In the same location where six days earlier a person was shot to death and 27 others were wounded, pastors and community leaders united to share their plans for curtailing violence and positive programs that move the city and state forward.
The Rev. Arthur L. Hunt Jr. of Dumas addressed members of the media during a Friday, March 25, 2022, news conference with Little Rock, Pine Bluff and Dumas media showing up at the location of the recent shooting that killed one and wounded 27 others six days earlier.
Earlier this year on MLK Holiday 2022, Hunt introduced the Inaugural 6M Huddle with Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr., delivering the Keynote message. 6M stands for: MLK, the Ministers, the Mayors, the Murders, the Masses and the Movement. The initiative moves the Huddle to cities across the state with a strategy to engage the 6M Huddle to mitigate crime and poverty through positive programs and engagement.
On this Saturday, April 2, The ‘MyMovement’ Forum will convene the 6M strategy with persons from across the state bringing their ‘movement’ ideas and visions to be compiled into a statewide movement engagement. April 2, opens the weekend of the 54th Anniversary of Assassination and Final Prophecy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., April 3-4, 1968. The forum takes place at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Little Rock. Mayors across the state and the Governor is expected to attend. Registration is free at: www.mymovementforum.eventbrite.com
At the press conference, Hunt declared, “Dumas has been given a wake-up call from Sovereign God. Wake up and do not hit the snooze. City of Dumas… we need more education, oversight and united efforts bringing city pride to Dumas. City P.R.I.D.E. is Positive Results in Dumas—Everyday. God has allowed the spotlight to shine on our city. It could have been 28 fatalities (or more) but only one life was sacrificed. We pray for this family and all the families that were impacted. We thank Governor Hutchinson for sending a letter of condolences to these families and our city. (Hunt went on to read the letter that the Governor sent earlier in the day).
We have been presenting and implementing programs for 3 years through a new USDA REDI national project. Dumas was one of 47 recipients of the nationwide awards. REDI stands for Rural Economic Development Innovation. We have requested (from available funds) funding to assist us, and the city has turned us down repeatedly with no dissents on record. The bible teaches us to be not overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. Thus, there must be more good programs that must come forth from our city. The current leaders at our council and county are failing us. These monies would deliver more positive programs and bring greater oversight with events such as the one that took place on March 19. We provided strong programs for the weekend, but lack of funding is a challenge. The city has opted to spend over $150,000 to outside agencies and other events with little to show from these investments. Our organization, the West Dumas Community Life Center (now The Legacy Center) is over 25 years old and has done great works in the city of Dumas.
We have provided over $750,000 in food distribution during the pandemic with operations over 1 million dollars. Our programs include education, mentoring, workforce development, recreation with creative music and art pathways. Our Strategic Plan has been written and overseen by the USDA team of experts. The request for funding includes the curriculum that expands an online campus to a 20-million dollar mini-campus at The Legacy Center in West Dumas.
We have conducted major surveys that confirm our work is relevant and an important asset to this region. The time for Dumas to revisit programs and projects that are for the good of all of Dumas is now, Hunt concluded.”
Addressing the murder of Cameron Shaffer, 23, of Jacksonville, Dr. Chris Jones (gubernatorial candidate) was on site said their loss is "not just a newspaper line or a link" and the family's pain is "real." Among the victims were five children ranging in age from 11 years to 19 months, the youngest being a grandson of a Pine Bluff woman who was shot. "It's time for a balanced conversation on gun violence and gun safety," Jones said. "Arkansas ranks eighth-highest among states in gun deaths. Gun violence is the leading cause of death among children and teens in the state."
"We have to do this," the Rev. Jesse Turner of the Pine Bluff Faith Community Coalition Ministerial Alliance said in the parking lot of the old Fred's store where the shooting marred a car show held in conjunction with the Hood-Nic festival. "It's not an option. It must be done."
As the first step in his strategy, Turner announced that he and other local pastors sent a letter to U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., to reinstate the Weed and Seed program in cities like Pine Bluff and Dumas. Weed and Seed is a community-based program that aims to curb violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity in high-crime neighborhoods across America by "weeding" out criminals and "seeding" related human services.
Turner also said police officers should be paid overtime to watch over large gatherings like last Saturday's car show. Dumas police called for assistance from the Arkansas State Police after the shooting killed Cameron Shaffer, 23, of Jacksonville. State police said earlier this week there was no indication Shaffer played a role in the conflict that led to his death.
Police arrested Brandon Deandra Knight, 22, of Jacksonville on suspicion of first-degree murder.
Turner teamed with Rev. Arthur L. Hunt Jr., community activists Shawn Woods and Mela-Sidq "King" Supreme and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Chris Jones, a Pine Bluff native, to share their anti-violence ideas.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish," Hunt said, referring to the second chapter of Habakkuk in the Bible. "Without vision or clarity, there's going to be a perishing of people. That's not coded. That's real."
Woods and Supreme are part of a group in Little Rock called 99 More, referencing "99 more people just like you who care and want to see something done" about violence. They announced a "1,000-man march" lead by former NFL football player Reggie Swinton called Us vs. Us at the state Capitol at 2 p.m., on Sunday, March 27.
"What that means is exactly what it says, Us vs. Us," Woods said. "We have to find a way to put together a game plan that works" and show youths how much they are cared about, he added. Hunt, Woods and Supreme called out the "murder music" that they say draws young people to the idea of violence.
"As Black people, we have been at war with our very minds for a very, very long time," said Supreme, who said he served 14 years in state prison. "Some type of way, we lost sight of self-preservation. We cannot look past the cause. Our children are being programmed all the way from the womb to the graveyard."
Hunt attended the Sunday rally and spoke and offered prayer for the city and state. For more information on the work in Dumas and the REDI program visit: www.dat-c.org
This article submitted by Rev. Arthur Hunt, Jr.
