Here is just another reason why readers of this blog should support our petition to Congress calling for public hearings on the systemic human rights violations occurring with Federal funding for the use of Tasers® against American citizens. It's time for the Federal government to investigate the wide spread tasering of Americans. We need to stop the taser madness.
The United Nation's Committee Against Torture has already declared that Taser use can constitute a form of torture. Now we learn about another city that have been using tasers on American citizens without justification.
Get this, Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today directed the Maywood City Council to reform its Police department in the wake of a 16-month investigation which exposed "gross misconduct and widespread abuse." Brown will immediately seek a stipulated court order to secure adoption of reforms and oversight by the Attorney General's office. "
Over a period of five years, the Maywood Police Department violated the trust of the community it was supposed to serve and protect," Attorney General Brown said. "This investigation has revealed gross misconduct and widespread abuse including unlawful use of force against civilians. It is imperative that the city council take immediate and concrete steps to rein in the department."
Brown today released a 30-page report that found that the City of Maywood Police Department routinely used excessive force, did not obtain probable cause to justify arrests and searches, and operated without adequate oversight by the Maywood City Council and the City's Chief Administrative Officer. Investigators examined some 30,000 pages of documents from January 2002 through April 2007. Sixty-four witness interviews were conducted with sworn officers, city council members, City of Maywood administrative personnel, city residents, and civil rights attorneys.
The investigation was launched in response to a 2007 request by then-Speaker of the Assembly Fabian N? The investigation was headed up by Senior Assistant Attorney General, Louis Verdugo, who was assisted by special agents from the Attorney General's office, and Joe Brann, former Hayward Police Chief and Director of the COPS Office under President Clinton. Over the course of the investigation, Brown's office has been in contact with the Los Angeles District Attorney.
The City Council has taken limited steps to reform the department, most notably by hiring a permanent Chief of Police. Nevertheless, reform efforts are just beginning and many of the underlying structural causes have not been remedied. Brown has sole legal authority under California Civil Code 52.3 to ensure that police departments do not deprive "any person of rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States or by the Constitution or laws of California."
Brown's investigation uncovered five major areas where the Department had violated the rights of community members, identified ten factors that allowed these violations to develop, and offered a 12-point plan of reform.
Findings Attorney General Brown's investigation found that: - Maywood police officers routinely used excessive force, and police department management did little or nothing to stop these abuses. In September 2006, for instance, officers, tased, assaulted and beat a father and son in front of their home after the son witnessed officers assaulting a man across the street. The son asked one of the officers for his badge number. As he wrote it down, he was assaulted by the officer. Other officers joined in. The young man was repeatedly shot with a Taser while he was handcuffed. At one point, the father yelled "what are you doing to my son." The father was then assaulted by several officers. Both men were taken to the hospital for medical treatment. They were charged with battery of a police officer, and resisting and obstructing an officer. The charges were later dismissed.
AAPP: You think this is outragious? There is More ----> More HERE
I will have thoughts on this situation later. What are your thoughts?
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Black Bloggers urge Congressional U.S. Taser Torture Hearings
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Tuesday April 28, 2009
Black bloggers call for "Congressional Taser Torture Hearings"
CONTACT:
Wayne Hicks, Electronic Village, blog@elecvillage.com
LN Rock, African American Political Pundit, AfricanAmericanPoliticalPundit@gmail.com
Eddie Griffin, Eddie Griffin-BASG, eddiegriffin_basg@yahoo.com
A group of bloggers called the afrospear, a 2 year old coalition of black bloggers from across America (and around the world) held a day of Blogging for Justice standing up against pre-trial capital punishment by electrocution event on Friday. More Here
The Afrospear also established a p etition to Congress calling on Senator leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and members of the Congressional Black Caucus to speak out and organize public hearings on the systemic human rights violations occurring with Federal funding against black, Latino, Native American and other Americans.
Group member Eddie Griffin, of the blog, Eddie Griffin-BASG, said, "While there continues to be considerable media and congressional attention to torture in Guantanamo, there is comparatively little attention to the mounting evidence of human rights violations in the streets of America by a number of police departments across America, including torture and killings of black children, women and men through-out the United States through the use and abuse of Tasers."
LN Rock, a 2008 DNC Convention Blogger, who publishes the blogs, African American Political Pundit and Tasered While Black said, "We want Congress to stand up with us against the police pre-trial electrocution of black children, women and men - by taser. He went on to say, "We believe that few Americans support spending our tax dollars on torture, which violates our moral, religious and legal traditions. Most Americans expect an American policing policy that ensures the rights of all individuals regardless of race, greed, color, national origin, sex, disability or political or religious affiliation."
Wayne Hicks, publisher of the blog, Electronic Village, said, "We believe most Americans would favor Congressional hearings as to whether our own U.S. police, policing policies and actions violate Federal and International laws prohibiting human rights violators. Evidence of widespread police abuse of tasers is more than enough to warrant our concern and justify a congressional inquiry." He went on to say, " We propose that Congress undertake serious oversight into the extent to which our taxes are funding human rights violations and torture by tasing, and provide an alternative roadmap to the restoration of our democratic values. We want Congress to make sure that police pre-trial electrocution of black children, women and men by taser stops."
The bloggers are asking for:
1. The U.S. Attorney General and the Justice Department to aggressively fulfill its most basic mandate of enforcing the law. Torture by tasing is a crime, and the Justice Department is the right place to initiate an independent top-to-bottom investigation of the torturing of black children men, women and children by local police jurisdictions throughout the United States. It's important that the general public understand the 'use of force continuum' used by law enforcement officials, and how it is abused by many in the law enforcement community. (See the use-of-force-continuum provided by the blog Electronic Village) Note: Although there is a Justice Department Review of TASER-related Deaths the on-the-spot pre-trial electrocutions continues.
