One Year Ago Trayvon Martin Was Murdered..What Have We Done Since Then?

Davey-D-purple-frameOne year ago today 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was killed by a wannabe cop who was serving as a neighborhood watch captain named George Zimmerman..

Trayvon was unarmed when he was profiled and confronted for looking suspicious even after police told Zimmerman not to pursue him… One year later after all of us wore hoodies and held up skittles, what has changed and where are we both with the case and the way we deal w/ violence, racism and our collective pursuit for justice?

What was bothersome was far too many caked off the Trayvon tragedy..It was a way to get camera time by expressing outrage, but the important follow-up was all but abandoned.. For example, there was a call to push back on ALEC.. The American Legislative Exchange Council which was primary engine responsible for putting Stand Your Ground Laws in effect all over the country. We made promises to dismantle it and stop the millionairs and billionaires like the Koch brothers from using it to their advantage and our detriment

Trayvon Martin

Trayvon Martin

Even if Zimmerman himself will not be using Stand Your Ground, it was the existence of this law that emboldened him to chase down Trayvon and shoot him..Have been people been keeping up w/ ALEC? Have they been following the work of Color of Change which is still in the mix fighting this?

Many have all but forgotten the case of Marissa Alexander, the young mother who was abused by her husband who in defending herself from another brutal attack shot a gun in the ceiling to prevent herself from being beat.. Her actions would’ve been in line w/ Stand Your Ground.. She is now serving 20 years for her actions..

The same DA/State Attorney, Angela Corey who is overseeing the prosecution of Zimmerman is the same DA who prosecuted Alexander.. She is also the same Angela Corey who made history by trying a 12-year-old in adult court..Her term is up this year..What’s the plan of action regarding her? Will she pursue the Trayvon case vigorously? Are we concerned about her mistreatment of Marrissa Alexander?

Jordan Davis

Jordan Davis

Since Trayvon we saw a repeat incident in Jacksonville Florida, when 17-year-old Jordan Davis was shot and killed by a man named Michael Dunn who felt the unarmed teen was playing his music too loud. Dunn was finally charged w/ First degree murder..Davis’ parents are fighting ALEC and Stand Your Ground..They said they will crusade against these laws in honor of their slain son..Have we joined them? Do we care?

Since Trayvon there have been a rash of raced based vigilante attacks and killings from Oklahoma City on down to the some of the border states. For whatever reason many have not connected the killings of Brown folks by anti-immigrant Minute men types in places like Tuscon to what was happened to folks like Trayvon and Jordan..and before that, to folks in New Orleans who were shot and killed fleeing flooded areas after Katrina for higher ground..

Since Trayvon the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement issued a stunning report documenting extrajudicial killings by law enforcement and law enforcement types.. The report revealed that every 36 Hours a Black person was killed. What have we done to follow that up? Most recently a number of organizations met in Oakland to a packed house to update the findings and lay out a number of next steps to hold folks accountable and get justice.. Have we joined those efforts?

Stop the Violence March in Chicago

Stop the Violence March in Chicago

Right after Trayvon was shot there were some who were upset that folks had rallied his killing. Their rationale was Black folks kill each other all the time. They pointed to cities like Chicago as a glaring example of inner city violence..For those folks since Trayvon, what’s been the progress you initiated? Whats the orgs you linked up to that others can join? Whats the legislative path being pursued that others can help out on?

One year ago Trayvon Martin was killed. It angered us. It shocked us..It had us wearing hoodies..But if all we did was wear a hoodie after one year with all that has happened, I dare say we failed Trayvon and failed ourselves..What more needs to happen before the current climate is shifted?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKaJoEyYXyI

Trayvon Martin Tribute: Mos Def, Dead Prez & MikeFlo “Made You Die”

M-1 of dead prez always represents for the people

Mos Def and dead prez come together to do a song that pays tribute to Trayvon.. We had a great convo with M1 the other day about this.. He reminded us that Florida is also home to the Uhuru Movement an oragnization that helped shape and mold him.He said the spirit of resistance in the Sunshine State is strong and should not be overlooked or underplayed.. Here’s what they did..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz8-lEof–I

An Incredible Commentary: I am NOT Trayvon Martin

This woman goes in a drops lots of gems on this commentary around Trayvon Martin… She addresses the issue of race, white privilege and activism in the wake of Trayvon’s murder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBRwiuJ8K7w

Transcript:
I AM NOT TRAYVON MARTIN.
I AM NOT TROY DAVIS.

and to the middle class, white, socially concerned activist who wears a shirt emblazoned with those slogans, you are wrong.

