Frank Matthews, the co-director of the Mayor's Office of Citizens Assistance and a community activist, is planning a prayer vigil in Linn Park for Birmingham mayor Larry Langford this Sunday for the federal corruption and bribery trial in Tuscaloosa starting Monday. Also members of the Birmingham chapter of the SCLC and NAACP will be assisting in the vigil. He's also planning a caravan of supporters for Monday from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa for the trial and the plans will be finalized Sunday evening. Langford's trial is on some 60 counts of bribery, tax evasion, and corruption while he was still Jefferson County Commissioner.
Frank Matthew is a racebaiter and controversial. He was the one of Langford's main supporters for his 2007 mayoral campaign in which he called runner-up Patrick Cooper a "honky" although Cooper is biracial. Matthews was appointed by Langford to the Office of Community Assistance as co-director while the long-time director Don Lupo was basically pushed aside to be co-director with Matthews. Matthews hosts a radio show on a local AM radio station where he gained notoriety for his opinions and views as a community activist (which are mostly backwards and borderline racist).
It's ain't nothing' but the devil. He is another faux Christian that says he follows in the word, but uses his position for more destruction than good. I refused to have any involvement in this foolishness and destructive behavior enabling those who think keeping somebody that is symbol of what is wrong with society still in power. It is embarrassing that members Birmingham chapters of the NAACP and SCLC are contributing to this foolishness, but was silent as church mice when Langford was standing in the way of socially progressive events like the Central Alabama Pride. Langford and Matthews represents what is wrong with Birmingham and a number of black folks in the area. I blame the leadership of either chapter giving the organizations a bad name and that's where the blame lies, but you know some people don't want to hear that at all. However, that's the truth.
You gotta step up your A-game, NAACP and SCLC Birmingham chapters because Presidents of other chapters are aiding in progress, but you guys are just there. You're not helping your organizations by cosigning on bullcrap because "just because he's your skin folk doesn't make Langford your kinfolk".
UPDATE: Only 25 people showed up to the "prayer vigil" for the Mayor with SCLC Birmingham chapter President Calvin Woods screaming at the top of his lungs into a mega horn while praying for an acquittal.