2. Congress should investigate whether US police tasing policies violate Federal or international civil and human right laws, including the U.N. Convention against Torture, and international covenants against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of citizens even in cases of so-called "state emergencies".
3. Congress should require the effective regulation of Taser use and require police/citizen review panels by Federal, state and local police and security agencies, including strict adherence to international human rights standards, or act to defund all such Federal, State and local police and security agencies who violate taser use regulations that would be established by Congress. No Federal stimulus dollars should be used to purchase tasers.
The bloggers point out UN's Committee against Torture has declared that Taser use can constitute a form of torture, while USA: Amnesty International has an on-going concern about the use of tasers on American citizens. With all the conversation about the Bush torture memos and torture in the United States, we the undersigned bring up the issue of torture of black Americans at the hands of police in the United States. We urge you to stand up against the police pre-trial electrocution of black children, women and men by taser.
Here is a sampling of what black bloggers are saying about the tasing of so many blacks in the United States.
2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-ban-pre.html
April Davis - Around Harlem.com http://blog-aroundharlem.com/2009/04/24/blogging-for-justice-standing-up-against-the-use-of-police-tasers/
PaJoyner - PlezWorld - http://pajoyner.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-death-by.html
Yobachi - Black Perspective.net - http://www.blackperspective.net/index.php/act-against-police-taser-abuse/
Ms. Lady Deborah - From my Brown Eyed View - http://msladydeborah.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justicestanding-up.html
Eddie Griffin BASG - http://eddiegriffinbasg.blogspot.com/2009/04/gravest-injustice.html
Rev. Sequoyah Kofi bin-Tomas, Intelligent Aboriginal News Service (IANS) - The Angry Indian - Inteligentaindigena Novajoservo: When "Non-Lethal" Weapons Kill
Wayne Hicks - Villager, OxDown. Firedoglake - http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/4927
Wayne Hicks - Villager - Electronic Village-.. http://tinyurl.com/59jet6 - Use of Force Continuum
SjP - Sojourners Place - http://sojournersplace.blogspot.com/2009/04/blogging-for-justice-stop-taser.html
LN Rock - Post Racial Blog - http://postracial.blogspot.com/2009/04/tasering-and-toturing-black-americans.html
The SuperSpade - http://www.thesuperspade.com/taser-torture/
Anyway I Have To - http://underovr.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-standing-up.html
Vanessa Byers- On The Black Hand Side - http://www.blackhandside.net/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice.html
It All Goes Here - http://nateo.blogspot.com/2009/04/call-for-stopping-pre-trial.html
Independent Bloggers Alliance - http://independentbloggersalliance.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-standing-up.html
Rover's Morning Glory - http://www.roverradio.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=Black-kids-women-and-children-are-being-tasered-to-death-while-black....html&Itemid=382
Assata Shukur Forum - http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/open-forum/37831-4-24-blog-against-pre-trial-electrocution.html
RiPPa - The Intersection between Maddness and Reality - http://rippdemup.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-end-taser.html
Lola - Whatever Lola Wants - http://lolagetslife.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-standing-up.html
African American Political Pundit Report - http://aappreport.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-standing-up.html
African American Political Pundit Blog - http://aapoliticalpundit.blogspot.com/2009/04/blacks-tasers-and-torture-sign-online.html
Electrocuted While Black - http://electrocutedwhileblack.blogspot.com/2009/04/at-least-five-seventeen-year-olds.html
Scotty - Black Talk Radio - http://blacktalkradio.ning.com/profiles/blogs/a-day-of-blogging-for-justice?xgs=1
Proud Black Blogger - http://proudblackvoter.blogspot.com/2009/04/congressional-black-caucus-needs.html
Carmen D. - Black Voices - http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2009/04/27/lets-put-a-stop-to-taser-madness/
Chicago Cop Watch - http://chicagocopwatch.org/2009/04/at-least-five-seventeen-year-olds-suffer-police-pretrial-capital-punishment-by-electrocution-this-year/
Here is a link to the Afrospear Petition to request Congressional hearings on the Taser torture of Americans: http://www.petition2congress.com/2/1822/taser-torture-in-america-call-congressional-hearings/
Black bloggers call for "Congressional Taser Torture Hearings"
CONTACT:
Wayne Hicks, Electronic Village, blog@elecvillage.com
LN Rock, African American Political Pundit, AfricanAmericanPoliticalPundit
Eddie Griffin, Eddie Griffin-BASG, eddiegriffin_basg@yahoo.com
A group of bloggers called the afrospear, a 2 year old coalition of black bloggers from across America (and around the world) held a day of Blogging for Justice standing up against pre-trial capital punishment by electrocution event on Friday. More Here
The Afrospear also established a p etition to Congress calling on Senator leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and members of the Congressional Black Caucus to speak out and organize public hearings on the systemic human rights violations occurring with Federal funding against black, Latino, Native American and other Americans.
Group member Eddie Griffin, of the blog, Eddie Griffin-BASG, said, "While there continues to be considerable media and congressional attention to torture in Guantanamo, there is comparatively little attention to the mounting evidence of human rights violations in the streets of America by a number of police departments across America, including torture and killings of black children, women and men through-out the United States through the use and abuse of Tasers."
LN Rock, a 2008 DNC Convention Blogger, who publishes the blogs, African American Political Pundit and Tasered While Black said, "We want Congress to stand up with us against the police pre-trial electrocution of black children, women and men - by taser. He went on to say, "We believe that few Americans support spending our tax dollars on torture, which violates our moral, religious and legal traditions. Most Americans expect an American policing policy that ensures the rights of all individuals regardless of race, greed, color, national origin, sex, disability or political or religious affiliation."