I know you wear that shirt to stand in solidarity with Trayvon, Troy, and other victims of injustice. The purpose of those shirts is to humanize these victims of our society, by likening them to the middle class white activist wearing it. And once we’ve humanized the victims, this proves to us the arbitrariness of their deaths and thereby the injustice at play.

But the fact of the matter is that these men’s deaths are anything but arbitrary. The fact that the real Troy Davis and Trayvon Martin and countless other victims of oppression are buried under 6 feet of cold dirt while we middle class white activists are alive, marching, and wearing their names is an indication that our societal system is working exactly as it’s intended.

A more accurate t-shirt to display on my white body would be “I AM GEORGE ZIMMERMAN.” Zimmerman and I were indoctrinated in the same American discourse where we learned that the “other,” particularly black men like Trayvon and Troy, were less human and were to be feared. Society taught me that as a little white girl, I must preserve my purity and goodness, and that the presence of young single males threatened it. Society taught me that being in the presence of a BLACK man compounds that threat exponentially. I have been taught that male, black, bodies are an immediate threat to my safety and the well being of society as a whole, and Zimmerman was taught the same damn thing. We’re all taught it.

I look at George Zimmerman and think, “there, but for the grace of god, go I.” Had it not been for a decent education, intense critical thinking, and some truly excellent parenting, I would never have questioned the societal norms that Zimmerman and I were both taught, and I would have ended up feeling his attack on Trayvon was justified, just as he did, and the state of Florida does.

If we are to effect real change in the wake of Trayvon’s murder, we have to realize this. Realizing that you more closely resemble a homicidal oppressive force than a helpless victim is a really uncomfortable thing to do. I know. But wanting to identify with the victim is weak, and immature when it is not an accurate representation of reality. Real change is effected when we own up to our actions, our privilege, and our complicity with the system that murdered Trayvon and countless others.

Us privileged activists have to realize just how easy it is to be Zimmerman, and work to change this. Subvert stereotypes. Make it harder for others to buy into the bullshit that we’re fed our whole lives about race, class, gender, and other people by identifying and critiquing these messed up norms. Force adults to confront these norms, and raise children without indoctrinating them with the same old bullshit. Use your privilege to actively dismantle this messed up system. Listen to marginalized people like Trayvon’s family and Troy’s family and insure them access to the discourse. Listen to them, stand in solidarity with them. But do not, I repeat, DO NOT claim to be them.

 

Trayvon Martin: 2 Videos Show George Zimmerman Lying & Police Cover Up

Here are a couple of videos folks should peep that shed additional light on the Trayvon Martin controversy.. The latest comes courtesy of ABC News which shows lack of blood, grass stains and a broken nose which contradicts Zimmerman’s claim he was in a life or death struggle with Trayvon….Oakland journalist Zennie Abraham walks us thru the video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hlG1msAcsQ

The second video is one in which someone shows us the Google Earth map of Twin Lakes Gated Community in Sanford, Florida. The video shows just how far and how much of chase George Zimmerman put up when chasing down Trayvon Martin.. I encourage all to take a look..Judge for yourself..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUqUGJ9a3yk

George Zimmerman

Both of these videos add to the overall questions,  I and a whole lot of other people have been asking; What kind of investigation is going on in Florida where all these new witnesses are popping up every 5 minutes to tell their tales on CNN?

Maybe Anderson Cooper should be Chief of Police in Sanford, Fla because he seems to be doing a better investigation then the police.. Heck I need to call up Anderson and tell him I’m a surprise witness who seen the whole thing.. ‘Dear Anderson Cooper, I’m a surprise witness to the Trayvon situation, I was coming around the corner and I seen the whole thing.. I seen the police lie, I seen the police lie some mo’ and then later on I seen the police lie one mo’ again..’ ….

All these damn witnesses is gonna lead to some sort of tainted trial.. In the words of Public Enemy-Can’t Truss It..

 

An Open Letter to Rick Ross & all of the so-called “Bosses” of Hip Hop by Gat Turner

This is an incredible an insightful letter penned by Gat Turner..He brings a lot of clarity and insight around the silence f many of our ‘Big Boss’ rappers… U can peep the original HERE -Davey D-

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

May this letter find you in the best of health and spirit.

