Saturday, November 29, 2014
The new threat: 'Racism without racists' - CNN.com
In a classic study on race, psychologists staged an experiment with two photographs that produced a surprising result.
They showed people a photograph of two white men fighting, one unarmed and another holding a knife. Then they showed another photograph, this one of a white man with a knife fighting an unarmed African-American man.
When they asked people to identify the man who was armed in the first picture, most people picked the right one. Yet when they were asked the same question about the second photo, most people -- black and white -- incorrectly said the black man had the knife.
Even before the Ferguson grand jury's decision was announced, leaders were calling once again for a "national conversation on race." But here's why such conversations rarely go anywhere: Whites and racial minorities speak a different language when they talk about racism, scholars and psychologists say.
I am utterly undone: My struggle with black rage and fear after Ferguson - Salon.com
"If I have to begin by convincing you that Black Lives Matter, we have all already lost, haven’t we? So let’s not begin there. Let’s begin at the end. At the end there is only Michael Brown Jr.’s dead body, no justice, and weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I am utterly undone: My struggle with black rage and fear after Ferguson - Salon.com
For his parents, there is only grief."
I am utterly undone: My struggle with black rage and fear after Ferguson - Salon.com
Structural and Institutional Racism Exists Within Police Forces - NYTimes.com
Structural and Institutional Racism Exists Within Police Forces - NYTimes.com:
This is a white problem. White culture must face that this is a group culture problem. This does not mean that all whites are bad but the view of this as a few bad apples stretches credibility into fantasy land. This is a group culture problem. There must be both responsibility and accountability. JHA
"Police officers are so rarely held accountable for killing even unarmed black and brown people, that no one was really surprised at the outcome this time. People have lost faith in the system, which repeatedly tells them black lives don’t matter.
But even if the grand jury had indicted Darren Wilson for killing Mike Brown, even if the grand jury in Staten Island indicts Daniel Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner, it wouldn’t resolve the structural and institutional racism that underlies police violence against black people. Yes, more officers should be held accountable for killing unarmed young men, but it isn’t a few bad apples, it’s the way that police are trained to see communities of color as war zones and to behave like occupying forces. In his testimony, Wilson called the neighborhood a “hostile environment” and told the grand jury, “it is just not a very well-liked community.”
Black people are angry because of the way we're treated, the way the police, who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law, are so often above the law. What we are seeing in Ferguson is a pro-democracy protest like other pro-democracy protests we’ve cheered worldwide in recent years. The people are saying that justice ultimately cannot spring from the status quo, so it must be dismantled. As Martin Luther King said, "Riot is the language of the unheard."
Someone needs to take responsibility for the state of policing. Gov. Jay Nixon isn’t, McCullough isn’t, nor is the department of justice, at least as of yet. Government failure has yet again shifted responsibility to the citizenry. And this is what democracy looks like."
This is a white problem. White culture must face that this is a group culture problem. This does not mean that all whites are bad but the view of this as a few bad apples stretches credibility into fantasy land. This is a group culture problem. There must be both responsibility and accountability. JHA
"Police officers are so rarely held accountable for killing even unarmed black and brown people, that no one was really surprised at the outcome this time. People have lost faith in the system, which repeatedly tells them black lives don’t matter.
But even if the grand jury had indicted Darren Wilson for killing Mike Brown, even if the grand jury in Staten Island indicts Daniel Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner, it wouldn’t resolve the structural and institutional racism that underlies police violence against black people. Yes, more officers should be held accountable for killing unarmed young men, but it isn’t a few bad apples, it’s the way that police are trained to see communities of color as war zones and to behave like occupying forces. In his testimony, Wilson called the neighborhood a “hostile environment” and told the grand jury, “it is just not a very well-liked community.”
Black people are angry because of the way we're treated, the way the police, who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law, are so often above the law. What we are seeing in Ferguson is a pro-democracy protest like other pro-democracy protests we’ve cheered worldwide in recent years. The people are saying that justice ultimately cannot spring from the status quo, so it must be dismantled. As Martin Luther King said, "Riot is the language of the unheard."
Someone needs to take responsibility for the state of policing. Gov. Jay Nixon isn’t, McCullough isn’t, nor is the department of justice, at least as of yet. Government failure has yet again shifted responsibility to the citizenry. And this is what democracy looks like."
Structural and Institutional Racism Exists Within Police Forces - NYTimes.com
Structural and Institutional Racism Exists Within Police Forces -
This is a white problem. White culture must face that this is a group culture problem. This does not mean that all whites are bad but the view of this as a few bad apples stretches credibility into fantasy land. This is a group culture problem. There must be both responsibility and accountability. JHA
"Police officers are so rarely held accountable for killing even unarmed black and brown people, that no one was really surprised at the outcome this time. People have lost faith in the system, which repeatedly tells them black lives don’t matter.
