I am Oscar Grant. I am Adolph Grimes. I am Sean Bell. I am Amadou Diallo. etc.
2009 opens up with a historic unemployment rate and horrible economy. Another grave debt comes from our law enforcement. Since the beginning of the year, there have been three young Black men victim to police shootings over the past week. Two of which have died. All families of the three victims have yet to receive substantial information from law enforcement.
FOBBDeep previously talked about the murder of Oscar Grant—where videos show unnecessary force onto an unarmed Grant laying facedown pinned by multiple officers. Those on the side of the officer suggest the firearm was mistaken for a Taser, instantly killing Grant. There is still no official statement from law enforcement.
Police in Bellaire, Texas shot an unarmed Robert Tolan with at least 2 other shots missed. Tolan and his cousin were ordered to lie on the ground outside his family’s home in suspicion of a stolen vehicle. Robert was shot when he leaned up in response to an officer pushing his mother up against her house. The vehicle belonged to the family.
In New Orleans New Year’s morning, Adolph Grimes was shot 14 times by plain-clothes police officers. 12 of those shots were to his back. The police shot a total of 48 bullets. The police report that Grimes had shot at the police. Grimes had a gun with a legal permit to carry the weapon. Grimes was working father, Hurricane Katrina evacuee, teaches Bible study, and has never had any problems with the law. He was visiting family in tradition and was awaiting his cousin outside his Grandmother’s home. The family has received no information from authorities. Grimes’ mother discovered the murder of his son on the 5 o’clock news.
Sincere condolences are due to the family, friends, and victims of police injustice.
Certainly there will be more information to complicate the situations, but may I code-switch for a hot second…
WHAT’S UP WITH HELLA YOUNG BLACK MEN GETTING SHOT AT BY POLICE???!
The cases of Grant, Tolan, and Grimes are further invests in the feeling of abandonment people of color have with law enforcement. It is the same circles of endangerment young people fall into when they seek refuge in gangs. It is the same loss of security and deep humiliation felt when pulled over for “fitting a description.” It is the same feeling of powerlessness and loss of hope when families are denied proper information for their lost ones by the same institution that took the lives of their children.
At this rate, how can law enforcement earn back the people’s trust? Those in positions power and those with the authority to purvey it (a.k.a. po-pos) are in serious debt with communities of color and other disenfranchised people. It’s not that we stopped hollering “fuck the police” but it is noticeable that those songs have been long remixed. These days, police themselves bump NWA like nobody’s business. Moreover, the saying, “fuck the police” can no longer suffice when a few anarchists turned a perfectly peaceful and affective demonstration into some dumb shit by trashing Oakland including the burning of Black-owned businesses.
In addition, what does it take for these stories to get national coverage? And when will we have a case where the officers are actually charged?
Peace to Oscar Grant, Adolph Chris Grimes, Sean Bell, Amadou Diallo, and to all other victims of police brutality and racist profiling.
-Mark
January 11th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
“Lookin’ out for the ‘boys’ no homo” - Young Jeezy “Circulate”
January 13th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
In addition, what does it take for these stories to get national coverage? And when will we have a case where the officers are actually charged?
It’s going to take some heavy duty selective spending on the part of African people. We’re going to have to learn to direct those billions of dollars that we do
(collectively) have and spend or withhold them in the way that does us the most good. Companies running ads in media that ignore or worse distort our situation don’t deserve our money. Besides our cash will be better spent rebuilding our own community infrastructure.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:36 am
I’m not so sure it was some dumb anarchists who trashed Oakland. How can you say that wasn’t the community’s enraged, and appropriate, response to Grant’s murder?
January 16th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Word. I think being enraged among many other emotions is totally appropriate. I just don’t see how trashing the wrong targets is productive. I wasn’t at the demonstrations however. I just got 2nd-hand info that there were some white anarchist kids that got a little too hyphy. But most people involved were peaceful and organized.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:03 am
Young White anarchist-radical folk have a tradition (and a frequent belief in) of starting things. They of course don’t do it all. But they’ll ignite a situation, then let it pop off as it will. This is how they practice anarchism from my experience on different coasts. It should not be denied that some of our peoples had their own role in the rampage as well. (I do however think there is a difference between breaking a window of a small Black-owned business and that of a Burger King.)
The overall lesson here is to pursue work that builds our momentum and moves us forward, as opposed to the anarchist shit which just seeks to take advantage of a moment of injustice in the system - but fails to actual contribute to a cohesive process of change…A process which needs to happen in office buildings, in the streets, and everywhere else.
Regardless of the mess that has happened so far, I am deeply appreciative of the Bay. People do real work here, they build here, and they are not fazed by Obama’s win. And that energy, especially the exchanges I had with middle-aged Bay-locals in Oakland at the 2nd rally, is exactly what we need to learn from.
February 24th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
We can’t forget about Gary King in 2007
http://www.wiretapmag.org/blogs/race/43630/
We need to take a community stand and heal our communties.
February 24th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
opps meant to provide this link
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/09/23/18449320.php