“Mass shootings from Dumas to DC are not the cause of most community problems… but in many cases, these shootings simply reveal the problems that have often existed, far too long. Who will bring on the solutions?” Rev. Arthur L. Hunt, Jr., D.D., The College of Aspiring Artists
On Monday, May 23, 2022, Senator Joyce Elliott was the guest on The College of Aspiring Artists weekly radio show. The show profiles many things across the state and the city of Dumas has a weekly spotlight segment. The show airs every Monday 10AM—11AM on joynetradio.com.
Senator Elliott has launched a statewide nonprofit organization named, ‘Get Loud Arkansas.’ According to Senator Elliott (and the website), the mission of Get Loud Arkansas (GLA) is to register new voters, engage low turnout voters, and mobilize all eligible voters to use the power of their vote to shape the future of Arkansas. She’s touring the state to bring strength to the voices of people who elect the people who should serve us best.
Some of the facts revealed on the show was that nearly 750,000 persons across the state are not voting or at minimum are not active voters. Thus, a process that confirms that some people have reasons not to be a part of the process. The questions are never-ending. Why vote? Isn’t the process corrupt? Aren’t the people we elect going to be different when they get into office? Who will hold them accountable? Some, need simply to resign.
Recently Channel 7 News from Little Rock was in Arkansas City reporting on serious problems in Desha County with the process of elections and the outcomes of the process. This carries over often with the people who are elected after they are in office. This is not just in Desha County, it is nationwide.
“When we talk about ‘the vote, the violence and the victory’ I’m saying that these three can no longer be separated in order for results to make a difference. The vote is one part that empowers each person to make a choice on who leads us. The violence is real, and it is a product or outcome expressed sometimes with guns and sometimes with ‘tongues’ when people are not able to come to social and civic resolve. We can harm and kill people with both. The victory comes when we can elect the right people who want to solve the right problems, the right way at the right time. We’ve got too many elected officials and leaders who do not understand how to be visionary and how to uplift all the people to a better quality of life. And this must stop. It starts with the understanding of these three; the vote, the violence and the victory. My commitment is not to stop until we balance all three,” stated Rev. Hunt, Jr.
The next six months are going to require the people from Dumas and across the state of Arkansas to be awake and to look at these three areas. ‘Get Loud Arkansas’ will be a resource of guidance. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO VOTE THE WRONG PEOPLE IN OFFICE.
THE MISSED OPPORTUNITY: Last week, Tuesday, May 17, Dumas hosted a Non-Violent Summit at the Dumas High School. The Legacy Center in West Dumas hosted a final forum ahead of the Primary and invited all candidates to attend.
At the forum, one candidate, Mr. Chris Jones who’s running for Governor of Arkansas was asked a question: “Were you invited to speak at the Non-Violent Summit? His answer was no.
The purpose of the question (according to Rev. Hunt who asked the question) was to place emphasis on the value of having a strong Black male from a nearby community of Pine Bluff, to share his vision to be Governor of Arkansas to this of mass assembly who saw or heard about the black on black shooting at the HoodNic on March 19, 2022. This would have been a sharp contrast to Black men killing one another because of the lack of value for each other.
Beyond the mass shooting in Dumas on March 19… what would have happened if the city and the hosts of the summit were to have spent $50,000 (or whatever the full price to bring in the summit) in promoting strong Black men in Dumas and those who are demonstrating (Black males in particular) commitments to build a better city and a better state? No, not in a (one and done) summit but someone (or multiple persons) who could represent Arkansas as a man or men of color who would change the landscape of our state for a far expanded time. Or what about those who are involved in building new creative institutional and technology models that provide new pathways to success?
OR: What would happen if they woke up on Wednesday, May 25, and saw Chris Jones had won the nomination for his party for Governor of Arkansas? Do we think there would be greater value— appreciation and HOPE for Black men and Black people in general in our city, our state?
When it comes to stopping Black on Black crime ‘especially’ in black cultural circles and events, it starts with putting value on Black people. Black people must come to honor and respect Black people. This is from Dumas, Desha, the Delta and to DC. In Dumas, we are not doing this. If we don’t, the vote, the violence and the victory remain disconnected and we remain, dysfunctional.
There is a Movement that is engaged. To get involved, contact: www.faithfirstresponder.blogspot.com or call 501.683.8555 and visit www.thelegacycenterinwestdumas.org To get more on Get Loud Arkansas, visit www.getloudarkansas.org
