Mobile police officer John Young gave a viral speech in June 2022 following the murder of 14-year-old Ciara Jackson about the "subculture of gun violence involving young black men." Now over a year later, he's still calling for a change in the black community to address the crime and violence in Mobile and other cities in America.
"The boldness I spoke with is the same thing everyone thinks. I only said it out loud. And I stand by that," Young said on a recent episode of the "1819 News Podcast." "Here in Mobile, 80% of our violent crime is committed by young black men between the age of 15 and 35, and most of their victims are young black men in that same demographic… While white people also commit homicides in Mobile, they are not doing it at the disproportion rate relative to population that young black men are. So the question is why?"
Young said the violence was a "sin" perpetuated by the breakdown of the family unit. He said it was time for everyone, black and white, to face the problem without fear of ridicule or being called "racist" if it's ever going to be fixed.
"I now give white Alabamians, you're relieved of any responsibility of racism if you join and stand up and say 'black men stop killing each other," Young said. "As a believer, as a Christian, as a man, you must speak the truth, and you must do it fearlessly or the Devil wins."
He continued, "It seems that this is the only topic we will not talk about when it concerns young black men committing violent crimes. The homosexual agenda is protected. Migrant rights are protected, vagrants' rights are protected. You can't say the r-e-t-a-r-d word anymore, but you can say the n-word. Black men can denigrate themselves, black women can present themselves as whores, and it's passed off as black culture… You know that isn't true."
Young said people need to stop playing the victim and take responsibility for their actions, which he said should begin in the home.
"We can't keep pointing to slavery… Why suddenly now are we allowing making excuses for young black men impregnating black women, beating black women and killing one another?" he asked. "That's the most insulting thing those purple-haired girls from New York have told southerners, that their smarter than us and I'm disenfranchised and I don't know I'm a victim, but her and her purple-haired girlfriend who goes by them, they, those and us can come to Alabama and tell me that slavery is affecting me and I just don't know it."
"Black people need to take accountability and responsibility for their homes because the strong black family got us through slavery, got us through Jim Crow, got us through the civil rights era," Young added. "It's only when feminism told all women they didn't need a man in the house and then welfare backed that up, and it alleviated men of their responsibility. So I'm saying let's get back to basics and let's get back to work."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com.
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