Wayne Hicks, publisher of the blog, Electronic Village, said, "We believe most Americans would favor Congressional hearings as to whether our own U.S. police, policing policies and actions violate Federal and International laws prohibiting human rights violators. Evidence of widespread police abuse of tasers is more than enough to warrant our concern and justify a congressional inquiry." He went on to say, " We propose that Congress undertake serious oversight into the extent to which our taxes are funding human rights violations and torture by tasing, and provide an alternative roadmap to the restoration of our democratic values. We want Congress to make sure that police pre-trial electrocution of black children, women and men by taser stops."
The bloggers are asking for:
1. The U.S. Attorney General and the Justice Department to aggressively fulfill its most basic mandate of enforcing the law. Torture by tasing is a crime, and the Justice Department is the right place to initiate an independent top-to-bottom investigation of the torturing of black children men, women and children by local police jurisdictions throughout the United States. It's important that the general public understand the 'use of force continuum' used by law enforcement officials, and how it is abused by many in the law enforcement community. (See the use-of-force-continuum provided by the blog Electronic Village) Note: Although there is a Justice Department Review of TASER-related Deaths the on-the-spot pre-trial electrocutions continues.
2. Congress should investigate whether US police tasing policies violate Federal or international civil and human right laws, including the U.N. Convention against Torture, and international covenants against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of citizens even in cases of so-called "state emergencies".
3. Congress should require the effective regulation of Taser use and require police/citizen review panels by Federal, state and local police and security agencies, including strict adherence to international human rights standards, or act to defund all such Federal, State and local police and security agencies who violate taser use regulations that would be established by Congress. No Federal stimulus dollars should be used to purchase tasers.
The bloggers point out UN's Committee against Torture has declared that Taser use can constitute a form of torture, while USA: Amnesty International has an on-going concern about the use of tasers on American citizens. With all the conversation about the Bush torture memos and torture in the United States, we the undersigned bring up the issue of torture of black Americans at the hands of police in the United States. We urge you to stand up against the police pre-trial electrocution of black children, women and men by taser.
Here is a sampling of what black bloggers are saying about the tasing of so many blacks in the United States.
“A day of blogging for Justice ... What bloggers are saying and thinking:
Asabagna - Afrospear Think Tank - http://afrospear.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/a-day-of-blogging-for-justice-standing-up-against-the-pre-trial-electrocution/
Wayne Hicks - Electronic Village - http://tinyurl.com/chedrx
Nate, Nateo Blog - http://nateo.blogspot.com/2009/04/call-for-stopping-pre-trial.html
LN Rock, African American Opinion - http://africanamericanopinion.ning.com
Francis Holland - Francis L. Holland Blog - http://francislholland.blogspot.com/2009/04/police-pre-trail-execution-pigs-on.html
Kathy - Daily Kos Blogger - Do White People Care About Tasing? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/4/24/724113/-Do-White-People-Care-About-Tasing
Zhana - Ancestral Energies - http://ancestralenergies.blogspot.com/2009/04/no-to-pre-trial-electrocutions.html
The Kid - Pirate satellite: A Day of Blogging for Justice - http://kid-kidfunkadelic.blogspot.com/
Wayne Bennett, The Field Negro, Major side bar and link highlighting the importance of this day.
Purple Zoe - UltraVioletUnderground - http://purplezoe.blogspot.com/April Davis - Around Harlem.com http://blog-aroundharlem.com/
PaJoyner - PlezWorld - http://pajoyner.blogspot.com/
Yobachi - Black Perspective.net - http://www.blackperspective.
Ms. Lady Deborah - From my Brown Eyed View - http://msladydeborah.blogspot.
Eddie Griffin BASG - http://eddiegriffinbasg.
Rev. Sequoyah Kofi bin-Tomas, Intelligent Aboriginal News Service (IANS) - The Angry Indian - Inteligentaindigena Novajoservo: When "Non-Lethal" Weapons Kill
Wayne Hicks - Villager, OxDown. Firedoglake - http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/
Wayne Hicks - Villager - Electronic Village-.. http://tinyurl.com/59jet6 - Use of Force Continuum
SjP - Sojourners Place - http://sojournersplace.
LN Rock - Post Racial Blog - http://postracial.blogspot.
The SuperSpade - http://www.thesuperspade.com/
Anyway I Have To - http://underovr.blogspot.com/
Vanessa Byers- On The Black Hand Side - http://www.blackhandside.net/
It All Goes Here - http://nateo.blogspot.com/
Independent Bloggers Alliance - http://
Rover's Morning Glory - http://www.roverradio.com/
Assata Shukur Forum - http://www.assatashakur.org/
RiPPa - The Intersection between Maddness and Reality - http://rippdemup.blogspot.com/
Lola - Whatever Lola Wants - http://lolagetslife.blogspot.
African American Political Pundit Report - http://aappreport.blogspot.
African American Political Pundit Blog - http://aapoliticalpundit.
Electrocuted While Black - http://electrocutedwhileblack.
Scotty - Black Talk Radio - http://blacktalkradio.ning.
Proud Black Blogger - http://proudblackvoter.
Carmen D. - Black Voices - http://www.blackvoices.com/
Chicago Cop Watch - http://chicagocopwatch.org/
Here is a link to the Afrospear Petition to request Congressional hearings on the Taser torture of Americans: http://www.petition2congress.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Tasering and Toturing Black Americans Is Not Post Racial
Today is a special day, it's a day when bloggers from around the United States, Canada, UK, Africa, Europe, Brazil, and other parts of the world have come together for “A day of blogging for Justice - Standing up against the pre-trial electrocution.”
com/story/2009/4/24/724113/-Do-White-People-Care-About-Tasing
Blogger Francis L. Holland provides a history of Naming" it "Police Pre-Trial Electrocution and Execution"
Check out these great bloggers and their thoughts about the torture of black American by Taser, and what they think should be done.