But even if the grand jury had indicted Darren Wilson for killing Mike Brown, even if the grand jury in Staten Island indicts Daniel Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner, it wouldn’t resolve the structural and institutional racism that underlies police violence against black people. Yes, more officers should be held accountable for killing unarmed young men, but it isn’t a few bad apples, it’s the way that police are trained to see communities of color as war zones and to behave like occupying forces. In his testimony, Wilson called the neighborhood a “hostile environment” and told the grand jury, “it is just not a very well-liked community.”
Black people are angry because of the way we're treated, the way the police, who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law, are so often above the law. What we are seeing in Ferguson is a pro-democracy protest like other pro-democracy protests we’ve cheered worldwide in recent years. The people are saying that justice ultimately cannot spring from the status quo, so it must be dismantled. As Martin Luther King said, "Riot is the language of the unheard."
"NYTimes.com: Police officers are so rarely held accountable for killing even unarmed black and brown people, that no one was really surprised at the outcome this time. People have lost faith in the system, which repeatedly tells them black lives don’t matter.
But even if the grand jury had indicted Darren Wilson for killing Mike Brown, even if the grand jury in Staten Island indicts Daniel Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner, it wouldn’t resolve the structural and institutional racism that underlies police violence against black people. Yes, more officers should be held accountable for killing unarmed young men, but it isn’t a few bad apples, it’s the way that police are trained to see communities of color as war zones and to behave like occupying forces. In his testimony, Wilson called the neighborhood a “hostile environment” and told the grand jury, “it is just not a very well-liked community.”
Black people are angry because of the way we're treated, the way the police, who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law, are so often above the law. What we are seeing in Ferguson is a pro-democracy protest like other pro-democracy protests we’ve cheered worldwide in recent years. The people are saying that justice ultimately cannot spring from the status quo, so it must be dismantled. As Martin Luther King said, "Riot is the language of the unheard."
Someone needs to take responsibility for the state of policing. Gov. Jay Nixon isn’t, McCullough isn’t, nor is the department of justice, at least as of yet. Government failure has yet again shifted responsibility to the citizenry. And this is what democracy looks like."
This is a white problem. White culture must face that this is a group culture problem. This does not mean that all whites are bad but the view of this as a few bad apples stretches credibility into fantasy land. This is a group culture problem. There must be both responsibility and accountability. JHA
"Police officers are so rarely held accountable for killing even unarmed black and brown people, that no one was really surprised at the outcome this time. People have lost faith in the system, which repeatedly tells them black lives don’t matter.
But even if the grand jury had indicted Darren Wilson for killing Mike Brown, even if the grand jury in Staten Island indicts Daniel Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner, it wouldn’t resolve the structural and institutional racism that underlies police violence against black people. Yes, more officers should be held accountable for killing unarmed young men, but it isn’t a few bad apples, it’s the way that police are trained to see communities of color as war zones and to behave like occupying forces. In his testimony, Wilson called the neighborhood a “hostile environment” and told the grand jury, “it is just not a very well-liked community.”
Black people are angry because of the way we're treated, the way the police, who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law, are so often above the law. What we are seeing in Ferguson is a pro-democracy protest like other pro-democracy protests we’ve cheered worldwide in recent years. The people are saying that justice ultimately cannot spring from the status quo, so it must be dismantled. As Martin Luther King said, "Riot is the language of the unheard."
"NYTimes.com: Police officers are so rarely held accountable for killing even unarmed black and brown people, that no one was really surprised at the outcome this time. People have lost faith in the system, which repeatedly tells them black lives don’t matter.
But even if the grand jury had indicted Darren Wilson for killing Mike Brown, even if the grand jury in Staten Island indicts Daniel Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner, it wouldn’t resolve the structural and institutional racism that underlies police violence against black people. Yes, more officers should be held accountable for killing unarmed young men, but it isn’t a few bad apples, it’s the way that police are trained to see communities of color as war zones and to behave like occupying forces. In his testimony, Wilson called the neighborhood a “hostile environment” and told the grand jury, “it is just not a very well-liked community.”
Black people are angry because of the way we're treated, the way the police, who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law, are so often above the law. What we are seeing in Ferguson is a pro-democracy protest like other pro-democracy protests we’ve cheered worldwide in recent years. The people are saying that justice ultimately cannot spring from the status quo, so it must be dismantled. As Martin Luther King said, "Riot is the language of the unheard."
Someone needs to take responsibility for the state of policing. Gov. Jay Nixon isn’t, McCullough isn’t, nor is the department of justice, at least as of yet. Government failure has yet again shifted responsibility to the citizenry. And this is what democracy looks like."
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Finally the President is doing the right thing on immigration.
NYTimes: Obama Said to Plan Moves to Shield 5 Million Immigrants
"Asserting his authority as president to enforce the nation’s laws with discretion, Mr. Obama intends to order changes that will significantly refocus the activities of the government’s 12,000 immigration agents. One key piece of the order, officials said, will allow many parents of children who are American citizens or legal residents to obtain legal work documents and no longer worry about being discovered, separated from their families and sent away.