Peace,

I felt compelled to write this letter because it seems that everybody is screaming that they are a “Boss” in the rap game today, & some of the brothers (and sisters) have become quite clever & adept in their declaration of this title. Dons, Bosses, & Generals are just a few of the titles that these kinds of rappers claim, denoting their authority, leadership and ability to call shots and command allegiance by an untold amount of soldiers, both seen and unseen.

I am an admitted fan of gangsta movies like the Godfather Trilogy, Scarface, Goodfellas, Casino & even “hood” favorites like New Jack City, Paid In Full, and Belly. I study these films, not because I enjoy the sex, profanity, & violence, I am a fan of these films because I like to study the underlying principals in the movies.I like to analyze the principals behind of the rise and fall of the protagonists in these films.

In The Godfather I, it was fascinating to me identifying the intangibles that made Don Corleone powerful. It was not just his wealth that made his network viable, but it was also how he leveraged his money to work for not only himself, but also his “Family”. His power was also in his political contacts, his sacrifice and his charity. Interestingly, both Godfather I & II opened with a wedding scenes, that were also obscure invitations to those in the family, (or close to the Family) to petition the Don for a favor. These favors ranged from monetary loans to political accommodations. These scenes showed how when the Don bestowed his benevolence upon you, there was also an unspoken understanding that in the future, there was a possibility that you may be called upon to reciprocate his graciousness. The Don sacrificed for you, and because of this act of beneficence, you felt obligated to be at his disposal. Many people misinterpret this type of loyalty solely as fear.

With just minimal study of the Godfather Trilogy, I recognized all of the principals of Kwanzaa displayed throughout the stories. I could easily demonstrate how every boss/don commanded Unity (Umoja), had Self Determination (Kujichagulia), inspired Collective Work and Responsibility (Ujima), pooled their resources for Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa), had a single driven Purpose (Nia), then demonstrated Creativity (Kuumba), & showed Faith (Imani) when pursuing that purpose. These principals are all active ingredients in the recipe of any Gangsters’ success story, and the violation of these principals is always the undoing of not only the protagonist, but also the entire Family.

Gat, why are you talking about this “gangsta shit”? I am talking about this because it is all that I hear on the radio stations, it is all that I see on the rap video shows, & this is all that I read about in the Hip Hop publications. It seems nowadays that as soon as we gets a cash advance, we are screaming that we’re a “Boss” & promoting this so called gangsta culture! Well it’s time for us to examine the people who are claiming to be “Bosses”, and see if they really are.

It is common knowledge that many rappers and record execs do live lavish lifestyles. As the late great Notorious B.I.G. once said, “Money, clothes and hoes is all a nigga knows…” It is also common knowledge that many of these so-called “Bosses” place hefty bets well into the 100’s of thousands of dollars on boxing bouts, Super Bowls, & NBA Championships. I’m sure that there will be some mind blowing wagers on this year’s Final Four, but before you place that bet let me have your attention for just a second. If it be the will of Allah, you may have a change of heart with what to do with your money, by the time that I’m finished this letter.

Trayvon Martin

On February 26, 2012 a young man named Trayvon Martin was murdered in cold blood and his known killer remains at large. There have been a number of substantial demonstrations in the streets across America in protest of this injustice. Our people are outraged at how this travesty has been handled. The New Black Panther Party even scraped up $10,000 and offered it to anybody who had knowledge of the killer’s whereabouts so that they could make a citizens’ arrest.

Well, most of the “Bosses” trick that measly amount of money off at the strip club in one a night “making it rain” or “buying the bar out”. Many underground artists have made songs, written poetry, used their cameras, pencils and paintbrushes in tribute to our slain brother. As much as we rap about killing each other in the mainstream, it seems that at least one of you would have had the courage to make a “Kill George Zimmerman” song. The fact that no one has done this, shows me that we aren’t as ignorant as we pretend to be.

Gat Turner, are you advocating that someone kill George Zimmerman?! All of you scared to death Negroes calm down. No, I’m not advocating the murder of George Zimmerman… not yet at least. My point is simply that we are very vocal, bold and careless with our speech when it comes to “Beef” with each other, but we are very cautious, fearful and reserved when it comes to “Real Issues” that affect our community, our people, and our fan base. I would like to see some of these “Bosses” or “Dons” offer some form of support to Trayvon Martin’s family, whether financial or even just a comforting word would mean a lot to a mourning family in their bereavement, & it would make a tremendous impact and statement to your fans. I will acknowledge that some of these so-called “Bosses” have donned hoodies in solidarity with Trayvon’s family and their supporters, but hell even babies & puppies have done that.