Purple Zoe - UltraVioletUnderground - http://purplezoe.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-ban-pre.html
April D. - Around Harlem.com http://blog-aroundharlem.com/2009/04/24/blogging-for-justice-standing-up-against-the-use-of-police-tasers/
PaJoyner - PlezWorld - http://pajoyner.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-death-by.html
Yobachi - Black Perspective.net - http://www.blackperspective.net/index.php/act-against-police-taser-abuse/
Ms. Lady Deborah - From my Brown Eyed View - http://msladydeborah.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justicestanding-up.html
Eddie Griffin BASG - http://eddiegriffinbasg.blogspot.com/2009/04/gravest-injustice.html
More Links to come...
Check out The Angry Indian's blog post on When "Non-Lethal" Weapons Kill
*This article is in response and solidarity with the call from fellow Afro-blogger African American Political Pundit's call for editorials concerning the use of Tasers on not just the African population but against free citizens in general. Follow the links immediately after this commentary. Check out more of the post HERE
AAPP: Hat tip to all the afrosprear, and other bloggers who contributed to this day of blogging for justice. Don't forget to sign the online petition demanding a congressional investigation into Taser Torture in America
Here is what black bloggers are saying and thinking:
*****
AAPP says: Wayne Hicks has been tracking the tasing issue even before I began publishing the blog, Tasered While Black. Wayne takes a look at the tasing issue and details many of the abuses in todays post:
I've shared other examples on my blog in the past:The successes aren't the problem - the failures are.
How many more Black folks need to be executed by the police before the Congressional Black Caucus does something about it? I encourage all villagers to immediately sign online petition demanding a congressional investigation into Taser Torture in America. More HERE
Meanwile, Asabagna of the Afrospear Think Tank says:
*****
Today, Black bloggers around the web (including Afrospear members and The Electronic Villiage) are setting aside the day to stand up against the use of tasers by the police. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) refers to them as “Conducted Energy Devices (CEDs)”. Some of the bloggers refer to their use as “Police Pre-Trial Electrocution”.
- Villager, Electronic VillageAAPP says: Wayne Hicks has been tracking the tasing issue even before I began publishing the blog, Tasered While Black. Wayne takes a look at the tasing issue and details many of the abuses in todays post:
I've shared other examples on my blog in the past:
- Valreca Redden (Trotwood OH) - pregnant Black woman tased by Officer Michael Wilmer when she went to police department for help.
- Eugene Snelling (Austin TX) - tased by Officer Thomas O'Connor driving with his mother on Thanksgiving Day.
- Donnell Williams (Wichita KS) - deaf Blackman tased in his own home.
- Major Lemon (Madison WI) - Blackman tased while holiday shopping at th
e local mall. - Xavier Jones (Coral Gables FL) - Tasers deployed by two police officers killed this Blackman.
- Darryl Turner (Charlotte NC) - unarmed 17-year old Black youth killed when Officer Jerry Dawson decided to fire at him with a taser gun.
- James Garland (Miami FL) - unarmed and naked 41-year old Blackman killed by police taser gun while disoriented in the street.
- Baron Pikes (Winnfield LA) - Police officer Scott Nugent indicted for murder because he tasered a handcuffed 21-year old Blackman to death.
- Terrance Kennedy (Dallas NC) - Police killed another Blackman in North Carolina with their taser guns.
- Marcus Moore (Freeport IL) - unarmed 40-year old Blackman killed by police with their taser guns.
- Robert Mitchell (Warren MI) - unarmed 16-year old Black youth killed police taser guns.
- Gary Decker (Tucson AZ) - unarmed 50-year old naked man killed by police taser guns while in his own hotel room.
- Michael Jacobs (Ft. Worth TX) - unarmed, mentally impaired 24-year old Blackman killed by police taser guns on his own front yard in front of his parents.
How many more Black folks need to be executed by the police before the Congressional Black Caucus does something about it? I encourage all villagers to immediately sign online petition demanding a congressional investigation into Taser Torture in America. More HERE
Meanwile, Asabagna of the Afrospear Think Tank says:
When I started to contemplate what I was going to write for this day of blogging action on the use of tasers… i.e., “electrocution” to control and/or stop what are considered dangerous, anti-social behaviors… what stood out in the forefront of my mind was that in the past, electrocution (called Electroconvulsive Therapy), was also widely used for a similar purpose: as an approved, standard medical/psychiatric procedure for “supposed” dangerous and anti-social behaviors deemed to be mental illnesses, which included homosexuality and political dissent.
As a police officer (in Canada), my initial point of view is that I will use whatever level of force I deem necessary, when dealing with a violent criminal suspect, to protect the life of others and/or prevent bodily harm, but more importantly… to ensure that I go home to my family at the end of my shift! Presenting my wife and son with a Canadian flag and a hug or handshake at the end of a memorial service in my honor, just isn’t a life-affirming ambition of mine. With that being said, the police organization I work for, like most if not all police services in North America, are mandated and trained to follow some sort of “use of force continuum model”, which dictates what level of force is to be used in a given situation.
The publisher of AroundHarlem.com says, AroundHarlem.com is strongly against the use of tasers. We have based our decision on information revealed by the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and the fact that the use of tasers are harmful and dangerous to potentially innocent people. The NYCLU states that the NYPD has instituted the use of a leathal weapon without proper research or public dialogue. While the NYPD did conduct a Rand Study, according to Donna Lieberman (NYCLU executive director), the NYPD commissioned the study on important public policies without involving the public or anyone outside the NYPD. As a result, the NYCLU and AroundHarlem.com doubt the thoroughness and objectivity of the study.
The Rand Report, which was supposed to be aimed at evaluating the racial disparities in NYPD practices following the Sean Bell Incident (two black men and one latino man were shot at 50 times by the NYPD [Sean Bell was killed]), focuses on supporting the increased use of tasers as a replacement for handguns. The use of these weapons has been linked to hundreds of serious injuries and fatalities.
