Local Panelists Disagree on Solutions To Abolish Racial Violence in Boston

The only solution to racial violence in Boston is for members of the black community to have the right to armed self-defense, two panelists said at a conference discussion on race relations.

"Boston or any police force can't be on every street corner all the time, so the people have to be vigilant," Ken Wade, chairman of the African Liberation Support Committee, told the 75 persons attending the panel discussion in Science Center D.

"The police want to disarm us on the one hand, and they say they can't protect us on the other," he added.

The five panelists--religious, political, and community leaders--disagreed on the solution to racial violence. Sadiki Kambon, a representative of the Community for Human Rights in Roxbury, said he agreed with Wade that for self-protection blacks need the right to carry arms.

Wade said the real problem is the ruling class, which exploits all workers.

Desegregation through busing, he said, evades the more basic problems of poor education, poor housing, and lack of jobs in the Boston area.

Waster

"Busing children from one poor school to another poor school doesn't do anybody any good," Wade said. "Neither does taking a black family from one raggedy home in one section and putting them in a raggedy home in another section of the city," he added.

Francis M. Roach, head of the Community Disorders Division of the Boston Police Department, said the police are "being aggressive" in their efforts to quell racial violence, and that solving the problem requires a total commitment from the community.

"I don't support armed defense, though." Roach said. "I opt for neighborhood anti-crime groups so we know were the biggest problems are. We need the eyes and ears of the public," he added.

Boston Police Commissioner Joseph Jordan organized the Community Disorders Unit to deal with cases of crimes with racial motives. Roach said. Jordan said he also supported a recently passed bill that sets severe penalties for violations of civil rights.