Being
Black Is
Not A
Crime:
Stop
Killing
And
Start
Talking!
DETROIT
-
Mother’s
Day is
usually
a time
for
families
to
gather
together
to honor
women,
matriarchs,
and
significant
individuals
who have
spent
their
lives
raising
their
children.
It is
not a
day that
any
mother
would
want or
perceive
as a
moment
where
she
might be
forced
to bury
her
child.
The
shooting
death of
Derek
Leon
Roberts,
age 34,
on
Mother’s
Day
2018,
apparently
at the
hands of
Rami Ali
Jaber, a
clerk at
the
Citgo
Gas
Station,
located
on the
corner
of
Southfield
and W.
McNichols,
provides
an
unfortunate
tragic
example.
From all
indications,
it
appears
there
was an
exchange
of words
between
Rami
Jaber
and
Derek
Roberts.
Mr.
Jaber
reportedly
came
from
behind
the
standard
glass
enclosure
and
fired a
fatal
shot to
the
chest of
Mr.
Roberts.
This is
another
tragedy
that
impacts
two
families.
Many of
us
thought
that
glass
enclosures
were
designed
to
protect
and
secure
the
proprietor
from
possible
burglary
or other
inappropriate
activity.
Therefore,
one
would
think
there is
no
obvious
reason,
if your
life or
other
individuals
is not
at risk,
to come
from
behind
such an
enclosure.
Mr.
Jaber
was
arraigned
and
charged
with
first
degree
murder
in this
incident.
The
Detroit
Police
Department
and the
Wayne
County
Prosecutor’s
office
indicates
there is
both
video
and
audio
information
which
may
detail
what
occurred
at the
station.
Our
hearts
go out
to the
family
of Derek
Roberts
in the
loss of
his
life.
This
should
not have
occurred.
There is
no way
one can
adequately
replace
a life
that has
not yet
been
fully
lived.
We are
not
insensitive
to the
fact
that the
family
of Mr.
Jaber is
also
damaged
as a
result
of his
life
that
will now
change
forever.
For
years,
there
have
been
conflicts
which
arise
from
time to
time
from
such
incidents.
There
have
been
many
occasions
where
members
of
African
and Arab
American
communities
have
come
together
to
address
cultural
and
community
issues
that
speak to
the need
for
mutual
respect
and
understanding.
The
community
again
has to
deal
with a
young
black
life
that has
been
snuffed
out
before
his
family
and
friends
could
witness
his
complete
growth
and
development.
It
appears
that the
pursuit
of
justice
is on
the
right
track.
The
police
department
has made
an
arrest.
The
courts
have
held an
arraignment,
and we
believe,
from all
indications,
appropriate
charges
have
been
filed.
As we
move to
address
this
situation:
A. The
family
of Derek
Roberts
should
be
supported
and
given
every
courtesy
and
respect
that
they are
due.
B.
Justice
should
be
applied
swiftly
and
appropriately
in this
specific
situation.
C. There
needs to
be more
communication,
sensitivity
training,
and
cultural
orientation
among
businesses,
be they
gas
stations
or local
store
owners,
with the
people
that
they
serve.
D.
Viable
organizations
and
individuals
need to
assess
together
a
strategy
that
will
bring
together
as
opposed
to
continuously
keeping
some in
these
two
important
communities
apart.
The
reality
is we
live in
the city
of
Detroit.
There
are
business
owners
who
operate
in the
city of
Detroit.
We will
either
continue
to have
these
incidents
or we
can make
a
decision
to
foster a
deeper
understanding
with
accountability
for
inappropriate
actions.
There
are too
many
situations,
often
fatal,
whether
at a gas
station,
Starbucks,
corner
store,
airport,
restaurant,
standing
on a
sidewalk,
playing
in a
park,
walking
in a
neighborhood,
or
knocking
on a
front
door,
where
African
Americans
are not
viewed
with
respect
like
every
other
person.
African
Americans
have
worth,
value,
and
significance.
Everyone
must
think
before
they act
and act
like
they
have
been
doing
some
thinking.
Let us
all
remember
that
Being
Black Is
Not A
Crime.