Frank O'Brien excoriates US police violence against the black community. Frank O'Brien is a long time resident of Troy, NY, USA, and former head of Clan na Gael in same city, and area.
All the outrageous killings and assaults on black protesters, and organizers has had me in shock for a while now, since you'd think that by now cops who are racist in their hearts would have tried to camouflage their bigotry rather than advertise it.
I must say how much I admire the guts that have been shown by well known organizers like T-Dubb-O, DeRay Mckesson and Rika Tyler, when standing up against the literal police state that many young black activists must endure in the poorest of neighborhoods, known by the white privileged class as "ghettos" or the "hood."
As a white middle aged guy, when I was younger I was given or shown respect that only came from my skin color, knowing important people and also the fact that my father was well respected by many in the community. I was an alcoholic in training back then, yet was given preferential treatment by the cops because of who my dad was, and since I was at the time taking college classes with the goal of becoming a cop.
It shocks me how the cops treat black people, and other people of color, in places like Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, actually hearing of police guns being held against their heads, with threats of physical violence, and threats of blowing off their heads being an all too common occurrence. Cops in Ferguson are known to target African-Americans more than whites, literally almost, if not absolutely and totally exclusively, giving out outrageous speeding tickets on a community that can barely make it from paycheck to paycheck.
Police abuse of power against black people has not been highlighted enough by CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, besides the extra-judicial killings of young blacks, and black activists. As one who has a two year degree in Criminal Justice, was going to be a cop when younger, and who was taught by former cops, I knew as far back as the 1980s, how skewed the system is against black people, even right down to how cases against blacks are adjudicated in very, very unfair ways.
What has shocked me to the core is all of the hundreds of wrongful killings done against the African-American community, whether it be in small towns or big cities. What a legacy it is when you reflect upon all the sacrifices that were made by Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and others, in attempting to reform the system, so that blacks, and other people of color could be fairly treated by police, prosecutors and judges. Even these many decades since, we unfortunately haven't progressed one iota away from the systemic bigotry that was common back in the mid-twentieth century. In fact, from all the evidence, such as the wrongful deaths of Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray and other innocent black folk, it is abundantly clear how backward the criminal justice system is, and has been for decades.
Even the prison system is overly represented by blacks, and Latinos, who's only crime really was their skin color, some even having been set up by cops so that the cops could meet their quota for busting up supposed drug dealers. The new black militants, organizers and activists actually care more deeply about their communities than the establishment and older black activists, like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. From having watched shows like teleSur's "Days of Revolt," it is clear how much of a gulf there is between the Jesse Jacksons, and Barack Obamas, in comparison to those young blacks who are brave enough to be on the front lines of peaceful protests against police brutality, police hate crimes and wrongful deaths by police.
I have learned how "Black Lives Matter" is really the cutting edge in the battle for equal treatment under the law, and the battle that is being waged to bring an end to the outrageous number of extra-judicial killings that have plagued our small towns and big cities. Naturally you get white morons who put up placards like "All Lives Matter," basically their having missed the whole point that black activists are trying to get across. Then you get the white supremacists who wave their Confederate flags along with "White Lives Matter" placards, literally making fun of, and insulting blacks who have already been extremely mistreated by our racist and totalitarian capitalist system.
Not much follow up has been done by the dinosaur corporate mainstream, sold out, and bought out, news media, making it so that people must rely upon the alternative news media to hear about how the "Black Lives Matter" movement is doing in its struggle to free blacks from our degenerate criminal justice system. There ought to be Congressional and Senate hearings being done to investigate and legislate new laws to protect the African-American minority community, but instead it turns out to be the all too regular business as usual bullshit that comes from corporate bought politicians.
The continuing struggle for black civil and human rights is a struggle that should be supported by white people, no matter what socio-economic level they are at, or what jobs they have. Thankfully a thoughtful minority, but very, very vocal white minority have been airing and pushing hard for the "Black Lives Matter" movement, and I've even detected support from my dear old ANONYMOUS movement, who are a growing movement in and of their own. When an innocent African-American gets wrongfully killed by overzealous, and racist cops, it should effect us all to our cores, since it is an injustice that cries out for justice to be done, and to be done quickly, and not some time in the distant future.
The civil disobedience that many young black activists have done to shine a light on the huge gulf between how minorities are treated by cops, prosecutors and judges, besides politicians, is truly bravery that represents what America is supposed to stand for. I stand with these young protesters, activists and organizers in their struggle to be fairly treated by the Powers That Shouldn't Be, no matter what the ultimate cost may be in doing so. We should and must be ready to stand with, and even suffer with these brave young activists, who's only aim is to get treated equally by the system, and not being racially profiled by our now militarized police forces.
