STANDING UP FOR THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY

Re: Turning East Tampa around, editorial, Aug. 25.

The St. Petersburg Times faults the African People's Solidarity
Committee for our stand that problems facing the African community can
be traced not to drugs but to "poverty and oppression." The Times
calls our demands for justice "inane" and "knee-jerk rhetoric."

The African People's Solidarity Committee is a white organization
working under the leadership of the Uhuru Movement. APSC is calling
for social justice and economic development for the African community,
not martial law and mass arrests. Apparently the Times expects that
white people should remain silent as Tampa and St. Petersburg attempt
to rid the streets of black people to make way for white
gentrification and investment.

The African People's Solidarity Committee recently protested Tampa
Mayor Pam Iorio's "Operation Commitment" which last month made a sweep
of nearly 500 African people from one of the most impoverished
sections of East Tampa. The sweeps netted $1,200 in supposed drug
money, about $1.25 a person.

Here in St. Petersburg, similar sweeps have taken place as 490 mostly
African youth were arrested on the south side where 70 percent of the
citizens live in poverty. The St. Petersburg police made a huge
display board of photos of young black men and their rap sheets which
was pictured in the paper. A look at the police data reveals, however,
that 195 of those arrested had no prior record. Many were only charged
with such things as "giving a false name," "obstruction," or
"littering."

Statistics show that 72 percent of all illicit drug users are white
but almost 60 percent of those in state prisons on drug charges are
black. Yet, in the white communities we don't experience sweeps of
people standing on corners and criminalization by the media and police.

Both Mayor Iorio and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker came into office
with a promise of economic development for the African communities
which elected them. The legislature just voted $66-million for new
prisons in Florida while money for education is being taken away and
promises of economic development for impoverished African communities
are nothing but empty words.

The African People's Solidarity Committee is one group of white people
who will not be silent and complicit. We demand economic and social
justice for African people. We will not accept economic benefits for
ourselves at the expense of the black community.

PENNY HESS

St. Petersburg