Last year police fatally tased Iman Morales, a 35 year old man suffering from mental illness. The police responded to a call by Morales’ mother, who had resorted to calling the NYPD after her son had stopped taking his medication. The incident left Morales standing on a metal box that was on top of a store’s security gate, naked, screaming incoherently with an 8 foot fluorescent light tube in his grasp.
Lt. Michael Pigott issued the order to shoot Morales with a taser which was a clear violation of NYPD guidelines stating that “when possible, the CED (taser) should not be used in situations where the subject may fall from an elevated surface.” As a result of being tased, Morales fell head first onto the pavement below and was killed. The was incident was captured on camera by an onlooker. (Lt. Pigott committed suicide shortly after the incident occurred.)
Months before this tragedy 17 year old Alexander Lombard 3rd, son of a NYPD veteran, was tasered 4 times, hit 15 times with a nightstick and put in a choke hold by a NYPD officer. Lombard suffered serious injuries (video) as the result of excessive use of force by an officer at a community sponsored barbecue in Harlem. No charges were filed against Mr. Lombard indicating that he was neither resisting arrest nor carrying a weapon. The use of the taser against Lombard can only be described as excessive and unnecessary. More HERE
Blogger Francis L. Holland provides a history of Naming" it "Police Pre-Trial Electrocution and Execution"
Check out these great bloggers and their thoughts about the torture of black American by Taser, and what they think should be done.
Shawn Williams, Dallas South Blog.com - http://tinyurl.com/cx6h97
Nate, Nateo Blog - http://nateo.blogspot.com/2009/04/call-for-stopping-pre-trial.html
Antoinette - Antoinette's Point of View - http://aapov.blogspot.com/
Cherie S. - http://memoirofcherieamour.blogspot.com/ Mr. E-D - Excited-delirium.com
Rock, African American Opinion - http://africanamericanopinion.ning.com
Francis Holland - Francis L. Holland Blog - http://francislholland.blogspot.com/2009/04/police-pre-trail-execution-pigs-on.html
Kathy - Daily Kos Blogger - Do White People Care About Tasing? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/4/24/724113/-Do-White-People-Care-About-Tasing
Zhana - Ancestral Energies - http://ancestralenergies.blogspot.com/2009/04/no-to-pre-trial-electrocutions.html
The Kid - Pirate satellite: A Day of Blogging for Justice - http://kid-kidfunkadelic.blogspot.com/
Wayne Bennett, The Field Negro, Major side bar and link highlighting the importance of this day.
Purple Zoe - UltraVioletUnderground - http://purplezoe.blogspot.com/
April D. - Around Harlem.com http://blog-aroundharlem.com/
PaJoyner - PlezWorld - http://pajoyner.blogspot.com/
Yobachi - Black Perspective.net - http://www.blackperspective.
Ms. Lady Deborah - From my Brown Eyed View - http://msladydeborah.blogspot.
Eddie Griffin BASG - http://eddiegriffinbasg.
More Links to come...
Check out The Angry Indian's blog post on When "Non-Lethal" Weapons Kill
*This article is in response and solidarity with the call from fellow Afro-blogger African American Political Pundit's call for editorials concerning the use of Tasers on not just the African population but against free citizens in general. Follow the links immediately after this commentary. Check out more of the post HERE AAPP: Hat tip to all the afrosprear, and other bloggers who contributed to this day of blogging for justice. Don't forget to sign the online petition demanding a congressional investigation into Taser Torture in America
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
A Day of Blogging for Justice: Standing Up Against the Police Pre-Trial Electrocution - April 24, 2009
Hat Tip and Shout Out to the Villager at the blog Electronic Village for his recent blog post. Check out how the afrospear is blogging about the issue of the tasing, beating and electrocution of Black folks in America. He writes about A Day of Blogging for Justice: Standing Up Against the Police Pre-Trial Electrocution
Related Blog Posts
The AfroSpear is calling on all bloggers to join us in a Day of Blogging for Justice: Standing Up Against the Police Pre-Trial Electrocution on Friday, April 24, 2009.
The rules are simple:
- Share a post on your blog focused on your concerns about the tasering of Blacks folks.
- Send an email to AfricanAmericanPoliticalPundit@gmail.com so that we may document everyone's participation.
- Afro-Netizen - Taser Death of Black man by White cop near Jean ...
- Black Voices - 21st Century Whips
- Diane Dimond - The 50-Thousand Volt Solution
- Electronic Village - Police Taser 16-Year Old Robert Mitchell to Death
- Electronic Village - Taser Policy Defined by 'Use of Force Continuum'
- Jack and Jill Politics - A Day of Blogging for Justice - Against Extra-Judicial ...
- Mondoglobo - Lousiana Police Electrocute Handcuffed Man in Grocery Store
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Saturday, April 18, 2009
Post Racial Baggy Pants Laws? Or bi
A big shout out and H/T new African American Female blogger Antoinette, who has posted on an important issue that just may place more young African American boys and men into prison for the clothes they wear.
Here is a first guest blog post from blogger Antoinette of the blog Antoinette's Point of View.
Are we going to arrest the blue collar worker if we are able to see the crack of their behinds while they are working? If you have a plumber at you home and are able to his behind, is this a cause for alarm to call the police and have him arrested for breaking the law. Of course not. When the young and old females are walking down the street and you can see the cleavage from their breast and the low-rider jeans and thongs is this going to cause them to be arrested? Anything that shows any part of the body that is deemed unapproved for public vision is this going to be a cause for alarm and people are going to be fined and imprisoned for this? What about the beach, are we going to go back to the days where you were covered so that your body was not exposed at all.
