Street Worker Axed

An emergency meeting was called last Wednesday by the Billy Holcomb Support Committee to contend with the recent dismissal of Stan Black as a street worker for the Community Youth Service Program (CYSP). Dick Humphries, Black's supervisor and director of the program, told reporters Black was fired for alleged "policy differences" with Detroit Mayor Coleman Young.

At a hearing on the gang situation two weeks ago, Black made the controversial statement: "Instead of hiring 400 police, l'd hire 400 community workers to go out here and work with these youth- I'm talking about people who live in the community."

Black believes that, as a community worker, he has the right to express his convictions without fear of dismissal. In fact, the city has no written policy limiting the expression of personal opinions by program workers. And it was the consensus of those in attendance at the Wednesday meeting that the Young administration does not want that sort of criticism.

Some of the community members at the meeting reported that many east side youth have become bitter and frustrated. "We need Brother Black," one citizen lamented. "The young kids feel they don't have anything to gain, and nothing to lose." According to the residents, more kids were seen out on the streets the evening of Black's dismissal than any other night since the curfew had been imposed.

Shirley Logan, a participant in the CYSP, voiced the attitudes of many of the youth: "Most workers come from 8 to 4. But Stan took time to be out on the street dealing with youth and our problems at any time. If they fired Stan, why should we believe they'll give us a chance?" This is the same reaction members of the M&M's (the Money Makers gang) had when Billy Holcomb was re-incarcerated. Several of them were completely turned off by the unjust treatment Holcomb received for trying to live a positive life, and instead of continuing to work with the Detroit Youth Association or CYSP, they started the notorious Errol Flynns.

Black believes the city administration fears the organizing of the poor, black working and non-working community. Billy Holcomb, who worked closely with Black before his re-incarceration, feels this latest move has deeper motives. Holcomb told Black on August 31 : "Watch the traps! Because it seems as though the administration is trying to set you up for 'some time'-I mean big penitentiary time. They need somebody to put the blame on for the gang situation."

Deputy Mayor Bill Beckham told reporters that Black's suspension came as a result of "growing protests from community leaders and city officials about Black's activities with gang members on the east-side." But neither Beckham nor any of his "community leaders" are viewed as leaders by many elements of the lower east-side community, which feels that the curfew and the State Police patrol of the city's freeways are oppressive tactics which push their frustrated youth into more desperate activities. "What we need are jobs and programs for the youth, not more police," one resident exclaimed angrily.

This crackdown on Stan Black appears to the Support Committee to be another ploy to discredit Billy Holcomb. The new carrying a concealed weapon charges publicized in the news media (one was dismissed, the other a violation of a city knife ordinance in which Holcomb was charged with carrying a knife 1/2-inch longer than the legal limit) and the dismissal of Black are seen as moves to keep Holcomb in prison.

"The reactionary business community, black and white, is calling for the heads of black youth." said a Committee spokesperson. "They offer no jobs to deal with the causes of crime, but would rather build more jails and hire more police to beat the people to death. And while the administration talks about the gang problem, the black community continues to talk about their on-going gang problem too-the police!"