By Apostle Roscoe J. Dabney III, Payson, Arizona
On June 1st, 2020, I (along with over 30 of my fellow male and female citizens of Payson) participated in a peaceful gathering on the sidewalk in front of Basha’s Supermarket. The group, later mischaracterized and described as “ thugs” by some people (many of whom did not personally witness the event), was a spontaneous, peaceful gathering of citizens who were concerned about rumors regarding the possible appearance of people intent on attacking and destroying Payson businesses and private properties. The rumor was circulated on social media, The Payson Roundup, and other methods of communication. I was alerted via phone calls as I am not on Facebook.
I confess that as a concerned citizen, I drove to Basha’s and greeted my fellow citizens (thugs?) gathering on the sidewalk. After pleasant and good-natured greetings, I was again informed by multiple people that an “unknown number of ‘Black Lives Matter’ protestors were headed to Payson” (possibly on a bus).
I confess that based on my 3 years as a civil rights worker with C.O.R.E. (arrested 22 times for integrating public accommodations in ’64 &’65), coupled with 14 years of experience as a Black Panther and radical left
To become a Black Panther/left wing radical, the study and acceptance of Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and Alinsky is a must. Therefore ‘Black Lives Matter’ and other left wing groups may fool you, but they can’t fool me. By the way- I am black.
Contrary to the accusations of one Roundup contributor, some of us “thugs” have law enforcement experience ( I have 16 years ). I am a full-time minister of Jesus Christ (ordained 1985, 2011, 2015) and former Marine veteran as well as a concerned citizen who will never stand by and allow people to come into our town to destroy it. I believe in the entire US Constitution, including the Second Amendment. There were no arrests because we did not violate any laws.
I confess I am a T.H.U.G. (Tested Human Under God), as described in 2 Corinthians 4:9- “Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;”
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