Gat, why are you calling out these so called “Bosses” in general, and Rick Ross in particular? I am calling them out because it’s time. I can’t say this for sure but I wouldn’t doubt that Trayvon has purchased at least one record by a so called “Boss”. I singled Rick Ross out in particular because he is actually from Florida, the state where Trayvon’s murder took place. He is probably the most successful of all the rappers that come from there, & many would argue that he is the most talented. He is also most known for being a “Boss”, or at least proclaiming to be one.

Gat, do you expect Rick Ross to become an activist? No I don’t. I wouldn’t expect to see Don Corleone holding a picket sign yelling, “No Justice, No Peace” either. Do I expect him to give a damn? Yes I do, if he’s indeed what he proclaims to be. A true “Boss” is always concerned with that which is not in order around him, because it affects him, it affects his family, and affects his business. There is no way that Don Corleone would allow some Blackman to wander into his neighborhood/territory and kill some Italian child for nothing & that crime go unpunished. He would be involved. (I will leave the level of his involvement to your own imagination.) If one is truly a “Boss”, everything that happens in his jurisdiction has to go through him. Any criminal activity taking place in his territory, he has knowledge of, because it first had to go through him. Any politician seeking office, first sought his endorsement. Even religious leaders and activists have to seek his blessing, in order to demonstrate or officiate in an area that he has carved out as his own.

If you are not garnering this type of respect from your followers, fans, and communities please stop false flagging, because you are confusing the people. Hell, even the poet/emcee/spoken word community in my hometown (Milwaukee, WI) can call on a hundred men for a worthy cause. How much more should a “Boss” be able to do with millions of dollars in his war chest, and millions of fans at his disposal?

To be a "true" Don or Boss requires tremendous sacrifice.

Before I continue, I think that this title does deserve a little clarity. It is important to note that just because one has sold dope before he/she made a record, doesn’t make him/her a “Boss”. It makes you a former dope peddler. Just because one has excess money that they choose to squander on loose women, expensive alcohol, & drugs, this doesn’t make you a “Boss”either. It makes you a trick, an alcoholic, &/or an addict. If you have killed someone that looks like you and gotten away with it, that doesn’t make you a “Boss”. It makes you a murderer and an agent in your own genocide. Finally, nice clothes, cars, homes or material possessions don’t make you a “BOSS”. It just makes you a nigga with a lot of expensive toys…

I am not disillusioned. I know that we have come a long way from the likes of a Nina Simone, Paul Robeson, Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, and a Tupac. There are indeed those of us who are out here striving to follow in there footsteps, but you may never hear us on your radio or see us on your television. The enemy has gotten much wiser in his efforts to keep the people focused on filth and indecency so that they remain ignorant. Perhaps it is not even fair for me to expect today’s “mainstream” artists to pick up the torch and carry on where the aforementioned artists left off. It is however fair for me to expect them to represent the Truth in their music, & to step up when the opportunity presents itself for them to be what they claim they are. In this case, many are claiming to be “Bosses”.

Though I admit to admiring some of you self-proclaimed “Bosses” for your lyrical creativity and swagger, there is one thing that history has made very clear and very evident…. YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF ME! This is the Smokin’ Gat! #justice4trayvonmartin

written by Gat Turner

original article: https://www.facebook.com/notes/gat-turner/youre-not-the-boss-of-me-an-open-letter-to-rick-ross-all-of-the-so-called-bosses/10150660740679858?notif_t=like

 

 

2 Sellouts: Larry Elders Defends George Zimmerman, Geraldo Rivera Says We Shouldnt Wear Hoodies

Larry Elders vehemently defends George Zimmerman

With each passing day more and more jerks step out the woodwork around the Trayvon Martin case. .  For example, we had talk show host Larry Elders, a Black man yapping away defending George Zimmerman, the wannabe cop who decided he wanted to hunt down and shoot an unarmed, law-abiding Trayvon Martin.

We shouldn’t be surprised because Elders is the type of brother who as my friend George Galvis noted.. May be Black or Brown but functions white... meaning, he has brought into lots of aspects of white supremacy..He’s that type of guy..

I thought it was interesting he was defending Zimmerman knowing that good ole George has a domestic violence record… but hey what do i know?

I bring up Elder for another reason…because he’s a Libertarian..same as presidential candidate Ron Paul and folks need to fully understand the full extent of their thinking-Might makes Right..

