a squad car for approximately two hours.

During the police investigation of the shooting, they searched Ms. Larry’s home again. Finding nothing, they then proceeded to arrest his older brother for having truancy tickets.



In contrast, Spooner’s family was allowed to go into the home and remove “items” despite it being the crime scene.
John Spooner was given a $300,000 bail, (only $30,000 would have to be posted for him to be free). This is uncommon when the charge is murder in the first degree.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Occupy The Hood NJ & Occupy Trenton host Joint discussion

Occupy The hood NJ and Occupy Trenton will be having a joint discussion about the issues affecting the community, including drugs, gang violence, police brutality, the prison industrial complex, and jobs. we will be meeting up this Saturday from 11-2 at Trenton public library in the Community room. (located in 120 Academy St.) hope to see ya there! bring friends and family along. :)

http://www.facebook.com/events/235885219858290

Monday, April 30, 2012

NJ ACTIVIST DARYL MIKELL BROOKS BEGINS HUNGER STRIKE

Daryl Mikell Brooks
On Monday, April 30, 2011 Daryl Mikell Brooks, a local activist, has began a hunger strike. Brooks will have no food, only water, during his hunger strike. The Trenton activist and other groups are outraged by what he deems to be mistreatment on the part of the New Jersey Parole Board District 06 and the corrections system in New Jersey.

After serving his time, the political firebrand has confronted issues plaguing urban and suburban neighborhoods alike: drugs, guns, gang violence, inadequate educational system, prison system, police corruption and poverty.

Brooks also believes in the immortal words of the great American patriot Patrick Henry, "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"


Daryl is also a member of Greater Trenton Tea Party, Occupy Trenton, Occupy The Hood NJ, Libertarian Party, Mothers Against Violence, Silent Shoemarch, and Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Daryl has won the MLK Jr award from the Martin House Learning Center for community work.




Brooks has also ran for the US Senate Twice, as well as Congress. On a historical note, Brooks is the first and only person from Trenton, NJ to run for US Senate in the history of Trenton, NJ.


Has been featured in the New York Times, Channel 6, WZBN, News 12, Comcast Newsmakers, NJN, Trentonian, Trenton Times, Star Ledger, National Korean Newspaper, Philly Tribune, Nubian News, Courier Post

He is banned from writing on his blog "Today's News NJ" with no probable cause.

Mr. Brooks has a new Audio Book "Why Me?" which discusses his Life, activism, and his time in prison.

Today, Brooks claims he is being mistreated at the hands of the New Jersey Mercer County State Parole District Office 06. The Trenton native reports that the parole board has informed him that if does not admit to a crime that he did not commit that he would be charged a 4th degree crime which would be violating the conditions of his parole.

Since being released, Brooks maintains his innocence. Recently, he was given a lie detector test that resulted in the parole board revoking his internet privileges. According to Brooks, the parole board denied him the ability to appeal or challenge their judgment. He reports that they will not let him or his attorney see the lie detector results. The activist sees the parole board's actions as somewhat like what happens in communist countries like China or North Korea, not in America.

In an interview, Brooks said that in his quest for justice, he is willing to die for this cause. He went on to say that "“The hunger strike will draw attention to this critical issue – and hopefully stir action and lead to justice.”

Brooks' supporters believe that what is happening to him is morally and Constitutionally wrong. They demand Six things from the state, they want Brooks’ case to be reopened, they demand that the Mercer County Parole Office District 06 refrain from harassing Brooks, they demand that the recent lie detector tests results be opened to him and his lawyer, they demand an investigation of Parole Officer Hubbard, Sgt. Ortiz of the Parole Office, they demand an investigation of Sex Offender counselor Mrs. Battle of University of Medical and Dentistry New Jersey for harassing Mr. Brooks and the Non-Treatment of Douglass A Patrilak, (as a result of the non-treatment of Patrilak he reoffended, stalking children at a Hamilton Township park). Finally, they demand the psychiatric report of Daryl M Brooks which was in the hands of the Parole Board and they claim was lost, and which indicated counseling was not necessary for Mr. Brooks.

His supporters asked the New Jersey Attorney General and Gov. Christie's office to investigate the matter.

Dr. King put it best when he said, "I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law."


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To support, contact us at occupythehoodnj@gmail.com


http://todaysnewsnj.blogspot.com/2011/03/daryl-mikell-brooks-convicted-activist.html

http://dmbrooksgroup.blogspot.com/