The original MMM's intent


I just read this quote from the Pacific News Service:

The first Million Man March targeted for spiritual redemption and self-help uplift the thousands of young black men who had turned to gangs, crime and drugs and who preyed on black communities. The problem was the march drew largely middle and working-class black business owners, professionals, academics and students. They were not the ones terrorizing their communities. It had no ongoing program or structure to energize violence-prone blacks and give them hope for the future. They had no real reason to lay down their guns.

From: Millions More March, Many More Problems

The problem with this quote is that it is not even true, really. I was in the mix of the first Million Man March, and I did not even really see anybody from Farrakahn to the NAACP saying that this was the case!

Granted, there was much representation from many sectors of the black community. The purpose of the orginal march was not to bring "violence-prone blacks" and make them change their ways. It was people coming together to work toward a common cause of unity, community uplift and strength. It was more about people uniting and getting beyond culture, skin tones, and other aims.

I guess you had to just be there, and apparently, this writer, Earl Ofari Hutchinson, was not.