The Gantt Report
By: Lucius Gantt
The Gantt Report encourages all Black males to attend the second annual 1000 Man Rally on August 14-15, 2009 in Quincy, Florida. Quincy is a predominately Black town about 30 miles north of Tallahassee, the capitol city of Florida and site of the first rally in 2008.
The theme of this year’s rally is “Men Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace”!
I support this event because it was started from the ground up and not from the “top” down. The vision for the event came from Minister Greg James who served over 13 years in prison. The idea is supported by former inmates who desire to improve themselves and their lives by improving their commuinties and communitiy institutions.
Don’t get bent all out of shape because I said the word inmates. All of us have either been jailed or we have family members, friends or neighbors that have been behind bars. In fact, all African Americans have ancestors that have been locked up.
Our people didn’t come to America on the Mayflower. We didn’t sail here on a Carnival or Royal Caribbean cruise ship. We first arrived here on slave ships, handcuffed to each other in the worst of conditions. Back then, the handcuffs were called shackles. Men, women, children and babies tied together with iron restraints to come to America and other places to serve as slaves for the devilish you know what.
Anyway, back to the 1000 Man Rally, you have to know there are some very smart and talented people that have served time. If you can make a living, buy things and pay bills without punching a clock, that’s smart. If you can stand up and speak out for what you believe in without fear of the consequences, that’s courageous. If you can find God and share God’s truth with the poor, the meek and the powerless and help others stay out of trouble, that’s worthwhile. Those are some of the ways to describe many of our and the world’s heroes that are now former inmates.
All of us have been impacted in some form by having a family member, friend or negihbor that have been behind bars and many others have been there and want to keep it on the down low. Even the editor of the Gantt Report has been in jail so I have a special fondness for brothers and sisters that have overcome mistakes that led to jail terms
Minister James heads an organization called Reclaiming the Land Ministries, Inc. and speaks about the events purpose.
“This is a call for our men to speak not just with words but actions,” said Minister James, “and become the galvanizing force for restoration of homes, our communities, our state and ultimately our nation.”
Last year’s key speaker was former National Baptist Convention Chair and former inmate Rev. Henry Lyons. This year, a key speaker will be Rev. Billy Neal Moore, a former inmate that was spared only seven hours before his scheduled execution. Rev. Moore once spent 16 and ½ years on death row but is now a world famous author and speaker. The National Exhoodus Council (see www.thenec.net), an organization of former inmates whose motto is “Serving our country after serving our time”, will be joining the 2009 1000 Man Rally. Also, on August 15th, Minister Greg James will be affrimed as the National Exhoodus Council chair person for the State of Florida.
Chairpersons for the 2009 1000 Man Rally are Florida State Rep. Alan Williams and Quincy Mayor Pro Tem Derrick Elias. Co-chairpersons are Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young and Gadsden County Commission Chair Eugene Lamb.
Minister James says, “We must become the voice for our children in jail, those who have dropped out of school, those who are sleeping in substandard housing, those who are joining gangs and those whose vocabulary has become a foreign language to us because their teacher is Hip Hop. Young Black males are demanding that Black men stand up. We must speak now!
If you can’t join The Gantt Report and others at the rally, you can contribute to the event’s success or have your business sponsor some event activities. For details about the 1000 Man Rally and how you can participate and or assist, you can reach the event coordinators at 1000 Man Rally, RTL/ICC, Box 6356, Tallahassee, Florida 32301; 850-210-8837 phone; 850-875-9875 fax.
If you can get a million of us to attend an inauguration party, we ought to be able to get a few thousand to show up for progress, equal rights and justice!
With your help, this event can be spread nationwide and even worldwide. Don’t act like Patrice Lumumba, Steve Biko, Nelson Mandela and other Black world leaders didn’t know what a jail cell looked like and how community activists around the globe have been incarcerated for wrong reasons or on bogus charges.
Visit the web site of the 1000 Man Rally at www.1000manrally.com and join together with Black men and men of all races, creeds and color that are destined to make their lives, families and communities better.