Elders said the FBI need to investigate to keep up appearances… He later compared the Trayvon situation with that of subway vigilante Bernard Goetz who shot 4 Black men on a subway with an unlicensed handgun 25-30 years ago.. For those who don’t recall Goetz said he was being robbed..on other hand,  Zimmerman went looking for Martin who did nothing of a sort… Anyway.. you can peep the interview here..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFllsX-AFf8

Geraldo Rivera says Black and Brown men shouldnt wear hoodies

Not to be out down we have long time news personality Geraldo Rivera (real name Gerry Rivers) who wanted to offer up some sound parental advice to Black and Latino parents… This morning Geraldo tweeted the following;

“Trayvon killed by a jerk w a gun but black & Latino parents have to drill into kids heads: a hoodie is like a sign: shoot or stop & frisk me”

The flaws in that argument should be clear as day, but for those who somehow are thinking, oh yeah.. if only Black men would pull their pants up and stop wearing hoodies, we wouldn’t be shot by racist clowns like Zimmerman...

I hit Geraldo back and reminded him of a few things.. First, 9-year-old Brisenia Flores was shot in Arizona by a wannabe border patrol agent..who busted into her house thinking her family were undocumented.. The father Raul wasn’t wearing a hoodie in the 100 degree Arizona sun when he was shot to death, nor was his precious daughter…

I also reminded Geraldo that 7-year-old Aiyanna Stanley-Jones from Detroit wasn’t wearing a hoodie as she slept next to her grandma when cops busted up in her house and shot her in her sleep.

I also reminded him that last year in New York City where Stop and Frisk policies are in effect, that over 680 thousand people were stopped in the streets and frisked by police officers who ‘suspected’ they had guns..less than 1% of those stops netted  anything.. That’s why we had folks like educator Cornel West and organizer Carl Dix and lots of other folks protesting the policy… Out of the 680k stopped over 80% were Black and Brown men..

Maybe its me, but that doesn't look like a hoodie.. perhaps homeboy shouldn't be wearing a biking helmet

The shows that I’ve done on this topic garnered the following info from ACLU lawyers..According to NYPD they look for people who make furtive movements which is subjective.. Some cops consider it furtive if you look at them as they drive by.. Some say its furtive when you look away.. Still others consider it furtive if you start scratching ..they say your acting nervous…  Translation; Hoodie or not you’re gonna get stopped and frisked..but lets not digress.. lets ask ourselves why are they doing an action that yields such a low return?

Back to Geraldo and his parental advice, I asked him if he’d prefer during the winter months or rainy days which was the case for Trayvon, that these Black and Brown men wear baseball caps instead, or ski masks? Perhaps a Yamaka, Turpin or a big ole Abe Lincoln style top hat..

Bottom line Geraldo is making the case that it’s up to Black and Brown men to make the police feel safe.. not the other way around..  What a damn idiot..

Two Sellouts rushing to the aid of a racist dog…

 

Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman & This Country’s Culture of Suspicion

Nothing exists in a vacuum, so when looking at the tragic shooting death of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida because he appeared ‘suspicious’ to a self-appointed Neighborhood Watch captain named George Zimmerman, it can not be viewed in isolation. It’s part of something that’s much larger and systemic.

Many of us don’t like to admit it, but the fact is, this country has a long and sordid history where those who appeared ‘different’, meaning not white and male, were often deemed suspicious resulting in deadly consequences. Call it a Culture of Suspicion if you will, but it one that’s helped shaped social and political policy and impacted damn near everything we’ve done throughout the years.

TheBlack Codes, Vagrancy Laws, Jim Crow, Internment Camps, Salem Witch Craft Trials, Compulsory sterilization, Poll taxes, McCarthyism, Cointel-Pro, The War on Drugs, The War on Terror, The War on ‘Illegals’, The War on Women, these are just a few of the policies and measures that have emerged over the years out of this culture of suspicion…..And let’s be clear, so we’re all on the same page…The Culture of Suspicion is rooted in irrational FEAR and extreme ANGER.

It’s a FEAR and ANGER that dates back to the days of the pilgrims landing on Plymouth Rock where those who weren’t Anglo-Saxon in this case Native Peoples were ‘suspected‘ of being  ‘less than human’ and thus needed to be civilized, stripped of their land and exterminated. Can we say Manifest Destiny? That’s what that concept and ideology ultimately meant for Native Peoples..Can we say Genocide?