Is this a law that is meant for everyone, or only for a certain group of young men and boys, or is it for our minority and poor youth, who use this style as their expression? Does this now give a reason for minorities to be harassed by law enforcement, for no cause, except for the clothing on their body.
Is this another way that the budget is going to be fixed, the government on a state and local level will fix their budgets by fining people who cannot afford to be fined and put into prison for not paying their fines are have to many offenses against them for their clothing and now have a criminal record for breaking a foolish law?
What is next are we going to wear uniforms in the streets to show what area we are from, what our stature in life is, what neighborhoods we live in to show if we belong in this area or not. Are we going to be robbed once again of our identify and our style of expression through our hair or make-up. Is this a signal to us to wake up and look at the concentration camps that are being set-up around the United States of things to come?
Where is the Black Caucus and Urban League and not to mention the NAACP, Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson, why are they not out fighting against this new injustice that is coming out against our people? And this is being done because there is some people that are offended regarding the way someone dresses.
How much legal slavery are we going to stand for? Is this going to fix the economy and put the American people back to work, is this going to stop the foreclosures in this country and not to mention is this going to stop the drugs from coming into our communities? Should we not be more concerned about fixing these things, then being concerned over how someone is dressing?
Read more from this up and coming black blogger HERE
Here is a first guest blog post from blogger Antoinette of the blog Antoinette's Point of View.
Outlawing Baggy Pants
By AntoinetteCan the style of clothing now send young men to jail? According to one of the newer additions to the criminalized-for-no-good-reason list: baggy pants.
I don't like the way how young men or older men wear their clothing hanging off of their behinds but to give these young men a fine and jail sentences for their clothing is an outrage.
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I don't like the way how young men or older men wear their clothing hanging off of their behinds but to give these young men a fine and jail sentences for their clothing is an outrage.
Are we going to arrest the blue collar worker if we are able to see the crack of their behinds while they are working? If you have a plumber at you home and are able to his behind, is this a cause for alarm to call the police and have him arrested for breaking the law. Of course not. When the young and old females are walking down the street and you can see the cleavage from their breast and the low-rider jeans and thongs is this going to cause them to be arrested? Anything that shows any part of the body that is deemed unapproved for public vision is this going to be a cause for alarm and people are going to be fined and imprisoned for this? What about the beach, are we going to go back to the days where you were covered so that your body was not exposed at all.
Is this a law that is meant for everyone, or only for a certain group of young men and boys, or is it for our minority and poor youth, who use this style as their expression? Does this now give a reason for minorities to be harassed by law enforcement, for no cause, except for the clothing on their body.
Is this another way that the budget is going to be fixed, the government on a state and local level will fix their budgets by fining people who cannot afford to be fined and put into prison for not paying their fines are have to many offenses against them for their clothing and now have a criminal record for breaking a foolish law?
What is next are we going to wear uniforms in the streets to show what area we are from, what our stature in life is, what neighborhoods we live in to show if we belong in this area or not. Are we going to be robbed once again of our identify and our style of expression through our hair or make-up. Is this a signal to us to wake up and look at the concentration camps that are being set-up around the United States of things to come?
Where is the Black Caucus and Urban League and not to mention the NAACP, Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson, why are they not out fighting against this new injustice that is coming out against our people? And this is being done because there is some people that are offended regarding the way someone dresses.
How much legal slavery are we going to stand for? Is this going to fix the economy and put the American people back to work, is this going to stop the foreclosures in this country and not to mention is this going to stop the drugs from coming into our communities? Should we not be more concerned about fixing these things, then being concerned over how someone is dressing?
Read more from this up and coming black blogger HERE
Cross Posted on Antoinette's Point of View, African American Political Pundit and
African American Opinion
African American Opinion
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Texas State Rep. Betty Brown or Betty Bigot?
File this under: Female Texas Bigot
Hat Tip to the blog, Think progress for their recent report on this post racial American side show.
The Post Racial blog publisher says: OK, Ms. Betty Brown, it would behoove you to adopt a last name the relates to your ignorance, and is readily understandable. Let's have this Small Minded lawmaker change her own name to "Betty Bigot."
Hat Tip to the blog, Think progress for their recent report on this post racial American side show.
On Tuesday, State Rep. Betty Brown (R) caused a firestorm during House testimony on voter identification legislation when she said that Asian-Americans should change their names because they’re too hard to pronounce:
“Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Brown said.
Brown later told [Organization of Chinese Americans representative Ramey] Ko: “Can’t you see that this is something that would make it a lot easier for you and the people who are poll workers if you could adopt a name just for identification purposes that’s easier for Americans to deal with?”
Yesterday, Brown continued to resist calls to apologize. Her spokesman said that Democrats “want this to just be about race.”
The Post Racial blog publisher says: OK, Ms. Betty Brown, it would behoove you to adopt a last name the relates to your ignorance, and is readily understandable. Let's have this Small Minded lawmaker change her own name to "Betty Bigot."
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Post Racial Cointelpro? Black Groups Spyed on at HBCU's
Even as the Department of Defense (DoD) Grants $17.4 Million to minority academic institutions it may be spying on black campus groups who as one terrorism assessment finds radical nodes on HBCU campuses. AAPP says: Here the government goes again folks. Targeting black folks, and black organizations as they have in the past. This reminds me of COINTELPRO (1967-1971). I guess this is COINTELPRO 2009. No wonder the United States Government seems to be involved with plans to place Federal troops to quell urban violence, but to protect who? The government should really be watching those white terrorist groups and not black folks. You have to read more about this:Hat tip to Raw Story, and also a Hat Tip and Shout Out to "Dale D" at Blog Talk Radio for the link to this Raw Story post about a newly leaked terrorism assessment from a law enforcement fusion center in Virginia. The Assessment shows that police and feds are targeting "historically black colleges" as "radicalization nodes" for terrorists. RAW STORY has published the entirety of the 215 page report, available at Raw Story in PDF format.