That part of Mr. Obama’s plan alone could affect as many as 3.3 million people who have been living in the United States illegally for at least five years, according to an analysis by the Migration Policy Institute, an immigration research organization in Washington. But the White House is also considering a stricter policy that would limit the benefits to people who have lived in the country for at least 10 years, or about 2.5 million people."
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Why I Hate NYPD.
New York City Can Finally Move Ahead With Stop-And-Frisk Settlement
"NEW YORK -- Lawmakers and advocates rejoiced Friday after a federal appeals court refused to allowNew York City police unions to intervene in the city’s sweeping stop-and-frisk settlement. The decision removed the last major obstacle for Mayor Bill de Blasio in reforming the police department's use of the tactic, and in fulfilling a campaign promise that helped him win the mayor's race a year ago.
“Today's ruling rejects the police unions' baseless attempts to obstruct stop-and-frisk reforms,” said Priscilla Gonzalez of the group Communities United for Police Reform. “The decision puts us on the road forward to engage in a citywide process to identify concrete changes that will protect the constitutional and civil rights of all New Yorkers.”
Last year, U.S. District Judge Schira Scheindlin ruled that the NYPD’s use of stop-and-frisk was unconstitutional and amounted to an “indirect policy of racial profiling.” She ordered remedies and a federal monitor to oversee the department.
Chirlane McCray Slams New York Post For Publishing 'Lies'
"The first lady of New York City took aim at the New York Post in a recent op-ed, accusing the publication of printing lies about her feelings toward Police Commissioner Bill Bratton.
On Sunday, Chirlane McCray's photo was splashed on the front page of the Post beneath a banner teasing "War At The NYPD" and beside the headline "I Told You We Can't Trust Him!" The Post claimed McCray made the remark during a conversation with husband Mayor Bill de Blasio, blaming Bratton for Chief of Department Philip Banks' abrupt resignation last week.
“She is friendly with Banks, and he was her choice” for commissioner, a supposed source told the Post. “She was very upset when he resigned."
Sunday, November 09, 2014
Saturday, November 08, 2014
Loretta Lynch, Federal Prosecutor, Will Be Nominated for Attorney General - NYTimes.com
"Ms. Lynch gained prominence for her work prosecuting members of the New York Police Department for the 1997 case in which a Haitian immigrant, Abner Louima, was beaten and sodomized with a broom handle. The case became a national symbol of police brutality.
Gerald L. Shargel, a prominent defense lawyer, said Ms. Lynch was remarkably approachable."
Thursday, November 06, 2014
Megyn Kelly’s Really Scary Muslim - The Daily Beast
"Another day, another Fox News segment stoking the flames of hate against Muslims
The latest chapter in Fox’s unholy war on Muslims occurred on Wednesday night’s episode of “The Kelly File” where the show served up factual inaccuracies and an anonymous guest of questionable credibility to bash Muslims."
Wednesday, November 05, 2014
Kuwaiti Prisoner Held for 13 Years Is Released From Guantánamo - NYTimes.com
The Kuwaiti, Fawzi al Odah, is also only the second low-level prisoner to be released from Guantánamo this year. Last year, President Obama had pledged to revive his efforts to close the prison. Administration officials said that an end-of-year flurry might be coming: The Pentagon has notified Congress that nine other detainees, including six bound for Uruguay, may soon be transferred.
Kuwaiti Prisoner Held for 13 Years Is Released From Guantánamo - NYTimes.com
Tuesday, November 04, 2014
The Shake-Up at Rikers Island - NYTimes.com
"Violence and corruption became entrenched at New York City’s Rikers Island jail because officers who ignored or even condoned that culture were moved steadily up the ladder into management.
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s correction commissioner, Joseph Ponte, continued that practice five months ago when he promoted William Clemons, a warden at Rikers, to be chief of department, the highest-ranking uniformed officer. That was against the advice of the Department of Investigation, which had reviewed the man’s record and objected to the promotion.
Mr. Clemons and two others have now stepped down in what Mr. Ponte’s office describes as part of an effort to restructure the bureaucracy and better control violence. This change is a long time coming. But it is not enough to restore public confidence in Mr. Ponte’s judgment.
The controversy over the Clemons promotion surfaced in September when The Times reported that the department under Mr. Ponte’s predecessor had sanitized a 2012 report that found that Mr. Clemons and his deputy warden, Turhan Gumusdere, had been derelict in their jobs and failed to supervise the jail they oversaw at the time."
Monday, November 03, 2014
Recommended read from Salon.com: Report: No-fly zone over Ferguson was aimed to keep media away
"The Federal Aviation Administration agreed to a St. Louis County Police requested no-fly zone over Ferguson, Missouri, which allowed for exemptions for police helicopters and commercial flights, but restricted the media, the Associated Press is reporting. The AP obtained recordings via the Freedom of Information Act, which revealed that the 12 day restriction of 37 square miles of airspace around Ferguson may have deliberately hampered freedom of the press."
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