Landsmark Press Conference (1976)

as just another scuffle on the streets of City Hall Plaza. I've worked for a number of years on economic and social development issues in communities of color and other economically depressed areas throughout the East Coast. Racism is the apparent direct cause of Monday's unprovoked attack on me. But such racism has been fueled by in my judgement selfish political leaders who've been unable or unwilling to address themselves much more seriously to the hard core economic and social problems Boston faces. We continue to need jobs and housing and high-quality education and human decency for all the people of Boston. I will continue to work towards those ends. Retaliatory violence will not solve these problems.

But continued work by those of us in communities of color to strengthen our communities will. We have now the economic and the political strength to come to solutions for these problems. And Monday's attack, in my mind, only serves to underline the necessity of our using our economic and political strength to better social benefit for all of us. I think it unfortunate that the attack on me is already being used by some people for their own narrow ends and justifications. The issue goes far beyond safety in the streets. We cannot solve complex problems with simplistic solutions or with emotional overreactions. My first thoughts when I got to my feet in City Hall Plaza and I saw Jeep Jones were to get

to the Mayor to discuss matters of affirmative action in city contracting which seriously need his attention. You will note as you review those films that I stood up and kept on my way in toward City Hall. Because it was clear to me is what my purpose for being at City Hall was on Monday. While I do not agree with the statement that I understand Mr. [inaudible] of the Department of Justice has made that this is an isolated incident, I do feel that the issue of safety is only a small part of the problem. We must avoid being exploited and having this act of violence exploited, to distract attention from the complex and extremely urgent problem of the life of this city and the lives of black and white people and all colored peoples in this city.

Safety is not the issue. Busing is not the issue. The issue involves the participation of citizens of color in all levels of business and government that affect the life of this city. And by that I mean participation on an equal basis, and not just as human rights officers, and affirmative action officers, and not just as shields to cover white- the white power structure's indifference towards communities of color. The issue of racism must no longer be subordinated in this city. Federal, State and local officials must act now to enforce all of the law. By that I mean, not just the law with respect to safety, but all the body of civil rights and affirmative action law which effects programs in this city. Business, both of color and white, and government must start to work now

purposefully to create a sound economic environment of the- within the communities in which citizens of color now live and work. That includes City Hall Plaza.