From page 17:A wide variety of terror or extremist groups have links to [a highlighted area of Virginia]. This area not only has a diverse population due to the strong military presence, but it is also the site of several universities.While most of these universities are considered urban, two are designated as a Historically Black Colleges and Universities, while Regent University is a private, evangelical Christian institution. While the majority of individuals associated with educational institutions do not engage in activities of interest to the VFC, it is important to note that University-based students groups are recognized as a radicalization node for almost every type of extremist group.Though the report singles out "historically black colleges" early on, it also contains an extensive list of peaceful American and International activist groups from nearly all cross-sections of political engagement, placing them side-by-side with groups that have long been known for resorting to violence. The list of groups the fusion center considers potential terrorist threats is as follows: Read more HERE and More Here
From page 17:A wide variety of terror or extremist groups have links to [a highlighted area of Virginia]. This area not only has a diverse population due to the strong military presence, but it is also the site of several universities.While most of these universities are considered urban, two are designated as a Historically Black Colleges and Universities, while Regent University is a private, evangelical Christian institution. While the majority of individuals associated with educational institutions do not engage in activities of interest to the VFC, it is important to note that University-based students groups are recognized as a radicalization node for almost every type of extremist group.Though the report singles out "historically black colleges" early on, it also contains an extensive list of peaceful American and International activist groups from nearly all cross-sections of political engagement, placing them side-by-side with groups that have long been known for resorting to violence. The list of groups the fusion center considers potential terrorist threats is as follows: Read more HERE and More Here
Cross posted on African American Political Pundit.com
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
UPDATE: Black Man Tased and Beaten in Peoria, IL.
Tasing of a Black Man Tased - Beaten in Peoria, IL.
Cross posted on African American Political Pundit and The Post-Racial Blog
Cross posted on African American Political Pundit and The Post-Racial Blog
Indicted Tuesday were, from left, Peoria police Officers Gerald W.Suelter, 39, Andrew R. Smith, 29, and Jeremy Layman, 31. The charges stem from a chase last May of Bryce R. Scott, 34, who claims he was beaten after he stopped his car and put his hands outside his window near the intersection of Abington Street and Perry Avenue.
As reported by PJ Star, Another Peoria police officer has been charged with official misconduct in connection with the pursuit and arrest of a Peoria man last May who was kicked, stomped and Tased after he apparently surrendered.
A Peoria County grand jury on Tuesday returned a five-count indictment against Jeremy J. Layman, 31, of Hanna City. The officer faces four counts of obstructing justice and one count of official misconduct. Layman posted 10 percent of a $15,000 bond Tuesday to remain out of custody.
Two others, Andrew R. Smith, 29, and Gerald W. Suelter, 39, were also indicted Tuesday for their alleged role in the May 3 incident.
Both men face charges of official misconduct, aggravated battery, battery and mob action. They had already been charged by way of a complaint in mid-March and their bonds were set at $10,000.
Smith and Suelter will next appear in court on April 16 for their arraignment. A court date for Layman has not been set. All three face up to five years in prison on each of the official misconduct charges.
The charges stem from an early morning chase of Bryce R. Scott, 34, who claims he was beaten after he stopped his car and put his hands outside his window near the intersection of Abington Street and Perry Avenue.
Scott, who is facing federal and state drug dealing charges, claims he was pepper sprayed, stomped, kicked, tased and punched after he complied with officers’ requests.
A dashboard camera in a squad car recorded what happened next. After Scott stopped his car, he is surrounded by several officers, who shout for him to comply, which he apparently does. Within seconds, Scott is taken to the ground and is out of the camera’s view.
A prosecutors said at a earlier bond hearing for Suelter and Smith that Suelter repeatedly Tased Scott while Smith allegedly stomped and kicked Scott “at least 20 times, at one point repositioning himself for leverage.”
Layman is accused of stopping the squad car camera from recording. The official misconduct charge for him states “he knowingly concealed, altered or disguised physical evidence concerning the stop and apprehension of Bryce Scott.”
When asked if more officers could face charges, State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons said “a review of police officer conduct continues.” More HERE
Writing the Next Chapter on Race.
AAPP says: Check out this recent post By Judith Browne-Dianis, Co-Director Advancement Project on Writing the Next Chapter on Race. It's a Great Post!
H/T Joseph Huff-Hannon for the link.
Publisher
Source: Race Wire
For several months, the media has been pushing the fairy tale that the United States moved beyond racism with the election of President Obama. As untrue as that is, there are people who started acting on their post-racial fantasies years ago, eight years in fact, as the Bush Administration used that excuse to essentially stop enforcing the civil rights laws we already have. President Obama and his administration have the opportunity to take dramatic steps towards dismantling institutional racism and inequality by simply enforcing the laws that are already on the books. Rather than blindness or silence, taking this action requires us to live in reality so that we can change that reality.
On November 5th, 2008, we woke up in a nation where people of color are nearly twice as likely as Whites to live near toxic waste dumps. We woke up in a nation where healthcare inequities mean that a Black child is more than twice as likely as a White child to die before age one. We woke up in a nation where Black and Latino students are more than 20 percent less likely to graduate from school than their White classmates and more than twice as likely to be arrested when they are at school. All of these disparities exist with government support or permission. More Here
H/T Joseph Huff-Hannon for the link.
Publisher
Source: Race Wire
For several months, the media has been pushing the fairy tale that the United States moved beyond racism with the election of President Obama. As untrue as that is, there are people who started acting on their post-racial fantasies years ago, eight years in fact, as the Bush Administration used that excuse to essentially stop enforcing the civil rights laws we already have. President Obama and his administration have the opportunity to take dramatic steps towards dismantling institutional racism and inequality by simply enforcing the laws that are already on the books. Rather than blindness or silence, taking this action requires us to live in reality so that we can change that reality.
