Letter: Silence in death wrong

Dear Editor,

It appears as though leaders within the black community are finally fed up and are attempting to bring attention to a problem they have mostly long ignored. 



As most are already aware, 1-year-old Londyn Samuels is the latest victim of the senseless and barbaric killings that continue to plague inner cities all across America.



The NOLA Chapter of the NAACP along with residents and city officials in New Orleans beg the public for details in search of the shooter(s) responsible for gunning down baby Londyn and her babysitter as they walked innocently along a Central City street Thursday evening.



Since 2010, an average of one infant child per year has been killed as a result of gunfire in Central City alone.



In an unrelated letter to the editor dated 3-23-2011, I urged the NAACP to “rethink it’s purpose” as a whole and instead focus it’s mission on issues most important to the black community.



Now is the time. This is the time for black leadership to put aside manufactured racism and instead rally in the streets in an attempt to make accountable those within it’s own race responsible for these heartless haphazard acts.



New Orleans police superintendent Ronnie Serpas recently said “Cowardice will be overcome by the will of the people of New Orleans.” I’d like to add that this cowardice found common within the black community can only be overcome by the black community.

I applaud the NOLA chapter of the NAACP for rising up and leading the fight to stop black on black crime and bring to justice those responsible for the killing of baby Londyn.



Sadly, I cannot say the same for the infamous and nationally known leaders of the NAACP, as they’ve remained silent on this issue yet again.

Craig Dykes,

Chauvin