Nat Turner and FEAR of slave revolts has resulted in deep-seated suspicions of Black people that are alive and well today

This FEAR and ANGER was pervasive among those who brought  Africans to America in chains and enslaved us. Our culture was stripped, our language forbidden, our Africanisms stamped and literally beaten out of us.. Why? because slave owners had deep-seated fear of slaves revolting. All sorts of laws were put into place and all types of measures including divide and conquer tactics were employed to keep those who were then seen as beasts from rising up and doing what slaves like Nat TurnerGabriel Prosser and Denmark Vesey eventually did-kill or in the cases of Prosser and Vesey, plot to kill their white masters.

This FEAR of Black reprisals has resulted in nearly all traces of the over 250 of slave rebellions that went down in the American South being erased from our school history books.

What has remained are disturbing stories of Black men, being lynched and hung from trees in what was described by singer Billie Holiday as Strange Fruit. What’s remained  are eerie stories of entire Black town like Rosewood, Florida and Tulsa, Oklahoma being burned to the ground by angry white mobs because of FEAR and suspicion.of a Black man lusting after a white woman.

Sadly there’s a litny of stories about Black men being accused of looking at or lusting after a white women. This irrational Fear of a Black Dick and ‘suspicion’ gave rise of the Ku Klux Klan especially after the 1915 DW Griffith landmark film Birth of a Nation which had Black men lusting after white women as a main theme. You can see one of the more controversial scenes from that movie...HERE It also led to this country keeping anti-Miscegenation laws on the books up to 1967. Tragically it also led to countless  young Black boys who having their genitals mutilated when those lynchings I mentioned earlier took place.

Again for many this legacy of FEAR and SUSPICION throughout our history is a painful pill to swallow. As a country we don’t wanna have an honest conversation of how pervasive it was and is and how it’s permeated our collective mind-set.. We don’t wanna talk about how this Culture of Suspicion been used toward various   so-called minority groups in this country and the deep scars its left.

We don’t wanna talk about how we executed women who we suspected of being witches during the infamous Salem Witch trials.

We don’t wanna talk about how we rounded up Japanese American citizens during World War II and put them in internment camps because we were suspicious of them..

We don’t wanna talk about harsh and often fatal treatment levied upon men and women we suspected of being gay. How many have been killed, beaten, put into special classes to ‘straighten’ them out..

We don’t wanna talk about the horrific legacy of Cointel-pro a government counter insurgency program headed up by FBI director J Edgar Hoover. We don’t wanna talk about how Hoover kept all sorts of Civil Rights, Black Power, Brown Power and Anti-War organization under a suspicious gaze and actively used every resource possible to destroy them. He went after everyone from Marcus Garvey to Martin Luther King to the Black Panthers and everyone in between.  Irrational fear, deep-seated anger and suspicion that those demanding equal rights were somehow not ‘real’ American were part of the rationale behind Hoover and the FBI actions.

To see how deep this gets.. I urge folks to watch this documentary to that lays out this culture of suspicion and Cointel-Pro.. You can peep it HERE: How the FBI Sabotaged Black America

The Importance of Connecting the Dots

Trayvon Martin

Again Trayvon Martin‘s tragic fate is not isolated. It has to be seen through this historical lens that reflects long-standing racial prejudices and attitudes and race based policy decisions in our society.

The unsavory actions of George Zimmerman coupled with the racial hostility he displayed in widely heard 9-11 call where he refers to Trayvon as a ‘F–king Coons  and his paranoia (calling 9-11 over 40 times in the past year) are not out of the ordinary. He personifies the culture of suspicion.

The questionable actions and neglect displayed by the Sanford police department (not talking to key witnesses and keeping Trayvon’s body for 3 days without telling his parents) not only have the look of an outright cover up, but they too reflects this culture of suspicion… The message their actions convey is that; Trayvon must’ve been in the wrong. A young Black male wearing a hoody is always suspect. There’s no way Mr Zimmerman would’ve shot him for no reason.

In looking at Trayvon’s murder its also important to connect the dots to fear based incidents currently going on.. Look at the type of anger and hostility directed by those we are suspicious of…

Angel Rodriguez, a Puerto Rican basketball player was greeted with chants of Where's Your Green Card by Southern Mississippi band members.

For example,it was just last week during an NCAA basketball game we saw band members from University of Southern Mississippi resort to chanting ‘Where’s your Green card?‘ as rival basketball player Angel Rodriguez attempted to shoot free throws. The band members along with some fans ‘suspected’ that Rodriguez who is Puerto Rican wasn’t in this country legally. Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States, meaning they’re citizens.

