New “Stop Killing Us” Campaign Announces National Day of Action
Raleigh, NC – Stop Killing Us (SKU),” a newly organized social justice campaign based in North Carolina, will hold a press conference to announce police accountability solutions. A national day of action designed to peacefully protect the lives of African Americans and others in this generation will also be announced.
Who: Rev. Curtis E. Gatewood and the newly formed Stop Killing Us (SKU) Solutions Campaign
When: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at 11 a.m.
What: The unveiling of the “SKU Universal Demands and Standards for Law Enforcement” and the announcement of “SKU 8.28@6P.M. National Day of Action”
Where: North Carolina Department of Justice (Outside) 114 W. Edenton St. Raleigh, NC
SKU is calling for a “National Day of Action” on August 28th, the anniversary date for the historic 1963 March on Washington. This date also marks the brutal 1955 killing of 14 year-old Emmett Till in Mississippi by two members of the Ku Klux Klan.
During the press conference on Tuesday, organizers will unveil “SKU Universal Demands and Standards for Law Enforcement” and leave a hand-delivered copy with the Department of Justice in North Carolina. Some families whose relative was victim of excessive force are expected to attend the press conference as well.
On August 28, beginning at 6 p.m., SKU organizers will be calling for simultaneous rallies and/or press events in various cities and states throughout the nation. Participants are asked to schedule their “8.28@6P.M.” event at a Justice Department in their state or local police department in their town or city.
As part of the local action community members are asked to take turns reading the SKU Universal Demands and Standards for Law Enforcement and leave a copy of the demands with the local police or State Attorney General’s Office. The action calls for law enforcement officials to formally respond to demands by no later than 9/11.
Beginning August 7, a regional SKU representative, Jamal Johnson will show his dedication for this serious call through committing to a 21-day march leading up to the SKU 8.28@6P.M. National Day of Action. Johnson will march from Philly to D.C. as others are welcomed to join him.
On the 8.28 day of action, Johnson will meet others in front of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. where a 6 p.m. press conference will be held with SKU Founder Rev. Curtis E. Gatewood.
“Brother Johnson’s spirit, dedication, and willingness to take action to such an extent is a testament to my belief that many of us have been called to take steps beyond those normally expected; our resistance and refusal to accept the killings of unarmed citizens by law enforcement officers as a societal norm will become more visible and constant; we will not wait for the next shooting or choking before we demand this entire country ‘stop Killing us’,” said Gatewood.
Gatewood said the recent acquittal of the police officer who shot Philando Castile in front of his 4 year-old daughter and girlfriend was “the straw that broke the back of a camel whose back was already broken.”
Gatewood also said the Australian woman who was recently shot by police in Minneapolis during her 911 call where police body cams were turned off is a sad indication that police misconduct has been allowed to get out of hand to such a point – no one is safe as we have been warned by prophets who came before us that ‘a threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere’,” Gatewood said.
The SKU “universal standards” will therefore be crafted with demands, when enforced “universally” by law enforcement agencies across the nation, would save the lives of all entities involved including the police officers’.
In addition to requiring transparency which prohibits disconnecting or turning off dash cams and body cams during encounters with any persons, the nearly 20 universal standard items include the call for the elimination of no-knock searches; the requirement for regular psychological fitness exams and drug testing; the immediate termination, prosecution, and blocking loopholes which would allow the employment or rehiring of those who are found using excessive force; ceasing and reversing all trends toward militarizing law enforcement; implementation of thorough vetting to prevent the employment and infiltration of those who subscribe to philosophies of white supremacists, white nationalists, militias, domestic terrorists, nazi and confederacy sympathizing, and in other ways weed out and prosecute those who in any way affiliate with or support hate groups or individuals who commit known acts of racism.
Gatewood said SKU will ultimately address various ways in which a disproportionate number of African Americans are being killed daily ranging from pen-point through legislative violence to gunpoint such as gang-related violence.
“But what we will not allow is one community’s drug addiction to be described as a ‘health crisis’ while the other community’s drug problem is framed as a ‘war on drugs’ – in a war or a militarized atmosphere those considered targetable are grouped together by association rather than addressed individually in accordance to their individual need for help. The more our communities are seen as “war” zones rather than neighborhoods in need of love and respect, the more we will see armored military vehicles, military weaponry, or trigger-happy police officers coming into our communities to kill us.” Gatewood said.
For more information visit justiceministration.com.
Other SKU Contacts for this press conference and other assistance:
Mr. Robert L. Gatewood (MD, D.C. Area) – (301) 873-1357 robert@gatewoodmarketing.com
Mr. Jamal Johnson (PA, NY, NJ, MD, D.C. Area) – (480) 749-3438 uscmdi@aol.com
Atty. Aylett Colston (Raleigh Triangle) – 919 931-0761 acolston@mindspring.com
Dr. Comos George (Soul City Area) – (252) 213-2310 cng50_secut@yahoo.com
Ms. Cary Jones (Raleigh Triangle) – 919 673-3543 2carly.jones@gmail.com
Mrs. Alicia Vick (Raleigh Area) – 919-886-7311 aliciasvick@gmail.com
Ms. Felecia Dicks (GA area) – (706) 951-3051 feleciadicks@hotmail.com
Rev. Mark-Anthony Middleton (Durham Area) – (919) 597-8953 middltonma@hotmail.com
Mr. Abdul Burnette (Durham Area) – 347 344 0449 Abdulburnette97@gmail.com
Mr. Leon Gatewood (Charlotte Area) – (704) 695-4968 leon@wadesboro.com
Mr. Sidney Brodie (Durham Area) – 919 949-9095 slimsiddy1@gmail.com
Ms. Crystal (DE, PA Area) – 215 359-8323 cwest2623@gmail.com
Ms. Georgia Allen (VA Beach Area) – (757) 405-6240 allengf@msn.com