Tag Archives: Militarization
Bernie Sanders’ speech to Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) | Blog#42
My essay on Bernie Sanders’ approach to BlackLivesMatter, police brutality, Continue reading Bernie Sanders’ speech to Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) | Blog#42
Answering Jeffrey Toobin: Who should investigate Police? | #BlackLivesMatter
In his December 30, 2014 piece in The New Yorker, legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin concludes:
“Schneiderman’s idea has considerable appeal; his judgment in the Eric Garner case would surely have had more credibility than the one rendered by Donovan. Still, special prosecutors are not necessarily good or bad. Like the locals they replace, they are only as good as the cases they bring, or refrain from bringing. That, ultimately, will rest on the good judgment of the individuals involved, and no one has yet figured out a way of putting the right person in place all the time.”
Continue reading Answering Jeffrey Toobin: Who should investigate Police? | #BlackLivesMatter
UPDATED: Bratton: between #NYPD, de Blasio, and #BlackLivesMatter
Gothamist put out a piece on a recent Bratton appearance where he “bemoans all the work it takes to explain police shooting Black men.” Here is an excerpt. Please go on to read the material from December for context. Bratton has gotten away for far too long with a public perception of him that is polar opposite of what he actually stands for. Continue reading UPDATED: Bratton: between #NYPD, de Blasio, and #BlackLivesMatter
Analysis: “Blood on the hands…” | #BlackLivesMatter
Using the expression “blood on the hands,” Pat Lynch, the head of the NYPD’s largest union, blamed Eric Garner protesters as well as his own mayor for the murder of two of his fellow officers. Never once did Lynch pause in his tirade to mention what, in the first place, led to the protests or his union’s part in fomenting civil unrest. Continue reading Analysis: “Blood on the hands…” | #BlackLivesMatter
Watch: NYPD uses military-grade sonic weapon on Eric Garner protesters
Long range acoustic devices (LRADs) have been previously implemented by police at protests throughout the world.
Thursday night at about 1am, at the intersection of 57 East and Madison Avenue in Manhattan—a populated area about four blocks from Columbus Circle—the NYPD used a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) to disperse about 100 protesters who were on the streets.
Continue reading Watch: NYPD uses military-grade sonic weapon on Eric Garner protesters
Perspectives on the #EricGarner case: Chief Bratton, #NYPD, Protests, Police Union
Watching Commissioner Bratton’s Face The Nation interview was a cringe-worthy experience. The commissioner rendered very opinionated answers, most of the time, very matter-of-factly and underhandedly. When you pressed your ear close to the TV speaker, you could tell that what was said so calmly wasn’t anything that should be taken as friendly to the people.
When asked how he felt when viewing the Garner choke-hold video, Bratton replied almost glibly:
“I don’t think that anybody watching that video isn’t disturbed by what they saw, that policing using involving use of force, it always looks awful. We have an expression: “lawful but awful…”
Continue reading Perspectives on the #EricGarner case: Chief Bratton, #NYPD, Protests, Police Union
#BlackLivesMatter: Commemorating those who fell to American racism
This is a partial list of recent victims of racism in America. It was compiled with the help of my good friend Charlie. Please look through it and, if you know of anyone else who fell to the militarized racist police state, please give me a name, date, and location.
Thank you. Continue reading #BlackLivesMatter: Commemorating those who fell to American racism
Tracking Police-involved Killings in the US
A Gawker article caught my eye this weekend. It is entitled: “What I’ve Learned from Two Years Collecting Data on Police Killings.” In it, I expected to learn about different state and national agencies and watchdog groups that do just that. Much to my dismay, no one really does. That is, with the exception of two or three reporters who’ve recently started, no one really does. Continue reading Tracking Police-involved Killings in the US
War Gear Flows to Police Departments | NYTimes
NEENAH, Wis. — Inside the municipal garage of this small lakefront city, parked next to the hefty orange snowplow, sits an even larger truck, this one painted in desert khaki. Weighing 30 tons and built to withstand land mines, the armored combat vehicle is one of hundreds showing up across the country, in police departments big and small.
Continue reading War Gear Flows to Police Departments | NYTimes