Sadly similar scenarios played out in other schools around the country including last month in San Antonio, Texas where players from mostly white Alamo Heights started chanting ‘USA USA’ after they defeated their mostly Latino rivals from Edison. Again there was a suspicion that the players from Edison weren’t one of us (American) They must be illegall.

Some may be tempted to chalk these incidents up to sport fans being ignorant. And that may be true until we see this same type of attitude displayed by Presidential hopeful, long time Senator Rick Santorum. He recently stood before a crowd and remarked, that before Puerto Rico can become state folks living there will have to learn to speak English. Again that culture of suspicion at play. He’s suspects Puerto Ricans aren’t really one of us.. On a side note as was pointed out in a recent Reuters article, There’s no constitutional requirement to have an official language nor for a territory to adapt English as an official language to become a state.

Sadly the culture of suspicionit doesn’t stop there. There’s been a rash of anti-immigrant bills being passed with the harshest in Arizona (SB 1070), Alabama (SB 56) and just the other day Mississippi passing (HB 56). All are born out FEAR and suspicion.

We’ve had people like Texas lawmaker Debbie Riddle coin the phrase ‘anchor’ babies and ‘terror’ babies when referring to the children of Mexican and Middle eastern immigrants and push to pass laws to stop them.. This sort of fear mongering has resulted in entire communities being profiled and suspect.

9 year old Brisenia Flores was shot and killed after self-styled vigilante border patrollers suspected her family of being in this country illegally

People like Riddle help foster a deadly climate of suspicion with deadly consequences. For example, we should never forget what took place 3 years ago in Arizona when Shawna Forde a self-appointed border patroller formed the group anti-immigrant organization Minutemen Civil Defense Corps.

In May of 2009 she and some accomplices suspecting that a family was living in a neighborhood illegally, raided the home and shot the 29-year-old father Raul and his 9-year-old daughter Brisenia to death. The mother was there and left alive. Again the Culture of Suspicion resulting in vigilante justice.

The extreme measures taken on those ‘suspected’ of not being America are not just limited to hard-working, law-abiding immigrants. That anger and suspicion has been directed to President Barack Obama. We have a whole segment of society called birthers with people like businessman  Donald Trump and Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio leading the charge. In a recent poll over 45% of folks in the south believed he was a Muslim and over 25% don’t believe he was born here in the US..

The suspicions of the birthers is unprecedented. First, they demanded the president show his birth certificate. After he did that they demanded he show a long form certificate. After he did that, they accused the documents of being forged and wanted original draft cards. In fact as we speak Arpaio is launching yet another investigation into the president. Can you say Culture of Suspicion gone wild?

It doesn’t help that President Obama has contributed or reacted to this climate of suspicion, by deporting over one million people and increased surveillance in American Muslim communities..His policies dovetail with the policies of many police departments that have also heightened this culture of suspicion.

It was just 3 or 4 weeks ago that a ‘suspicious’ looking Ramarley Graham was standing outside his home in the Bronx when he saw police officers roll by. He walked into his home only to be followed by police who ‘suspected’ he had a gun.. Police busted into his house and shot Graham in his bathroom in front of his grandmother and a 6 year old.. No gun or weapon was ever found..

Jordan Miles is a 18 year old violinist who played for First Lady Michele Obama

Graham was one of over a whooping 680 thousand New Yorkers who police stopped and frisked last year in their attempts to find ‘illegal’ handguns.. Over 80% of those stopped and frisked were Black or Brown men.. less than a 1% of those stops have resulted in any weapons being found. This policy has led to racial profiling and Black and Brown men being seen as suspects before being seen as productive citizens in their community.

The case of Pittsburgh, PA  17-year-old honor student Jordan Miles being stop frisked and beaten beyond recognition with his dreadlocks torn out his head is another example of what happens under this culture of suspicion..

Ironically in both the Jordan and Graham cases the police accused both men of fleeing when in truth, knowing the history of such encounters they probably developed a healthy suspicion of police who are no longer seen as friendly public servant there to protect and serve, but a vicious gang with a badges and license to kill.

There are too many cases to recount.. but the results are damn near always the same death, scarred communities and a legacy of deep mistrust.. Trayvon Martin is the latest casualty in this long line of tragic mishaps.

What if the Shooter was Black and the Victim White?

