by KYW's Ian Bush
Organizers say they surpassed their expectations with nearly 12,000 people in attendance for the "10,000 Men Philly" rally at Temple University's Liacouras Center Sunday afternoon.
The event was geared toward black men to work to end violence in their Philadelphia communities.
Police commissioner Sylvester Johnson says it's less about a Guardian Angels-type street patrol than it is about many men taking charge of their own neighborhoods -- and it starts in the home:
"It is better to build children than to repair men. Our chance is to go out there to repair men. There's another quote that basically says 'when men act, children live.'"
Johnson invoked Ghandi, saying the thousands who turned out will be the change they want to see.
Why now? Why not before now, he asked -- a sentiment echoed by many of those who showed up:
"See, I lost a son two years ago. But everybody's been touched: cousins, aunts. Bullets don't have names on them. So with these people coming out today, it's love in the community."
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