On November 5th, 2008, we woke up in a nation where people of color are nearly twice as likely as Whites to live near toxic waste dumps. We woke up in a nation where healthcare inequities mean that a Black child is more than twice as likely as a White child to die before age one. We woke up in a nation where Black and Latino students are more than 20 percent less likely to graduate from school than their White classmates and more than twice as likely to be arrested when they are at school. All of these disparities exist with government support or permission. More Here
Commentary: 'Post-racial' America isn't here yet
By Leonard Pitts Jr.
Source: CNN.com
Indeed, one suspects the National Urban League's recently released 2009 State of Black America report quantifying racial inequities in employment, housing, education, criminal justice, health and other arenas will be about as welcome as graffiti on the Lincoln Memorial among those Americans who convinced themselves in November the country had entered a "post-racial" era.
Those Americans will be overwhelmingly white and will resist with mighty determination the report's implicit argument: that we have not yet overcome, not yet reached the Promised Land, not yet come to a point where race is irrelevant, Barack Obama notwithstanding.
Years spent engaging Americans on the knotty conundrums of race leave me confident in that prediction. So does a 2008 Gallup poll in which 46 percent of non-Hispanic whites said there is no widespread racism against blacks. But it took a Yale University study to help me understand why some whites feel that way.
Psychology professor Richard Eibach was reported last year in the Washington Post as having found that in judging racial progress, white people and black ones tend to use different yardsticks. Whites use the yardstick of how far we have come from the nation we used to be. Blacks use the yardstick of how far we have yet to go to be the nation we ought to be.
The most complete picture, of course, requires both measures. But who can be surprised that blacks and whites each tend to gravitate toward the measure that is most forgiving of their individual groups, that shoves the onus for change off on the other? The black yardstick, after all, leaves black people no obligation other than to demand justice and equality from white people. The white yardstick requires of white people only that they exhort black people to become more self-reliant and take more responsibility for their own problems. More HERE
Post-racial USA after Obama not happening
By NNPA Columnist Nicole C. Lee
Source: Frost Illustrated
Since the Obama-phenomenon began, some commentators have clamored to declare the U.S. racial problems a thing of the past. Mimicking Francis Fukuyama’s notion of the “end of history,” these pundits claim that now that the U.S. has a black president, the verdict is in: people of color can stop worrying. Racism is finished. The glorious post-racial era has begun.
Huh?
Remember election night? When Obama was declared the projected winner, we cheered and hugged. A few minutes later, we were on the streets celebrating with thousands of other black, white and brown strangers. It was a great moment, a confirmation that change is possible. But unlike a fairy tale, happily ever after in this so-called postracial America is not a foregone conclusion.
As the honeymoon begins to wear off, all too soon because of the financial crisis, experts looking at foreign policy will tell you clearly that post-racial America is still executing policies that are anything but “post-racial.”
The Obama administration has decided not to participate in the World Conference Against Racism. This is a United Nation conference whose purpose is to look at the effects of racism in countries and regions, and to develop progress benchmarks that countries agree to meet. The U.S. attended the conference in 2001 only to pull out before agreeing to the document, disagreeing with language about the Israel- Palestinian conflict as well as language about reparations for slavery. Two weeks ago, the Obama administration sent a team to negotiate terms by which the U.S. would agree to participate but in the end, they determined that the U.S. would not participate in this multilateral event.
The WCAR was not a perfect process; the final document was certainly not perfect. But, this conference is one of the most important processes to globally address the legacy and current realities of racism. Where else can people of Africa and the African Diaspora in places like Europe, the Middle East, all over Latin America and even the U.S. come together to address racism and xenophobia, and have their voices heard?
The Congressional Black Caucus has shown leadership in their dedication to still attend the conference despite the administration’s decision. But, it is extremely detrimental for the first administration led by an African American to not send an official delegation to a conference that needs the leadership that Obama can uniquely provide.
Unfortunately, post-racial America also seems to mean that Haitian immigrants still will be afforded disparate treatment. The government of Haiti has requested Temporary Protected Status, a designation that would suspend deportations to Haiti, because four hurricanes hit last year, but the U.S. has refused to grant the request. Haiti is in the midst of a humanitarian disaster. The storms cost Haiti 15 percent of its total GDP, and Haitian children are eating pies made of mud due to the lack of food.
Even though countries in Central America such as El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua have received TPS in the aftermath of natural disasters, Haiti has never received it. In the first 50 days of Obama’s administration, more than 30,000 Haitians received deportation orders.
Mothers are being deported even though they have husbands and children who are U.S. citizens. Young people without families in Haiti are being deported with no safety net. Some have said the policy towards Haiti is not racially based. But, given this disparate treatment and the legacy of poor treatment of Haitians who come to our shores with legitimate claims, what other conclusion can be found? More HERE
"Bloggers Roundup" established by Shawn Williams
It's been a few weeks since NPR’s News and Notes, and it's segment called Bloggers Roundtable with Farai Chideya went off the air. We all miss the News and Notes family.
Well there is good news folks, brother Shawn Williams, publisher of The Dallas South Blog, and producer of The Shawn P. Williams Show, and his co-host Kristin, are planning a new bloggers talk show on blogtalkradio called, "Bloggers RoundUp."
Starting this week on The Shawn P. Williams Show, Kristin and Shawn will host their first Bloggers Roundup on Thursday April 2nd.
Carmen D. from the blog All About Race and this African American Political Pundit will be the first guest of the program. Shawn has contacted a representative at NPR and Farai to let them know he plans to “take care” of the concept until they bring it back. More HERE
Spread the word check out The Shawn P. Williams Show,Thursday April 2nd at 10:00 PM E.S.T.
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