Urban League Leader Urges More Money for Neighborhoods, Not National Guard

The President of the National Urban League said in Memphis that more money should be poured into neighborhoods, rather than the task force or National Guard.

“Could those resources be spent more intelligently, to provide to the Memphis Police, more investigators so that they can investigate murders?” said Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League. “More community support programs, more mental health counselors, more support for the homeless, unhoused people on the street.”

Thursday (October 16), dozens of elected officials and community members gathered for an important conversation, hosted by the Memphis Urban League (Memphis, TN).

The event focused on the current state of America and Memphis, as well as the issues that are plaguing communities, such as poverty.

“We’re experiencing a state of emergency in America today and a state of emergency, particularly in Black America. The assault on diversity, the assault on voting rights, the effort to occupy our cities with the National Guard to me, represents revenge and performative politics,” Morial said.

The Memphis Safe Task Force says it’s made nearly 1,000 arrests since its deployment a little more than two weeks ago.

It’s been a little more than two weeks since the Memphis Safe Task Force deployment, and it remains a topic of conversation among the community.

“My first thought is, I believe that the National Guard should respond in times of civil discourse, when there’s like a lot of civil unrest going on, where there is an emergent situation. I don’t think that’s the case in Memphis,” said state Rep. Karen Camper, (D-Memphis), House Minority Leader.

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