Shalom Shalom Brothers and Sisters,

As some of you may know, my city Durham NC, has been portrayed in the national media as being "gang infested." While we do face the same challenges as other cities with youth violence, this issue has been overblown and exploited by politicians, the media and those who stand to make a profit from the funds that are generated under the guise of "fighting gangs."

Some politicians in North Carolina have been trying to make this bill into law since 2003, when it was called the "Street Gang Terrorism Bill". Last year it was called the "Street Gang Prevention Bill" and this year they are calling it the "Street Gang Suppression Bill."

Every year the bill gets shot down because of its failure to define what is a "gang member" and its constitutional violations. So every year, they try to sneak it in without the public (especially those most effected) knowing about it. However, with the unfortunate murder of Eve Carson, the white student body president of the University of NC, last winter, this time, the bill passed unanimously by the NC Senate and is scheduled to go before the NC House, soon. Even though, there is no evidence that the murder was "gang related."

It is no secret that young black men are stereotyped everyday in this country so it should be no surprise at whom this proposed law will be targeted.

I am sure that this is going on in other areas across the country, so I am reaching out to Brothers and Sisters across the country to help me spread the word about this legislation.

You can help by:

1) Reading my post about the bill that I wrote last year.

2) Posting information under the article about whether this is happening in your city.

3) Study the House Bill 274 and take notice to the budget and who is really going to make money from the demonization of our youth. The Budget.

4) If you know of any Brothers and Sisters in NC, please ask them to get involved.

5) Circulate this email on your blogs and email lists.

6) Contact the NC media and let them know that you oppose this bill.

www.heraldsun.com

www.newsobserver.com

7) For the Hip Hop artists, please make a song about the bill and circulate it on Mp3.

In no way, do we condone criminal behavior nor the destruction of our communities. However, we know that there are those who will use this law for their own
agenda and that fact will not hit home until your son or daughter (or maybe even yourself) gets thrown in jail because someone sees a tattoo and assumes that he
or she is a gang member.

Let us be proactive.

Thank you,

Min. Paul Scott
Messianic Afrikan Nation
Durham NC
(919) 451-8283