John White shot a White Teen who showed up at his house with a mob..He was convicted and sentenced

There are many who have rhetorically asked this question. It’s done not so much to plant seeds of racial hatred and be divisive but to point out the inconsistencies and double standards that exist within our justice system. Its way for us to look at situations and hopefully be moved to change them.

One glaring example of a Black man protecting his family and shooting a white youth involves took place a few years ago in Long island New York. In August 2006, John White confronted 17-year-old white teenager named Daniel Cicciaro who had been threatening White’s son. Cicciaro showed up with a group of his friends to get at White’s son. Fearing for his safety White shot the teen who was on his property. He was convicted and sent to jail. You can and should read about that case HERE.

At the time of White’s sentencing there were many who compared his situation with that of a White man out of Texas, named Joe Horn who shot two Black men on his property who he shot and killed after disobeying police orders. Like Zimmerman, Horn wasn’t directly threatned but he went ‘hunting’ for the people he eventually shot..  You can read about that case HERE and HERE.

This should come as no surprise to anyone that we have this type of double standard. The question and challenge before us all, is how will we fix a broken, racially biased justice system?  Do we have to vote in new judges, new DAs and new prosecutors? Do we have to change the entire way we do business in the justice arena?

There are no easy answers and ultimately we are going to have to change people’s hearts and minds. Say what you will, but what fueled these confrontations and uneven results was racism and the suspicion that those who have darker skin are ssuspect..

The Zimmerman Is Hispanic Not White Argument

George Zimmerman

In recent days we’ve seen many in the media play this card and play it hard.. There’s a couple of things going on here that we should all think about.

First, is by playing up the fact that Zimmerman is half Hispanic suggests that he at one point or the other has been subjected to the suspicious FEAR laden gaze of society and hence he’d be a bit more sensitive and perhaps a bit more insightful when confronting folks, in particular Black folks. The implied thought is that Zimmerman, the half Hispanic would know what Black or Brown man to confront and not to confront better than the average white person..That’s utter nonsense so lets put that to rest..

Zimmerman was a racist who had a clear disdain for young Black males. He was as FEARFUL as any of the white person who has held similar attitudes. In short, what does Zimmerman being Hispanic have to do with anything? He drank the kool aid of white supremacy. His Hispanic background didn’t make him immune, the same way it doesn’t immune self-hating Black folks who buy into the same flawed belief systems where even with Black skin and having faced discrimination themselves, will see a young Black male with a hoodie and think the worse and become suspicious. Some of those FEARFUL Negros once they get a position of power or get to wear a gun and badge act out fearfully and suspiciously with the same deadly consequences.. So Zimmerman being Latino means nothing..

The other thing at play here is by the media highlighting Zimmerman’s ethnicity, Black folks are supposed to suddenly unite and start bombing on Latinos. We’re supposed to suddenly be upset with our Mexican, El Salvadorian or Puerto Rican neighbors?  Was Zimmerman acting on their behalf and carrying out their agenda? I think not..

If they’re gonna play the ethnic card with Zimmerman all of us should be asking is Zimmerman repping for a large Latino body of people who are in the same struggles and fighting against an oppressive system. Is he part of an organizations like La Raza, MeCHA , NDLON, Puente, and in are they vouching for him? Would he have been suspicious of one the courageous Dreamers, undocumented youth who actually Marched through Florida a year or so ago pushing for passage of the Dream Act? Has Zimmerman been out there protesting all the anti-immigrant laws popping up all over the country or was he the type to support them, suspicious off other Latinos confronting them asking if they’re criminals or here ‘legally’?

Again either your working to free people from oppression or your working for the system, helping keep people disenfranchised and marginalized. Don’t buy into divide and conquer tactics. Connecting the dots, uniting marginalized communities and addressing institutionalized oppression is not in the best interest of those in power.

I’m not sure what Zimmerman represents and who he rolls with, but his actions deserved to be punished. And while in many places there are Black and Brown tensions which should be addressed the shooting of Trayvon Martin is not the jump off into further divisions. Whats at stake here is the death of an innocent 17 year old coming home in the rain wearing a hoodie and carry a package of skiddles..He was confronted by large, overzealous, suspicious wanna be cop who killed him.. We must resist the attempts to keep this tragedy isolated from these larger issues and histories at hand..We must seek justice and seek it in such a way that it puts a major dent in some of overarching problems and prejudices impacting us all.

written by Davey D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKaJoEyYXyI