Mumia Abu Jamal Speaks on the Oscar Grant/ Johannes Mehserle Verdict..He Goes in on Lebron James

July 18, 2010 By mrDaveyd

Mumia Abu Jamal weighs in on the Oscar Grant/Johannes Mehserle verdict just as cops and supporters are gearing up to hold a rally for Mehserle in Walnut Creek which is about 25 miles east of San Francisco.

Click the link below reflect and weigh in

http://www.prisonradio.org/The Mehserle Trial long.mp3

Click the link below where Mumia Weighs in on Lebron James..reflect and weigh in

From Hero-Zero

http://www.prisonradio.org/From Hero to Zero long.mp3

Mumia Abu Jamal weighs in on the Oscar Grant/Johannes Mehserle verdict-Click to HERE to hear his words...

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Political Prisoners Sundiata Acoli & Hermen Bell Denied Parole…Lawyer Lynne Stewart Gets Sentenced

July 16, 2010 By mrDaveyd

Political Prisoner Sundiata Acoli Gets Hit with 10 years

Sundiata Acoli

Just received this from Sundiata Acoli via email:

July 14, 2010

Greetings All,
Received a letter today from the Board advising that the 3-Member Panel gave me a 10 year “hit.” The basis for the hit will be explained in the Notice of Decision which will be forwarded to me upon its completion. I’ll forward copies of the Decision to the Attys and SAFC when I receive it.
Stay strong, I will too.

-claude of freedom archives-

For those who want more info check out http://www.sundiataacoli.org/about

Herman Bell denied parole again.

Herman Bell

Despite his now 37 years in prison, Herman’s impressive prison record, including his B.A. and M.A., his years of football and basket ball coaching (bringing prisoners together), his years of mentoring and tutoring, his paralegal and HIV-counseling certificates, his founding the Victory Gardens Project, his 3 job offers in SF, his parole recommendations from three SF Supervisors (entrusted with the welfare of San Franciscans), his decades of marriage, his children and grandchildren and 9 siblings offering him a secure homecoming, Herman Bell was denied parole for the fourth consecutive time yesterday. He was told to come back in 24 months, at which time he will be 64 years old. Our love and support greatly help in keeping his spirit indomitable.

– from his family and community

-Claude of Freedom Archives-

For more info check: http://mxgm.org/web/biographies/herman-bell.html

Note from RnB – Bob Lederer

Thanks to Jeff Mackler, West Coast Director of the Lynne Stewart Defense Committee, for this quick and thorough account.

One small caveat, however: I clearly heard the judge say (twice) that he “recommended” (not “ordered”) that Lynne be housed at the Danbury, CT federal prison (about 3 hours from New York City), so she would be close to her family. My understanding, which could be incorrect, is that federal judges do not have the authority to dictate what prison the person convicted must be sent to — that decision is up to the Bureau of Prisons of the U.S. Justice Department.

Also I heard the judge order (I believe in this case it was an order) that Lynne be given 60 more days at Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan to work on any appeal she may choose to file, before being transferred to her ultimate prison destination.

Finally, I remember that after the judge announced his decision to sentence Lynne to 10 years, but before he formally pronounced the sentence, he asked her if she wanted to say anything. She replied, “I’m stunned,” said that this was far different from the life trajectory she had anticipated, and then added what Jeff reports: that she felt bad that she “had let down” her supporters. Of course it’s really this repressive, unjust system that brutally let down Lynne and lovers of justice everywhere.

************************************
Lynne Stewart sentenced to ten years in prison

BY JEFF MACKLER
(Jeff Mackler is the West Coast Director of the Lynne Stewart Defense Committee.)

Lynn Stewart

The full force of the U.S. criminal “justice” system came down on innocent political prisoner, 30-year veteran human rights attorney and radical political activist Lynne Stewart today, July 15, 2010.

In an obviously pre-prepared one hour and twenty minute technical tour de force designed to give legitimacy to a reactionary ruling Federal District Court John Koeltl, who in 2005 sentenced Stewart to 28 months in prison following her frame-up trial and jury conviction on four counts of “conspiracy to aid and abet terrorism,” re-sentenced Stewart to 120 months or ten years. Stewart will serve her sentence in Danbury, Connecticut’s minimum security prison.

The jam-packed New York Federal District Court chamber observers where Koeltl held forth let our a gasp of pain and anguish as Lynne’s family and friends were stunned – tears flowing down the stricken and somber faces of many. A magnificent Stewart, ever the political fighter and organizer was able to say to her supporters that she felt badly because she “had let them down,” a reference to the massive outpouring of solidarity and defiance that was the prime characteristic of Lynne’s long fight for freedom.

Judge Koeltl was ordered to revisit his relatively short sentence when it was overturned by a two-judge majority of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Judges Robert D. Sack and Guido Calabresi ruled that Koeltl’s sentence was flawed because he had declined to determine whether Stewart committed perjury when she testified at her trial that she believed that she was effectively operating under a “bubble” protecting her from prosecution when she issued a press release on behalf of her also framed-up client, the blind Sheik Omar Abdel Rachman. Rachman was falsely charged with conspiracy to damage New York state buildings.

Dissenting Judge John M. Walker, who called Stewart’s sentence, “breathtakingly low” in view of Stewart’s “extraordinarily severe criminal conduct” deemed the Second Circuit’s majority opinion “substantively unreasonable.” Walker essentially sought to impose or demand a 30-year sentence.

The three-judge panel on Dec. 20, 2009 followed its initial ruling with even tougher language demanding that Koeltl revisit his treatment of the “terrorism enhancement” aspects of the law. A cowardly Koeltl, who didn’t need this argument to dramatically increase Stewart’s sentence, asserted that he had already taken it under consideration in his original deliberations.

Government prosecutors, who in 2005 sought a 30-year sentence, had submitted a 155-page memorandum arguing in support of a 15-30 year sentence. Their arguments demonstrated how twisted logic coupled with vindictive and lying government officials routinely turn the victim into the criminal.

Stewart’s attorneys countered with a detailed brief recounting the facts of the case and demonstrating that Stewart’s actions in defense of her client were well within the realm of past practice and accepted procedures. They argued that Koeltl properly exercised his discretion in determining that, while the terrorism enhancement provisions of the “law” had to be taken into consideration, the 30-year-prison term associated with it was “dramatically unreasonable, overstated the seriousness” of Stewart’s conduct and had already been factored into Koeltl’s decision.

Stewart’s attorney’s also argued convincingly in their brief that the Special Administrative Measure (SAM) that Stewart was convicted of violating by releasing a statement from her client to the media was well within the established practice of Stewart’s experienced and mentoring co-counsels- former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark and past American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee president Abdeen Jabarra. Both had issued similar statements to the press with no government reprisal. Clark was an observer in Koeltl’s courtroom.

As worst in such matters, government officials refuse defense attorneys visiting rights with their clients until an agreement on a contested interpretation of a SAM is reached. Indeed, in Stewart’s case when the matter was brought to then Attorney General Janet Reno, the government declined to prosecute or otherwise take any action against Stewart.

But Koeltl, who had essentially accepted this view in his original sentence, reversed himself entirely and proceeded in his erudite-sounding new rendition of the law to repeatedly charge Stewart with multiple acts of perjury regarding her statements on the SAM during her trial.

Koeltl took the occasion to lecture Stewart regarding the first words she uttered in front of a bevy of media when she joyfully alighted from the courthouse following the judge’s original 28-month sentence. Said Stewart at that time, “I can do 28 months standing on my head.” A few moments earlier Stewart, with nothing but a plastic bag containing a toothbrush, toothpaste and her various medications, had stood before Koeltl, who had been asked by the government to sentence Stewart to a 30 year term, effectively a death sentence for Lynne, aged 70, a diabetic recovering breast cancer victim and less than excellent health.

Koeltl dutifully followed the lead of the Second Circuit judges, who feigned outrage that Stewart could possibly appear joyful that her life was spared despite 28 months in prison. Koeltl insisted that Stewart’s remark was essentially contemptuous of his sentence and insufficient to convince Stewart of the seriousness of her “crime.” Lynne’s argument that while she fully understood that 28 months behind bars, separating from her “family, friends and comrades,” was a harsh penalty, she was nevertheless “relieved” that she would not die in prison. Koeltl needed a legal brick to throw at Lynne’s head and ignored her humanity, honesty and deep feeling of relief when she expressed it to a crowd of two thousand friends, supporters and a good portion of the nation’s media.

The same Judge Koeltl who stated in 2005, when he rendered the 28-month jail term, that Lynne was “a credit to her profession and to the nation,” clearly heard the voice of institutionalized hate and cruelty and responded in according with its unstated code. “Show no mercy! Thou shall not dissent without grave punishment” in capitalist America.

Lynne was convicted in the post-911 generated climate of political hysteria. Bush appointee, Attorney General John Ashcroft, decided to make an example of her aimed at warning future attorneys that the mere act of defending anyone whom the government charged with “conspiracy to aid and abet terrorism,” could trigger terrible consequences.

On July 15 Judge Koeltl made the decision of his career. Known for his meticulous preparation in such matters, and already having enraged the powers that be with his “light” sentence of Stewart, he bent full tilt to the reactionary political pressures exerted on him by the court hierarchy. He had the option to stand tall and reaffirm his original decision. The “law” allowed him to do so. He could have permitted Lynne to leave prison in less than two years, recover her health, and lead a productive life. His massively extended sentence, unless overturned, will likely lead to Lynne’s demise behind bars – a brilliant and dedicated fighter sacrificed on the alter of an intolerant class-biased system of repression and war.

Courage is a rare quality in the capitalist judiciary. For every defiant decision made, usually driven by a change in the political climate driven forward by the rise of mass social protest movements, there are thousands and more of political appointees that affirm the status quo, including its punishment of all who struggle to challenge capitalist prerogatives and power.

Lynne Stewart stands tall among the latter. We can only hope that the winds of change that are stirring the consciousness of millions today in the context of an American capitalism in economic and moral crisis keeps the movement for her freedom alive and well. The fight is not over! What we do now remains critical. Lynne’s expected appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court cannot be written off as absurd and hopeless. What we do collectively to free her and all political prisoners and to fight for freedom and justice on every front counts for everything!

Write to Lynne at:
Lynne Stewart 53504-054
MCC-NY 2-S
150 Park Row
New York, NY 10007

For further information call Lynne’s husband, Ralph Poynter, leader of the Lynne Stewart Defense Committee, at
718-789-0558 or 917-853-9759.

Send contributions payable to:

Lynne Stewart Organization
1070 Dean Street
Brooklyn, New York, 11216

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Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News, Political articles Tagged With: Herman Bell denied parole again., Hermen Bell, Lynne Stewart, Lynne Stewart sentenced to ten years in prison, Political Prisoner Sundiata Acoli Gets Hit with 10 years, Political Prisoners Sundiata Acoli & Hermen Bell Denied Parole...Lawyer Lynn Stewart Gets Sentenced, Sundiata Acoli

An Open Letter to the Justice for Oscar Grant Movement: Suggestions on Next Steps, Strategy and Unity Building

July 16, 2010 By mrDaveyd

An Open Letter to the Justice for Oscar Grant Movement: Suggestions on Next Steps, Strategy and Unity Building

By Kali Akuno
National Organizer – Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
Director of Education, Training, and Field Operations – US Human Rights Network

Kali Akuno

The righteous anger and indignation on graphic display in Oakland, California Thursday, July 8th at the mockery of justice rewarded to Johannes Mehserle for murdering Oscar Grant and the open collaboration of several non-profit organizations with the government to contain and delegitimatize the people’s resistance is a clarion call. It’s a call not just for justice for Oscar Grant and the countless victims of police terror, but for radical, systemic change. The anger, and its focus, indicates a heightened awareness on behalf of a new generation of working class Black, Latino and Asian youth of the intractable contradictions between the imperialist state and oppressed peoples and the willingness to challenge them.

A new phase of development and a new set of challenges now confront the movement to win justice for Oscar Grant. The inexperience of the youth forces engaged and the current weaknesses and fragmentation of the left make this a very, very delicate time. If certain conversations aren’t had, if certain lessons of the past and present aren’t incorporated, and if certain contradictions aren’t addressed, then all of the radiant energy on display July 8th could easily fade, or just as easily turn its wrath in upon itself and miss its true target.

This small contribution is an attempt to help ignite conversation, share reflections from critical movements of the past, and offer suggestions in the hope of helping to facilitate strategic and programmatic development within the movement.

On Next Steps and Organizing Orientation
1. Joint Reflection: to move the Justice for Oscar Grant Movement forward progressive forces focused on building the democratic mass movement, should join forces and come together to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Justice for Oscar Grant Movement over the past year and half. One of the two main objectives of such a collaboration, in the short term, would be to produce a joint assessment and a unified set of demands, both tactical and strategic, to help anchor the movement in its next phase of struggle.
2. Joint Assessment: This assessment should be issued as a statement and/or document that provides a clear analysis of the movements weaknesses and errors and some strong points of orientation to try and anchor, sustain, and guide it going forward. Some key points of assessment should include (but not be limited to) the following:
a) A firm condemnation of collaboration and opportunism; but avoiding personalized vilification of the social forces that collaborated (being mindful of the lessons of COINTELPRO)
b) A statement of distinction on the role of political and community organizations as opposed to non-profits; and clarity on the reformist orientation and political limitations of non-profit organizations
c) The function of organization in the movement to combat infiltration (as appears to have occurred within the Black Bloc and other formations)
d) The need for strategy to help facilitate forward development and political advancement of the movement(s)
3. Joint Strategy and Work Plan: The second primary objective of such a collaboration would be to draft a one-year strategy and work plan to realize the unified demands that are put forward to the movement to democratically accept (understanding the independence of initiative of each formation), modify, or categorically reject.

This convergence of forces, although necessarily centered in California, particularly the Bay Area and Los Angeles, should seek to build and consolidate a national and international organizing initiative.

On Demand Expansion and Development
1. The opening of a Federal Investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) can and should be used as a national organizing opportunity. However, more self-determining justice initiatives should be organized simultaneously to challenge US hegemony (internally and externally) by internationalizing the struggle. More concretely, an independent “people’s or citizens” commission should be established to conduct an autonomous examination of the evidence, issue indictments, and pressure the DOJ and its process. This commission would ideally consist of family members, community activists, lawyers, jurists, etc. and call on various international bodies within the United Nations (UN) and International System (such as the Inter-American Court) to intervene in the case and challenge the racist policies and practices that enabled it.
2. The demand for resources and economic development must be supported unequivocally, but modified in a manner that puts limits on the controls of City Hall and its near exclusive access by “grasstop” forces. A means to accomplishing this (not without its faults or limits by any stretch) could be the institutionalization of participatory budgeting systems to determine the use of the cities resources to ensure they are used to address and service human needs such as adequate housing, health care, education, etc.

Synthesis Demands
This synthesis is an attempt to combine and expand on the demands originally articulated by the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP), By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) Coalition, and the New Years Movement (NYM).
1. We demand that Officers Pirone and Domenici be indicted for murder.
2. We demand civil restitution and reparations for the family Oscar Grant, and the victims of Police violence by the OPD and BART.
3. We demand that BART Police be disarmed and disbanded.
4. We demand that the Police Bill of Rights, which shields the records of police misconduct, abuse and murder, be immediately abolished, and that all police records be made public.
5. We demand that an independent “peoples commission”, drawn and determined by the citizens of Oakland, with international jurists determined by this commission, be granted oversight into the Federal Department of Justice investigation of the murder of Oscar Grant, and systemic violations of civil and human rights by the Oakland and Transit Police.
6. We demand the termination of all Gang Injunction laws and policies in Oakland and throughout California on the grounds of their unconstitutionality and their violation of civil and international law.
7. We demand that Oakland be declared a sanctuary city, and that all ICE raids and racial profiling policies and practices targeting Latino/a, Black, Asian and other oppressed peoples be terminated immediately.
8. We demand that the City of Oakland, the State of California, and the Federal Government provide massive funding for education and jobs in Oakland that are allocated and distributed via a transparent and democratic public participatory budgeting process.

One-Year Plan Targets/Tactics
1. Conduct a mass and coordinated non-compliance action in Oakland and Los Angeles the day after Mehserle’s sentencing, that calls for Student walk outs and strike or “sick out” actions by Public Sector, Transit, Dock, and other workers that disrupts the regular flow of “business” to raise our demands and demonstrate the power of mass action.
2. Organize broad, neighborhood Police/Copwatch formations, and work to create “liberated zones” in Black, Latino, Asian, and white working class and poor communities, where the police are prohibited or curtailed in their activities.
3. Organize a massive local, regional, statewide, and national “Justice for Oscar Grant” petition drive to pressure the DOJ and build support for the movement’s demands (buttressed by broad internet and social networking interface to support and broaden reach).
4. Develop a broad people’s media and cultural workers initiative to provide educational, motivational, and agitation tools and resources for the movement and to provide sufficient analysis and coverage to frame the movement from its own perspective and counter the reactionary framing and attacks of the bourgeois media.
5. Hold a People’s Tribunal, with international observers and jurists, to pressure the DOJ and its deliberations.
6. Utilize Inter-American and United Nations special action procedures and special rapporteurs to conduct international investigations, recommendations, and sanctions on the US government for its failure to protect the human rights of Oscar Grant, the victims of police violence, and the targets of the various racial profiling laws and policies sanctioned by the government.
7. Organize local, state and national referendum and legislative initiatives to realize and support the movement’s demands. A possible start could entail running progressive candidates in Oakland who stand on a platform based on the movement’s demands in the upcoming elections to help define public debate and pressure the government to comply.

Without a doubt, accomplishing all of this is a tall order, particularly for a young and fragmented movement. But, as the history of the peoples’ struggles against white supremacy, colonialism, and imperialism here and all over the world demonstrate, no political challenges are insurmountable. If we dare to win, then we must dare to struggle against the internal shortcomings and subjectivities of the movement that hinder us from building the operational unity needed to execute initiatives of scale such as those proposed in this paper. The struggle for unity does not mean that we should stop struggling against collaborationist and opportunist ideas and practices. It simply implores us to do all we can to seize the opportunities at hand. With organization, strategy, discipline, and determination we can and will win!

In Unity and Struggle.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Kali can be contacted via kaliakuno@gmail.com

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Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News, Political articles, Southern Shift Tagged With: An Open Letter to the Justice for Oscar Grant Movement: Suggestions on Next Steps, Johannes Mehserle, justice., Kali akuno, malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Oscar Grant open Letter, Strategy and Unity Building, US Human Rights Network

Cops Sue Sean Bell Estate, Support Rally Set for Johannes Mehserle, Grant Family Demonized-The Police Strike Back

July 14, 2010 By mrDaveyd

There’s an old saying ‘The best defense is a strong offense‘. It applied in sports. We see it in politics. We see it used by lawyers especially in rape trials where they go all out to destroy a victim’s character to protect their client-who is accused of doing the rape. In recent days we now see it with the police as they seek to re-tool a grossly tarnished image where the shooting death of an unarmed Oscar Grant has been a main spark point.

Yesterday Bay Area residents who had organized and rallied tirelessly for Justice for Oscar Grant were shocked to learn that a rally is being planned this Monday in Walnut Creek for the convicted killer of Oscar Grant Johannes Mehserle. It came a day after Mehserle’s lawyer Michael Rains bristled at the rejection of his client’s ‘apology’ letter and accused the Grants of being ‘mean spirited’ . That enraged hundreds of people who felt the Mehserle camp was insensitive and disingenuous especially since the letter was written to the public and not to the Grants.

Here’s the notice that was sent out:

RALLY IN SUPPORT OF FORMER BART COP JOHANNES MEHSERLE

by MR. MAYOR on JULY 13, 2010 ·

Hundreds of people are expected to attend a rally on Monday, July 19th at the Walnut Creek Courthouse to show their support for Johannes Mehserle, the former BART cop who was recently found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for killing an unarmed man named Oscar Grant on New Year’s Day in 2009.

The group coordinating the rally had the following to say on their Facebook page….

Anyone who supports Johannes and our Law Enforcement Officers may attend. This is a peaceful rally to show our support for Johannes and the injustices he is experiencing.

The rally is from 2pm-7pm on Monday July 19th at the Walnut Creek Courthouse on Ygnacio Valley Road.

Interesting to note when the rally was first announced here’s how it read…

“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. ITS TIME TO STOP THROWING OUR OFFICERS UNDER THE BUS. ITS TIME TO STEP UP AND SUPPORT JOHANNES AND OUR OFFICERS AND TAKE A STAND. OSCAR GRANT WAS RESISTING ARREST. JOHANNES MEHSERLE TOLD THE TRUTH!”

Johannes Mehserle

Obviously the pressure was too much so they pulled it down and tried to switch it up to the more inoculated Rally for Mehserle and Law Enforcement Officers (LEO). This comes on the heels of cops raising money for Mehserle’s defense which no doubt allowed him to afford expert witnesses who were paid 65K and 50k for testimony that refuted the dozens of videos and explained that Mehserle was not properly trained to use his taser.

Well known anti-police brutality lawyer John Burris who is working with the Grant family told the San Jose Mercury news..he was not surprised such a rally would be held.

“There are individuals who support Mehserle and support police in general & and that’s just part of & the split in this country, those who don’t really understand the actions of the police in the African American community,” Burris said.

Many feel this rally is not only an attempt to booster the sagging image of law enforcement but also a way to show support, generate news and get Mehserle’s sentenced reduced. Thus far local news station KGO (ABC affiliate) has signed up to be in attendance.

What’s missing are good officers to speak out and say No-What Mehserle did was wrong.. We do have the report from NOBLE (National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives) to BART that shows the serious flaws in the way the police department was run and the Meyer Naves Report which shows the negligence of officers, but in spite of those findings and a conviction, there are many who feel Mehserle was done an injustice and they intend to support. That’s a huge disconnect

Why Walnut Creek? The suburb which is 25 miles west of San Francisco is home to a lot of Neilson Boxes which determine television ratings. That’s why you always see a reporter doing the whether, some feel good story or interviewing a local politician from that area. It’s good for ratings. Any smart organizer knows if you do a rally there, almost all TV media will show up, so expect this event, even it draws 10 people to get massive coverage on local Bay Area stations come Monday. Already almost every news station is announcing this..

While the Grant family is processing a rally held in support of the cop who killed their son, almost on cue, Fox news Glenn Beck who all but ignored this case opened his mouth and weighed in. He accused the Department of Justice which is looking into this case of being racist. This no doubt will get everyone ginned up and ready to rally behind Mehserle no matter how glaring the evidence.

Adding to this push back from police is the recent announcement that one of the officers involved in the Sean Bell incident in which the unarmed groom to be was shot dead in a hail of 50 bullets, is suing the Bell estate.

According to the NY Post

A cop involved in the fatal shooting of Sean Bell on his wedding day is now suing the dead man’s estate — claiming Bell drunkenly assaulted and badly injured him with a car right before the hail of police gunfire that brought the unarmed man down.

Police Officer Michael Carey’s lawsuit says Bell was boozed-up when he got behind the wheel of the car after his bachelor party on Nov. 25, 2006, and also claims the doomed groom failed to wear glasses or contact lenses despite having poor eyesight.

Carey’s allegations are contained in a Brooklyn federal counter-claim filed last week in response to a wrongful-death lawsuit being pursued by Bell’s fiancée, Nicole Paultre Bell, against him and the other four cops involved.

In the future expect to hear and see more of these types of pushback. Expect to see lawsuits, countersuits and police support rallies. What’s interesting to note is that while cops can sue us as individuals we can’t sue them back. We can sue the city or municipality and hold them liable, but no money from any lawsuit will come out of their pocket. You can also expect to see more outspoken punditry rush to their defense and push their key talking points. It might be a national figure like a Glenn Beck or a local on air personality who works for an outlet that has a cozy relationship with the police where they are embedded which is what we saw at the recent Grant verdict rally or where they have business interests. In other words an urban station in a big market will seek favor from the police to make sure they can continue to host night clubs and do shows in their respective jurisdictions.

DJ Kaos

In recent years we seen everyone from Steve Harvey to Clear Channel hosts DJ Kaos and DJ Sylli Asz on KATZ in St Louis get censored or fired for talking about the police after phone calls were made. In the case of Steve Harvey, he got on the air in Los Angeles and went off about the negligence of police officers who ‘mistakenly’ shot a Halloween party goer who was wearing a cowboy outfit for having a gun. According to news anchor Harrison Chastang of KPOO Radio who first reported the story, Harvey heavily criticized the police as he should’ve, but then returned to the airwaves the next day to apologize, claiming he was not a ‘police critic’. It was reported that phone calls were made by then LA Police Chief Bernard Parks to Radio One the parent company to shut him up.

In the case of Kaos and Sylli Asz, they were accused of making light of a recent police killing. They were initially suspended, but that wasn’t enough, the police pressured Clear Channel and they were later fired. many may say that was appropriate, but contrast that with the police officers who routinely post up insensitive material on a website called the Domelights in Philadelphia where racial epithets are hurled and victims of police brutality are made fun of. It got so out of hand Black officers in the department wound up suing.. To date none of the officers who post up have been fired.

Where does this leave us? Victims of police brutality are now faced with the added hardship of a shrewd PR war. At a recent meeting in support of Oscar Grant it was noted that in the age of technology and informations new strategies and tactics have been developed. It was suggested that we up our game because the police, media and everyone had upped theirs. What that entails is still work in progress. The police are obviously honing in on PR and image repair.

An activist and spoken word artist named Ner City is trying dialogue.. I encourage folks to take a look at his piece

An Oscar Grant Supporter talking to a Johannes Mehserle Supporter

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Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News Tagged With: Cops Sue Sean Bell Estate, DJ Kaos, DJ Sylli Asz, Domelights, Glenn Beck, Grant Family Deamonized-The Police Strike Back, Harrison Chastang, John Burris, KATZ st Louis, KPOO Radio, Law Enforcement Officers, LEO, Oscar Grant, Philadelphia Police, Police Chief Bernard Parks, RALLY IN SUPPORT OF FORMER BART COP JOHANNES MEHSERLE, sean Bell, Steve Harvey, Support Rallies & Unabashed Bashing of Victims, Support Rally Set for Johannes Mehserle, The Police Strike Back to Booster their Image w/ Lawsuits

An Oscar Grant supporter talking to a Johannes Mehserle supporter. pt 1

July 14, 2010 By mrDaveyd

An Oscar Grant supporter talking to a Johannes Mehserle supporter. pt 1

by Ner City

Yesterday Charles posted information regarding a rally in support of Johannes Mehserle in Walnut Creek (In front of the courthouse). 30 minutes later Tiana posted the facebook invite link on my page. I went into the invite and became very upset. Not only did I see that the invite had 25 people within the first 10-15 minutes RSVP’ing but there were a lot of people that had changed their avatar (Main picture) with a photo of Johannes Mehserle and written underneath was “I support Johannes Mehserle”

So, instead of bashing the people, start name calling and all that other non productive bs I decided to think outside of the box and friend request as many of the supporters that I could. Doing that I thought that I would be able to talk to them one on one. Out of the 5-6 people that I requested only one was brave enough to not only accept my friend request but also have a respectful dialog with me about her feelings on the entire Grant/Mehserle situation.

Here is that dialog. PLEASE SEE- This is not a forum to bash Kristin, though we do not agree I do give her credit for even having this dialog with me. I WILL NOT allow any ignorant post on this note. I will not only delete the post but I will also delete you from my friend’s list.

Between You and Kristin********

Kristin ********* July 13 at 4:15pm

hello…and thank you for the friend request. Yes I support Johannes Mehserle….NO I do not think Oscar Grant should have died. I believe it was a tragic accident. One that would not have happened if he had complied with the officers commands. or maybe not have happened if the police had more training…did you know it takes longer to become a barber than a cop?? Thats insane…

I truly do not believe he intended to kill or hard Mr. Grant…only to subdue him. do you really feel in your heart that Johannes wanted him dead? ner city July 13 at 4:32pm

This conversation between us is revolutionary and brave and I appreciate you accepting my request.

To answer your question “Yes”, in my heart I do believe that Johannes Mehserle wanted to shoot Oscar Grant. “Why?” you may ask. Because of the situation he was in. We both agree that the police training is a joke. We also probably agree that a police officer’s job is one of the hardest jobs in the world, who knows what ANY officer would’ve done that night on the Bart platform. But with that little training Mr. Mehserle had it still was training”. Now in the US studies have shown that there were roughly around 39 incidents where an on duty police officer accidently shot a man with his pistol instead of his taser. 38 of the 39 officers tried to save the person’s life that they accidently shot, rode either behind the ambulance or in it to the hospital with the suspect. The 1 out of the 39 that didn’t was Mr. Mehserle. Not only did Mr. Mehserle shot him, but he THEN put handcuffs on a shot man.

Now here’s a question for you, we know that Oscar Grant had a past history with resisting arrest, but did you know that Mehserle not only was kicked out of the school that voted him “Most Huggable” for slapping a Latina woman, but also had incidents before where he tased suspects who either had a weapon, or he thought they had weapons.

I honestly believe that Mehserle not only shot Grant on purpose but he also did it to impress Officer Peroni who is another story and person that should’ve been arrested with Johannes.

Kristin******* July 13 at 4:48pm

My heart is heavy that you feel this way….I truly trukly believe otherwise. I do not know why Mehserle didn’t ride in the ambulance…I do not know if his superiors would have let him. I also believe (as does my sister who has her PHD in Psycology (I can barely spell it) believe he went into a state of shock…Mehserle seemed dazed after to me.

I’m not sure why it matters that Mehserle had tased before….I did NOT know he slapped anyone. 10 years ago my nephew snapped a bra of a girl that had said something smart to him in class, the teacher saw and he was suspended for assault…Assault?? really?? they said it was sexual assualt. But of course I did know Oscar has a past history….

I can imagine with all the jaw flapping in the background and Grant resisting that the situaltion was getting chaotic….I wonder why Peroni (whom I believe has been on the force much longer)

Kristin******** July 13 at 4:51pm

did not step in and help difuse the situation. Why would Mehserle think killing somebody and shooting them in the back no less would impress ANYONE???

I just don’t think anyone would ever think that would be a move that would impress anyone….unless you lived in some scary inbreed ozarks kind of place…. ner city July 13 at 6:33pm

Kristin my heart’s been heavy over this situation for years. You say that Mehserle “went into a state of shock”, correct? Is this before or after he shot Oscar Grant? And if so then what was his state before he shot him?

Was it “Shock” that had Mehserle’s first excuse he thought Oscar was going for a gun changed to “I thought my gun was my taser”? How can you change excuses? Why would you change excuse unless the defense and Mehserle knew that the video clearly showed Oscar’s hands were not reaching for a gun which means that defense would’ve failed miserably.

It is not fair or right to give Mehserle the benefit of the doubt of snapping or going “into a state of shock” but not give those same rights to Oscar. There isn’t any proof that Oscar was one of the people fighting on the train so if a police officer pulls an innocent man off a train for no reason then might the person in “shock” is Oscar Grant? That “shock” would have some people asking “Why are you doing this?”

What about the “shock” you may be in when you have the weight of two men weighing over 250 pounds on top of you?

Now please know that I am not saying Oscar was a saint. I do not know the entire situation but what I do know is that he did not deserve to get tased while he was already held down and really didn’t deserve to be murdered.

Kristin we live in two different worlds within the same state. This is not an insult to your intelligence by any means. I “assume” that you live in a world that believes in the police & the justice system. That police believe and uphold the “Serve & Protect” slogan for their citizens. If anybody breaks the law then they have the right to use necessary force. But the thing is I live in the world where police murder black & Latino men and uses the “I thought he was going for a gun” excuse while hiding behind the ‘Blue Wall’.

Abner Louima, Amadou Diallo, Ayana Jones, Rodney King, Fred Hampton Sr. and the list goes on and on regarding police officers using excessive force and/or murdering men of color.

Kristin, Johannes Merhserle doesn’t deserve your support. What your nephew did cannot compare to what Mehserle did. Did you know that woman he slapped was a teacher? That is why he got kicked out of school, it’s because he slapped a person of authority. After years that same person becomes a police officer.

Kristin******* July 13 at 7:39pm

First of all…I don’t know that he was dazed I just thought he looked dazed…my own opinion. Also, it is my understanding that he did not change his defense…it appears in the video that Oscar is reaching for something in his pocket so Mehserle was going to grab his taser and hopefully subdue him to get the cuffs on.

Im going to give you shock for Oscar as well….but at some point don’t you comply?

I want to make this clear… I SUPPORT JOHANNES MEHSERLE..I am supporting this incident…not a “blue wall” when that happens….I will support otherwise.

Does the Dr. that prescribed Michael Jackson the meds that killed him deserve to be tried for murder? Of course I would want to hear his reasons but I assume it was out of greed..I am sure Michael was paying him top dollar to get the prescriptions he wanted. Do I think the Dr. (or Nurse) that gave the meds to Dennis quaids twins should be tried for attempted murder? well at the end of the day that was an mistake not hing was to be gained from it. Does this analgy make sense?CLearly you are intelligent and I thank you for listening to me…but I feel sadly at the end of the day we are just never going to understand where each other stands.

ner city July 14 at 8:24am

Kristin,

I understand the analogy that you used but honestly it really doesn’t apply here.

And since you have a photo of Johannes Mehserle on your avatar to show your support for him you really should understand/know as much as you can about this man.

These are facts that you should research-

-Mehserle got kicked out of school for slapping his teacher.

-Mehserle did not ride off to the hospital or even try to see if Oscar Grant was ok after he shot him.

– He did not offer his condolences to the family until July 4th in a letter 18 months after the fact and a few days before his verdict was coming down.

-Oscar Grant did not have a weapon.

– His taser is bright yellow and doesn’t have the same amount of safety precautions as his more heavier police pistol.

– Mehserle did change his defense from “I thought that he was reaching for a weapon” to “I thought that I grabbed my taser”.

Now, Kristin we come from and live in two different worlds we both understand that, we probably live two different lifestyles, we probably of two different colors, and maybe even different religions and political stances but there is ONE thing that we both are and that is “Human”. And as a human Kristin ask yourself, would you shot a man and not even check and see if he was alright? Would you cuff him and go on about your way? If you THOUGHT that he was going for his gun but then found out that he was unarmed wouldn’t the “Human” side of you check and see if he was alright? Would the “Human” side of you wait 18 months (just a few days before the verdict was about to be released) to apologize to the Grant family? Even if you thought that you were reaching for your taser, even if you thought he was reaching for a gun would you Kristin wait 18 months? Even if your lawyer told you? That’s not what humans do.

I would not yell “I am Oscar Grant” if I didn’t know as much as I could about this man. I would not make a mistake of supporting a person that didn’t need to be supported, but I honestly feel that you are doing that with Johannes Mehserle. You aren’t really even supporting Johannes Mehserle, more than supporting good police officers (Which I believe they’re out there), but Kristin Johannes is NOT one of the “good guys”.

Even a “Jury of his own peers” convicted him of a criminal act.

Think about it- The trial was moved out of Oakland

No African Americans were on the jury

5-6 jury members had either police officers as friends or family members

And they STILL came back with “Involuntary Manslaughter”. Which I thought was wrong he should’ve at least got manslaughter but even still they thought Johannes committed a criminal act and abused his powers and you’re STILL telling me that you support him?

You still want to have his picture on your avatar? These are the facts not hopes, not beliefs but facts Kristin. You are supporting a criminal. I don’t care if he went into “Shock” he “Snapped” whatever a jury of his peers that didn’t have any bias when convicting him. So in ways it’s an oxymoron because you believe in the justice system with Mehserle but not in the justice system convicting him. Which one is it?

Again how can you support a convicted criminal?

I would like to keep this line of communication open. I would also like for you to create a note on your facebook, tag as many of your friends that support Mehserle and post this dialog between us. Let them see the facts, I will do the same, I will not allow any of my supporters to bash, call you names and I would hope that you can do the same for me because that won’t get us anywhere, I want to promote a dialog between both sides because I too want to believe what you believe (Not in Mehserle but believe in the system) but we both need to clean house and not support injustice. Injustice like rogue cops, or injustice like rogue black men & women that looted stores or commits “Black on black crimes” in my community. Until we both start making these changes these problems will always come around. 4 more police officers will be murdered (Which I don’t support), while people like Oscar Grant will be murdered by criminals like Mehserle.

original story:http://www.facebook.com/notes/ner-city/an-oscar-grant-supporter-talking-to-a-johannes-mehserle-supporter-pt-1/404415966830

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Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News, Political articles Tagged With: An Oscar Grant supporter talking to a Johannes Mehserle supporter. pt 1, conflict resolution, Dialogue, Johannes Mehserle, Ner city, police terrorism

Skin-Lightening Cream is Making a Comeback-Do We Really Hate Our Dark Skin?

July 14, 2010 By mrDaveyd

I’m not sure if this is a resurgence from a bygone era or something thats always been around in some shape or form. But it looks like skin-lightening cream is making a comeback. Its obviously big business in India if Vaseline is making a special product for folks in that country. But even here at home we heard stories about prominent figures like Beyonce lightening their skin. We seen magazines frequently do this.. Of course we all know about Sammy Sosa and before him Michael Jackson.

Is being Black really that bad? Along with the skin-lightening do we bring with it an attitude that sees someone dark as inferior? Does this mean folks are gonna stop going out and getting tans? Next thing you know folks are gonna start straightening their hair and speaking with funny aristocratic accents to try and distance themselves from their roots… What a strange world we live in..

-Davey D-

Vaseline launches skin-whitening Facebook app for India

NEW DELHI (AFP) – Skincare group Vaseline has introduced a skin-lightening application for Facebook in India, enabling users to make their faces whiter in their profile pictures.

The download is designed to promote Vaseline’s range of skin-lightening creams for men, a huge and fast-growing market driven by fashion and a cultural preference for fairer skin.

The widget promises to “Transform Your Face On Facebook With Vaseline Men” in a campaign fronted by Bollywood actor Shahid Kapur, who is depicted with his face divided into dark and fair halves.

“We started campaign advertising (for the application) from the second week of June and the response has been pretty phenomenal,” Pankaj Parihar from global advertising firm Omnicom, which designed the campaign, told AFP.

Indian cosmetics giant Emami launched the first skin-whitening cream for men in 2005, called “Fair and Handsome” and advertised by Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan. It came 27 years after the first cream for women.

Baseball star Sammy Sosa Reminded us a couple of years ago there are many who can't stand to be dark-skinned

Since then a half dozen foreign brands have piled into the male market, including Garnier, L’Oreal and Nivea, which promote the seemingly magical lightening qualities of their products in ubiquitous advertising.

In 2009, a poll of nearly 12,000 people by online dating site Shaadi.com, revealed that skin tone was considered the most important criteria when choosing a partner in three northern Indian states.

“More and more, there’s an anxiety in the mind of men about having fair skin,” sociology professor T. K. Oommen at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi told AFP.

“Indians believe that if you have fair skin you belong to the higher caste, the Brahmins,” he added, explaining that a succession of light-skinned colonisers in India reinforced the association of fairness with power.

“The Aryans, who came from central Asia, in addition to the Portuguese, the French and the British colonisers ruled over the country and probably contributed to this negative perception of dark-skin.”

original article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100713/tc_afp/lifestyleindiainternetfacebookvaseline

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Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News Tagged With: beyonce, Michael Jackson, race, sammy soas, Skin-lightening cream, vaseline, Vaseline launches skin-whitening Facebook app for India

Prominent Lawyers Group Charge Oakland Police w/ using Excessive Force-Walter Riley, Lawyer & Father of Boots of the Coup Arrested

July 14, 2010 By mrDaveyd

For those who don’t know, Oakland Police used what they called a containment strategy. This is where they had large numbers of police on all 4 sides of a street which prevented folks who came to speak out from leaving. So what this meant was the heavily publicized speak out which was sanctioned and supported by the city of Oakland had lots of folks come to 14th and Broadway and City Hall. At 8’clock the police shut it down as planned.

The police then announced it was an unlawful assembly and people would be subject to arrest if they did not leave. This included everyone from elected officials to lawyers to press who didn’t have the special green cards that the police had issued to corporate outlets embedded with them..

When people went to leave they walked down Broadway toward the city center where they were met by a line of police who pushed the crowd and started marching in the opposite direction..

As the crowd moved hastily back past 14th street to 16th they were met by another line of riot police who told them they could not go past… This meant the crowd of two hundred or so folks turned to go up 14th only to find another wall of police who were advancing forward. This left one way to go which was toward City hall which had its backstage area and other exit points blocked off or into the BART station.

Police closed the BART. So folks were contained in this human box set up by the police who were advancing forward in full riot gear. People got angry and that’s when the Footlocker on broadway got ransacked. What was not shown on the news was the police in full riot gear were standing right there. Seems to me they could’ve easily moved in, but opted not to, while at the same time preventing peaceful protestors from leaving. Some of the aggressive behavior is captured in the footage below..

-Davey D-

http://vimeo.com/13217165

OPD, Law Enforcement Used Excessive Force At Oscar Grant Protests: NLG Decries Police Tactics, Assaults on Peaceful Protesters

Yesterday at 8:31pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Conference Wednesday, July 14, 12 Noon, 14th and Broadway in Oakland

Oakland—Despite claims by Oakland Police (OPD) and city officials that law enforcement used restraint during last Thursday’s protests following the Johannes Mehserle verdict, details emerging paint a very different picture. Police used excessive force against a largely peaceful protest, violently attacking a number of people. Police arrested many demonstrators who had done nothing wrong, and then held them in jail through the night and in some cases through the weekend and beyond.

Among those arrested were NLGSF member, and prominent Oakland attorney, Walter Riley. “Thursday’s law enforcement conduct must be investigated. The police were provocative and seemed determined to instigate violence, which of course, served their police contract negotiations with Oakland at a time when they are facing layoffs of 80 officers,” said Riley. “In the organized rally where protesters, including me, were helping to ensure peaceful protest, the police helped to perpetuate a narrative of violence by allowing a small number of people to vandalize businesses when they could have stopped it.”

Also arrested were Oakland School Board member Jumoke Hinton Hodge, 69-year-old former school principal Susan Harman, journalists and legal observers. Many of the arrestees were seriously injured by the police, including a handful who were taken to the hospital from the scene and at least one individual who was denied medication, causing a potentially life threatening situation to an elderly member of the community.

“Last Thursday a court in Los Angeles sent a disgraceful message about police violence, and that message was reinforced by the conduct of Oakland Police and other law enforcement Thursday evening,” said Carlos Villarreal, NLGSF Executive Director. “OPD and outside agencies brought in as reinforcement used overwhelming force on a largely nonviolent assembly, sweeping up lawyers, legal observers, journalists and community members, and seriously injuring a number of individuals.”

Walter Riley Father of Boots Riley of the Coup was Arrested in front of his Law Office

Several years ago the National Lawyers Guild and ACLU obtained a $2 million settlement in a lawsuit over OPD brutality toward demonstrators, and at that time OPD adopted new crowd control policies designed to safeguard freedom of speech in just this sort of volatile situation.

“If OPD had followed its own crowd control policies, the injuries would have been avoided,” explained NLGSF attorney Rachel Lederman. “The aggressive use of police formations, baton beatings and indiscriminate arrests were unnecessary and violated people’s constitutional right to protest. To make things even worse, OPD violated state law by jailing people for long periods of time who had been arrested for very minor offenses.”

The National Lawyers Guild San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (NLGSF) condemns the police abuse by OPD and other law enforcement on the scene and is investigating possible legal action. The NLGSF is a human rights bar association founded in 1937 with hundreds of members throughout the Bay Area. Find out more at www.nlgsf.org.

Carlos Villarreal

Executive Director

National Lawyers Guild SF Bay Area Chapter

www.nlgsf.org

415.285.5067×304

Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News, Political articles, Southern Shift Tagged With: ACLU, Assaults on Peaceful Protesters, Law Enforcement Used Excessive Force At Oscar Grant Protests: NLG Decries Police Tactics, Lawyer & Father of Boots of the Coup Arrested, National Lawyers Guild, OPD, Oscar Grant, Oscar Grant protest, Oscar Grant verdict, Prominent Lawyers Group Charge Oakland Police w/ using Excessive Force-Walter Riley, Walter Riley

Jasiri X Drops New Song & Banging Video-What if the Tea Party Were Black?

July 14, 2010 By mrDaveyd

Jasiri X has released a video called “What if the Tea Party was Black?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtH7vH4yRcY

The Hip Hop artist says that he got the idea when Paradise,a member of the pro-black rap group X-Clan, forwarded him a copy of Wise’s article. “I saw the article and I liked the concept,” says the rapper. So Jasiri hit the studio with producer Cynik Lethal while Paradise grabbed his video camera and they went on their mission to defeat the Right Wing propaganda machine.

What If the Tea Party Were Black?

by Tim Wise

http://www.alternet.org/story/146616/what_if_the_tea_party_were_black?page=entire

Let’s play a game, shall we? The name of the game is called “Imagine.” The way it’s played is simple: we’ll envision recent happenings in the news, but then change them up a bit. Instead of envisioning white people as the main actors in the scenes we’ll conjure – the ones who are driving the action – we’ll envision black folks or other people of color instead. The object of the game is to imagine the public reaction to the events or incidents, if the main actors were of color, rather than white. Whoever gains the most insight into the workings of race in America, at the end of the game, wins

So let’s begin.

Imagine that hundreds of black protesters were to descend upon Washington DC and Northern Virginia, just a few miles from the Capitol and White House, armed with AK-47s, assorted handguns, and ammunition. And imagine that some of these protesters —the black protesters — spoke of the need for political revolution, and possibly even armed conflict in the event that laws they didn’t like were enforced by the government? Would these protesters — these black protesters with guns — be seen as brave defenders of the Second Amendment, or would they be viewed by most whites as a danger to the republic? What if they were Arab-Americans? Because, after all, that’s what happened recently when white gun enthusiasts descended upon the nation’s capital, arms in hand, and verbally announced their readiness to make war on the country’s political leaders if the need arose.

Imagine that white members of Congress, while walking to work, were surrounded by thousands of angry black people, one of whom proceeded to spit on one of those congressmen for not voting the way the black demonstrators desired. Would the protesters be seen as merely patriotic Americans voicing their opinions, or as an angry, potentially violent, and even insurrectionary mob? After all, this is what white Tea Party protesters did recently in Washington.

Imagine that a rap artist were to say, in reference to a white president: “He’s a piece of shit and I told him to suck on my machine gun.” Because that’s what rocker Ted Nugent said recently about President Obama.

Imagine that a prominent mainstream black political commentator had long employed an overt bigot as Executive Director of his organization, and that this bigot regularly participated in black separatist conferences, and once assaulted a white person while calling them by a racial slur. When that prominent black commentator and his sister — who also works for the organization — defended the bigot as a good guy who was misunderstood and “going through a tough time in his life” would anyone accept their excuse-making? Would that commentator still have a place on a mainstream network? Because that’s what happened in the real world, when Pat Buchanan employed as Executive Director of his group, America’s Cause, a blatant racist who did all these things, or at least their white equivalents: attending white separatist conferences and attacking a black woman while calling her the n-word.

Imagine that a black radio host were to suggest that the only way to get promoted in the administration of a white president is by “hating black people,” or that a prominent white person had only endorsed a white presidential candidate as an act of racial bonding, or blamed a white president for a fight on a school bus in which a black kid was jumped by two white kids, or said that he wouldn’t want to kill all conservatives, but rather, would like to leave just enough—“living fossils” as he called them—“so we will never forget what these people stood for.” After all, these are things that Rush Limbaugh has said, about Barack Obama’s administration, Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama, a fight on a school bus in Belleville, Illinois in which two black kids beat up a white kid, and about liberals, generally.

Imagine that a black pastor, formerly a member of the U.S. military, were to declare, as part of his opposition to a white president’s policies, that he was ready to “suit up, get my gun, go to Washington, and do what they trained me to do.” This is, after all, what Pastor Stan Craig said recently at a Tea Party rally in Greenville, South Carolina.

Imagine a black radio talk show host gleefully predicting a revolution by people of color if the government continues to be dominated by the rich white men who have been “destroying” the country, or if said radio personality were to call Christians or Jews non-humans, or say that when it came to conservatives, the best solution would be to “hang ‘em high.” And what would happen to any congressional representative who praised that commentator for “speaking common sense” and likened his hate talk to “American values?” After all, those are among the things said by radio host and best-selling author Michael Savage, predicting white revolution in the face of multiculturalism, or said by Savage about Muslims and liberals, respectively. And it was Congressman Culbertson, from Texas, who praised Savage in that way, despite his hateful rhetoric.

Imagine a black political commentator suggesting that the only thing the guy who flew his plane into the Austin, Texas IRS building did wrong was not blowing up Fox News instead. This is, after all, what Anne Coulter said about Tim McVeigh, when she noted that his only mistake was not blowing up the New York Times.

Imagine that a popular black liberal website posted comments about the daughter of a white president, calling her “typical redneck trash,” or a “whore” whose mother entertains her by “making monkey sounds.” After all that’s comparable to what conservatives posted about Malia Obama on freerepublic.com last year, when they referred to her as “ghetto trash.”

Imagine that black protesters at a large political rally were walking around with signs calling for the lynching of their congressional enemies. Because that’s what white conservatives did last year, in reference to Democratic party leaders in Congress.

In other words, imagine that even one-third of the anger and vitriol currently being hurled at President Obama, by folks who are almost exclusively white, were being aimed, instead, at a white president, by people of color. How many whites viewing the anger, the hatred, the contempt for that white president would then wax eloquent about free speech, and the glories of democracy? And how many would be calling for further crackdowns on thuggish behavior, and investigations into the radical agendas of those same people of color?

To ask any of these questions is to answer them. Protest is only seen as fundamentally American when those who have long had the luxury of seeing themselves as prototypically American engage in it. When the dangerous and dark “other” does so, however, it isn’t viewed as normal or natural, let alone patriotic. Which is why Rush Limbaugh could say, this past week, that the Tea Parties are the first time since the Civil War that ordinary, common Americans stood up for their rights: a statement that erases the normalcy and “American-ness” of blacks in the civil rights struggle, not to mention women in the fight for suffrage and equality, working people in the fight for better working conditions, and LGBT folks as they struggle to be treated as full and equal human beings.

And this, my friends, is what white privilege is all about. The ability to threaten others, to engage in violent and incendiary rhetoric without consequence, to be viewed as patriotic and normal no matter what you do, and never to be feared and despised as people of color would be, if they tried to get away with half the shit we do, on a daily basis.

Game Over.

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Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News, Political articles, Southern Shift Tagged With: Jasiri X, Jasiri X Drops new Song & Banging Video-What if the Tea Party Were Black, Paradise gray, race, Racism, Tea Party, Tim Wise, What If the Tea Party Were Black?

Lebron, Gilbert & Jesse.. This is Bigger than Any Hip Hop Beef-But Who Wins when Millionaires Fight?

July 13, 2010 By mrDaveyd

Here’s the podcast to our July 13th Hard Knock Radio show

w/ sports columnist/author Dave Zirin and

sports broadcaster/emcee FranK Red on Lebron James and also the passing of NY Yankee Owner George Steinbrenner

http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/62541

Everyone is talking about Lebron James and the brouhaha he has with Cleveland Cav’s owner Dan Gilbert. Adding to the mix is Jesse Jackson. Lemme just say for the record this is not Hip Hop beef. It’s a beef between 3 men who have more money and resources than most of us could ever dream for… It’s important to not this because their beef becomes are distraction as we discovered the other night when Lebron’s ‘Decision’ where to make his next millions overshadowed the ‘Decision’ to slap an out of control cop on the wrist with manslaughter for the killing of Oscar Grant.

At any given moment, a kid from the projects or a rich millionaire like Lebron could be subjected to the harsh treatment of someone with a badge and a gun..

I think Dan Gilbert reacted more as a fan than an owner with his letter, however because what he says in his position as owner is gonna hold a certain amount of weight, he had to be more mindful or at least state it plainly so there’s no confusion. I’m not alone in my opinion, the NBA went a fined ole boy 100 Gs for the outburst.

I think Jesse Jackson was right in his assessment if he looks at Gilbert from the standpoint of him being an owner and not a fan… But Jesse has got to be taken to task for ignoring the Grant case. There’s no notice on his site about Grant. I could assume that maybe he wasn’t up on it, because it didn’t get national play..but there was also no mention of the explosive torture case involving former Chicago Captain Jon Burge who was recently found guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice and was responsible for torturing hundreds of Black men in Chicago over a 30 year period. This was right in Jesse’s backyard and while we give him props for the battles he does take on, like Gilbert when he speaks his words take on extra weight. A younger, more hungry Jesse Jackson would’ve made the connection to Grant when speaking about Lebron..

Here’s a list of Jesse’s recent press releases. http://www.rainbowpush.org/news

Lastly we have Lebron James.. At 25 the weight of the world shouldn’t be on his shoulders, but he’s got to be smarter and more aware or come off looking like a big spoiled cry baby. He got used by the media that went above-board to focus on him while obscuring the verdict of Oscar Grant. You know it was huge because it even obscured a lot of coverage around the riot which was in reaction to the decision. Is that Lebron’s fault.. Technically ‘No’, but ethically ‘Yes’. Because he has a lot, much is expected and you can’t run around calling yourself King and not be up on issues pertinent to your ‘subjects’. I think the editorial written by the folks at Whatupdoe in Detroit says it all.

Lastly I’ll say this..a great basketball player is one who transcends the sport and exercises leadership both on and off the court. Lebron is a master on the court but still has a way to go to live up to the title of King…His challenge was to leverage his greatness and be in ‘partnership’ by shifting the balance of power between him and owner Dan Gilbert. That would be the ascension I’m talking about.

Can Lebron James be the next Paul Robeson?

Right now he was a paid employee and not someone who was stepping up and finding away to make it happen for his team. He’s in a sport thats unlike any other where one guy can truly make a difference. Lebron left before making that difference in terms of being a champ and he knows this no matter how many rings he gets elsewhere. He knows he has unfinished business in Cleveland.. Same way Muhammad Ali knew he had to fight Joe Frazier after he beat George Forman and was the champ. In addition since James calls himself King, he’s gonna have to move in the direction of being ‘that guy’ who smartly weighs in on issues of the day. Failure to do that as he gets older renders him to be cartoonish…In other words at 25 it’s cute to call yourself ‘King’, after he gets older it becomes silly unless he does King like things. I say he needs to take a page from singer John Legend on the activism/education tip and strive to be more Paul Robensonisque.

Until then Lebron is someone who we will say pulled a Meg Whitman. He’s no different than Ebay chair who is trying to buy her way to the Governor’s mansion in California. Buying your way to a championship in the NBA is not being a true winner.

Davey D

Open Letter to from Dan Gilbert

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/gilbert_letter_100708.html

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

Does Cleveland Owner Dan Gilbert sound like someone w/ a slave-owners Mentality?

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don’t deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our “motivation” to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that’s simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown “chosen one” sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And “who” we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called “curse” on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former “King” will be taking the “curse” with him down south. And until he does “right” by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day….

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue….

Dan Gilbert
Majority Owner
Cleveland Cavaliers

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Reacts to Dan Gilbert’s Open Letter

http://www.rainbowpush.org/news/single/rev._jesse_l._jackson_sr._reacts_to_dan_gilberts_open_letter

“Mr. Dan Gilbert’s accusations, expressed in an open letter to LeBron James after his announcement that he will play next year’s NBA season for the Miami Heat, have legal and social implications for the league, its union and the character of LeBron James. By saying that he has gotten a free pass and that people have covered for him way too long, Gilbert suggests that LeBron has done something illegal or illicit.

He speaks as an owner of LeBron and not the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality. He sees LeBron as a runaway slave. This is an owner employee relationship–between business partners–and LeBron honored his contract.

He must know the Curt Flood suit, which changed plantation rules and created free agency; and the Spencer Haywood suit that changed eligibility rules.

If he believes that LeBron quit in games 2, 4, 5 and 6 of the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals, then, why did he fire the coach? If he believes that LeBron intentionally quit, determining the outcome of those games, why did he pursue him and offer him and additional $120 million to stay in Cleveland?

These accusations endanger LeBron. His jersey is being burned in effigy, and he is being projected as a betrayer by the owner.

When players or coaches speak disrespectfully to or about referees, they are fined. If Mr. Gilbert cannot prove that LeBron changed games by quitting, he defames his character. He should have to face a challenge by the NBA and the players association. LeBron has every right to an apology.

Other players cannot just watch this as if it is LeBron’s personal problem. This is an attack upon players in general.

LeBron is not a child, nor is he bound to play on Gilbert’s plantation and be demeaned. He has been a model citizen and has inspired the children of Akron, Cleveland, the State of Ohio and the United States.

He has conducted camps for children, helped to win a gold medal for our nation and his public deportment has been excellent.

Mr. Gilbert’s statement is mean, arrogant and presumptuous.

I hope that LeBron will speak up and speak out clearly and forcefully.”

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a progressive organization protecting, defending and expanding civil rights to improve economic and educational opportunity. The organization is headquartered at 930 E. 50th St. in Chicago. For more information about the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, please visithttp://www.rainbowpush.org or call (773) 373-3366.

Here’s a response to Jesse’s remarks…from the website Whatupdoe.com out of Detroit..

Mr. Jackson,

Let me start out by saying that I recognize your accomplishments and everything you’ve done in the past. I know you marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. I know you were there when Martin was assassinated. I’m aware that, in the 80’s, you orchestrated a huge voter registration drive that led to millions of African Americans registering to vote and that you were a huge factor in Chicago electing its first African American Mayor in 1983. I know that you helped to found the Chicago branch of Operation Breadbasket, the economic arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Council. It’s amazing that in 1984, 1990, and 1999 you were able to enter Syria, Iraq, and Yugoslavia, respectively, to negotiate the release of United States soldiers and civilians during war times.

With that being said…

You’ve never let us forget you marched with Martin and were there with him when he was assassinated. In fact, you pretty much remind us just about every time you speak. Your voter registration drives were for your own selfish gain during your presidential runs in 1984 and 1988. I also know that your exact location during Martin’s assassination has been the center of controversy. You were actually suspended by the SCLC, in 1971, for using the organization for personal gain. You then resigned shortly after being suspended by the SCLC only to start Operation PUSH to “save humanity,” and founded the National Rainbow Coalition that sought out equal rights for African Americans, women, and homosexuals. Ironically, in 2001, it was unearthed that you had an affair with a woman that led to the birth of a child. In addition to that, to keep your mistress quiet, you paid her around $36,000 in Rainbow Push Coalition funds for “moving expenses” and “contract work,” with an additional guarantee for $40,000 more for future, “contract work,” but rescinded once the affair was made public. The same funds from your “non-profit,” that are solicited donations, in most cases I’m assuming, to support the causes your organization is supposed to be supporting.

You are also the same African American activist that was heard saying, during an interview, that, in regards to President Obama, you wanted to, “cut his nuts off,” for lecturing black churches about the state of welfare? The same President Obama that has been a pillar and champion for equality even before his election into office?

The last few times I’ve seen or heard your name mentioned? The highly publicized Duke Lacrosse scandal, the highly publicized scandal of unfunny Seinfeld actor/comedian Michael Richards’ usage of the word, “nigger,” in response to African American hecklers, and the highly publicized N.A.A.C.P.’s burial of the word, “nigger,” and all variations of it. And now you’re lashing out against Dan Gilbert for his highly publicized open letter to LeBron James with your own open letter.

Well, Mr. Jackson, this is my open letter to you.

Quite frankly, to be blunt, I don’t know the difference between you (along with Rev. Al Sharpton) and an ambulance chasing personal injury attorney. Just that, in this case, the ambulance is free publicity.

Now, I didn’t mention any of the above to point fingers or to be hurtful but to bring up a point: Everyone’s human. We all fall victim to our emotions and actions. No one is above reprieve and everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt and second chances.

However, if there is one thing I am sick of, I am sick and tired of the race card. I’m sick and tired of race being made an issue. And I’m definitely sick and tired of you, your cohort Rev. Al Sharpton, and everyone using racism as a crutch for some sort of favoritism or pity. For me and my generation, slavery is no longer a valid excuse for us not improving the quality of life for us and those surrounding us.

We’re going to have to agree to disagree on Dan Gilbert’s open letter being worded in a way that, “suggests that LeBron has done something illegal or illicit.” Should Gilbert have let his emotions dictate his words? No. He’s the owner of an NBA franchise. Not only could that letter be bad for future business, but as an owner he should hold himself to a higher standard. But, with that being said, he has nothing to apologize for. Are we asking people to apologize for the way they feel? What are we doing here?

LeBron most certainly fulfilled his contractual obligations, thus being allowed to make whatever decision he felt best for himself.

But there is nothing in Gilbert’s open letter to LeBron that signifies a slave and a master relationship, nor is there anything in Gilbert’s open letter that signifies him seeing LeBron James as a, “runaway slave.” Your egregious, extremely exaggerated connections of his letter to slavery and racism is reckless. It does more to hurt race relations in our country than it does to strengthen them.

continue reading Open Letter to Jesse Jackson here...http://www.whutupdoe.com/an-open-letter-to-jesse-jackson.html

Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News, Political articles, Southern Shift Tagged With: Basketball, Big Frank Red, cleveland Cavs, Dan Gilbert, Dave Zirin, George Steinbrenner, Gilbert & Jesse.. This is Bigger than Any Hip Hop Beef-But Who Wins when Millionaires Fight?, hard Knock radio, Jesse Jackson, Lebron, Lebron james, NBA, Open letter to jesse Jackson, Open letter to lebron james, Oscar Grant

Johannes Mehserles Lawyer Calls The Grant family ‘Mean-Spirited’

July 12, 2010 By mrDaveyd

All I can say after reading this is ‘Wow’.. These folks have no shame..Absolutely no shame..

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

BART trial: Mehserle attorney calls Oscar Grant’s family ‘mean spirited,” requests sentencing delay.

Michael Rains

Now that the gag-order in the case has been lifted, the attorney for former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle is speaking out. KGO-TV asked Michael Rains on Sunday his reaction to Oscar Grant’s family denouncing Mehserle’s letter of apology. Grant’s uncle called Mehserle’s letter“garbage” and said that any letter of apology should have been directed directly to them and should have been sent much earlier.

Rains told KGO-TV on Sunday, “You know what, I don’t think that when the family remains that hostile and that nasty and mean-spirited that Mr. Mehserle should be out there offering olive branches because they will not be received.”

Rains is seeking a delay of sentencing so he will have enough time to prepare his post-trial motions.

He says the jury was “confused” and in a hurry to reach a verdict and “get out of the courthouse.”

Rains said the involuntary manslaughter charge and the gun enhancement charge which the jury convicted Mehserle on, were mutually exclusive because involuntary means without the intention to fire a gun. Rains will ask the judge at sentencing to set aside the conviction and order a new trial.

Grant’s family is seeking a federal prosecution based on civil rights violations. Rains called that “highly unlikely or altogether impossible.”

original source: http://www.examiner.com/x-27745-SF-Headlines-Examiner~y2010m7d12-BART-trial-Mehserle-attorney-calls-Oscar-Grant-family-mean-spirited-requests-sentencing-delay

Media coverage of the Oakland riots after BART shooting trial verdict slammed (video, photos)

The San Francisco Bay Area media is taking heat for its coverage of the Oakland riots from the political right, left and center.

On the right, national radio talk show host Michael Savage is slamming the media for “stirring people up” following the verdict in the Oscar Grant case.

Savage told listeners on his show, which originates from the San Francisco Bay Area, that the “vermin in the media” are the “true terrorists” who fanned the flames of violence in the wake of the verdict that found Mehserle guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

Savage, who is not known for his subtlety, said those who caused trouble in Oakland were “white communists and anarchists” and “white scum.”

Savage said the real hero in Oakland during the rioting was Oscar Grant’s grandfather and namesake. Savage played a speech by the senior Grant urging nonviolence.

Savage noted that Oscar Grant senior wore a ball cap with the words “Airborne US Marine Corps.”

Said Savage, “I don’t believe he found it in the ashcan.”

Savage’s opinion about the media was echoed by someone who is Savage’s political polar opposite in the media.

Charles Karel Bouley, who goes by Karel, a talk show host on the left-leaning Green 960, told listeners that the media effectively rallied the rioters.

“The media so wanted a riot yesterday in Oakland, they created one,” said Karel .

Karel also read aloud from Mehserle’s letter of apology and mocked the Mehserle for implying that he was a victim too.

Karel said that Mehserle should have been convicted of voluntary manslaughter.

The media also got slammed from a voice in the middle. KGO radio talk show host Ronn Owens told listens on his 9-noon show, “We the media were counting on these riots, I am surprised we didn’t just go out and take out ads, that said ‘listen to us, we will have the best riots coverage.”

Owens added, “It’s almost like the media was disappointed it wasn’t a bigger riot.”

What did you think? Click on the comments button above to leave your comments.

Previous Updates:

Letter of apology from Johannes Mehserle released Friday in wake of Oakland riots (photos, video)

Johannes Mehserle issued a hand-written letter of apology dated Sunday, July 4, 2010, four days before the jury found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Here is the text of the letter. A PDF of the letter was posted on the SFGATE.com site. Click here to read it. The hand-written letter is addressed to Michael Rains, Mehserle’s attorney.

The attorney for the Grant family, John Burris, commented on the letter during a brief interview on the Gil Gross show on KGO radio at 2:45 p.m.

Although Burris called it a “good statement,” he said Mehserle should have apologized on the right of the shooting. Burris said he had not been able to talk to the Grant family since the letter was released early Friday afternoon.

“It doesn’t change any facts, Mr. Grant is still dead, he did it,” Burris said. The attorney reiterated that the letter would have been better received it had come earlier.

Here’s the text of Mehserle’s letter:

Mike –

Please try to get this message to the public:

I don’t know what the jury in this case is going to decide, but I hope those who hate me and those who understand that I never intended to shoot Oscar Grant will listen to this message.

I have and will continue to live everyday of my life knowing that Mr. Grant should not have been shot. I know a daughter has lost a father and a mother has lost a son. It saddens me knowing that my actions cost Mr. Grant his life, no words express how truly sorry I am.

I hoped to talk to Ms. Johnson (Wanda Johnson, Grant’s mother) and Ms. Mesa (Sophina Mesa, Grant’s girlfriend and the mother of his daughter) in the days following this terrible event, but death threats toward my newly-born son, my friends and family resulted in no communication occurring. I hope the day will come when anger will give way to dialogue.

For now, and forever I will live, breathe, sleep, and not sleep with the memory of Mr. Grant screaming “You shot me” and putting my hands on the bullet wound thinking the pressure would help while I kept telling him “You’ll be okay!” I tried to tell myself that maybe this shot would not be so serious, but I recall how sick I felt when Mr. Grant stopped talking, closed his eyes and seemed to change his breathing.

I don’t expect that I can ever convince some individuals how sorry I am for the death of Mr. Grant, but I would not feel right if I didn’t explain my thoughts as I wait for a decision of the jury.

Johannes Mehserle

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Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News, Political articles Tagged With: apolohy letter, cephus Johnson, cephus Johnson rejects apology, Johannes Mehserle, Johannes Mehserles Lawyer Calls The Grant family 'Mean-Spirited', Looters, Michael Raines, Michael Rains, Oakland protest, Oscar Grant

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Open Letter to from Dan Gilbert

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;