INTERVIEW; An Outsider Takes On L.A.'s Gang Problem HOME EDITION

• Published in: The Los Angeles times
• Main Author: Clayton, Janet
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, Calif Los Angeles Times Communications LLC 25.05.2003
• Subjects: Clergy; Crime prevention; Gangs; Murders & murder attempts; Rivers, Eugene; Los Angeles California
• ISSN: 0458-3035

The fact that [Eugene Rivers], a preacher from 3,000 miles away, had been invited in part by [William J. Bratton], the relatively new police chief, irritated some local African American leaders. Most, in deference to [Charles Blake], made polite excuses for why they didn't attend an organizing meeting with Rivers at Blake's West Angeles Church of God in Christ on Crenshaw Boulevard. One politician, the soon-to-retire Councilman Nate Holden, complained openly about the lack of protocol, saying that he and other local black leaders hadn't been properly notified of the meeting. Rivers, who has made the White House guest lists of presidents Clinton and George W. Bush, has seen it all before and loses no sleep over the thin skins and thick egos. A graying man of 53, with oversized glasses and a deliberately streetwise, syncopated speaking style, Rivers has a healthy ego, frequently speaking of himself in the third person. Rivers said Rivers came to Los Angeles and will keep coming back every month, not for "ring-kissing" of politicians but to organize the local "faith community" to go head to head with gangs. Leaders from churches small and large will receive training from Rivers and his team on how to use their positions with their congregations to help identify and reach out to local gang leaders and "father" them. This is what I've learned over the last 14 years: I go to Baltimore and Detroit and I say, "Bishop Big Shot and Reverend Important, I'm asking permission to come into your city. May I please organize the black underclass that is wreaking havoc? I'm asking for permission." And they say, "Rivers, you give me the credit, pay me a tithe and I'll give you permission to organize people I don't want anyway." Who wants to deal with very difficult young men who are very angry and very alienated? The black church has now produced a movement where the churches are doing work with the market that we incorrectly presume was only being serviced by the Nation of Islam.