The so-called War on Drugs has merely been an excuse to victimize the black, Latino, Mexican and other minority communities in which drug use is sometimes prevalent, since being poor is an affliction that can lead to the desire to escape the pain, misery and desperation that is so endemic. Our socio-economic situation is at a crossroads since the rich are only getting richer, with the poor only getting poorer, and the middle class getting decimated by our all too unequal capitalist system. It is all too easy to become so-called radicalized if you are a victim of the shady, inbred and criminal banking, and financial system, which has its headquarters on Wall Street, where not too long ago there was a peaceful occupy movement meant to bring down the greed driven and cruel financial scam that is there.
African-Americans are effected greatly by the inequality that stems from Wall Street controlling our political and economic system, even more than some other minority communities. Combine that with the harassment and criminal mistreatment that blacks get from the cops in this country, and you get naturally a degree of resistance coming from them against these outrages that should be resisted by victims of the charade that is our actual reality in this messed up country.
Every one had had hope for change when Barack Obama ascended to the Oval Office, yet very, very little has changed since Obama turned out to be a willing pawn in the continued discredited system of inequality and sad state of social justice. Only by whites realizing how not Christian, or moral this disparaging system is, can we hope for a sea change in the way things currently are, especially the way it effects the "hood" and its residents, besides the homeless who are treated worse than abused dogs.
We are supposed to be the greatest country from our being one of the first democracies in the world, but sadly this has been but a myth that doesn't stand up to the actual reality. "Black Lives Matter" has made a list of goals that are more than reasonable, it only being a dream unless hard action is taken by the otherwise bought and sold out politicians, who aren't even really picked by the citizens, who are supposedly the true rulers of our republic. Unfortunately it is those with the most money who call the shots in this increasingly third world country of ours, where the rule of law only applies to those who can't buy their way out of being targeted by the ever increasing police state.
Supposedly the militarized police are protecting us against terrorists who would do us harm, though what we have really should be called Homeland Insecurity, with the likes of the NSA ease-dropping in on innocent Americans, when they are not bothering to actually go after the real terrorists, who just happen to be the ones in charge.
African-Americans are a significant minority getting the shit end of this stick which instead ought be stuck back up the asses of our capitalist oppressors. The corrupt, incestuous and banal overlords of our now secret police state could care less about the injustices that we have all been witness to from the many, and well documented police killings and assaults upon the black community. This indictment of an racist and unapologetic police state is a state of affairs that can't go unchallenged by either black or white, and we shouldn't be so focused on inane presidential campaigns that aren't even offering a solution to this kind of ethnic cleansing that is masked as supposed justice.
The Donald will not do a damn thing about such inequity, nor will Hillary do anything about our deteriorating justice system which has officially allowed torture of supposed terrorist suspects, or enemy combatants. Our civil rights began to disappear once the much vaunted Patriot Act was passed wrongfully into law, heralding the end to our now shredded US Constitution and Bill of Rights. Is it any surprise then that the deadly abuses of our now police state against the black community have gone on despite their being so obviously unjust, and even war crimes?
As a guy who was going to be a cop, I am repulsed to see how nothing is being done to protect the black citizens of this country, with guilty as sin cops getting away with what really amounts to first degree murder. Topping it all off, is political repression of any one who would dare challenge the fascist state behind these sickening murders that get passed off as justifiable homicide, even when the assailant was completely unarmed. One must have the gahones to stand against the tyrannical puppet masters who's real desire is to control, and keep down any opposition to the globalist agenda, which is most unfriendly to the already poor and homeless, many being young and black, besides Latino, Mexican, Native American and so on. "Black Lives Matter" is a vital and increasingly powerful movement which cannot be ignored, unless it is done at the peril of the said puppet masters on Wall Street, and the same who control the Federal Reserve.
There will continue to be civil unrest if more extra-judicial killings of blacks goes on unabated, with martial law likely instituted by the oligarchs if more resistance continues boiling over from these wanton murders. Those whites who are comfortably living the life of Riley probably could care less about the loss of human life unless of course it was they who were the victims, basically demonstrating how little things have changed since the bad old days of Jim Crow, and segregation. Instead of ignoring our corrupt political system, the "Black Lives Matter" movement has entered into the presidential campaign debate, at least amongst the Democratic party, with Bernie Sanders representing the best hope for inequality to be turned into equality.
Personally I would love to see a "Black Lives Matter" activist leader on the ballot instead of Sanders or Clinton, bringing the real hope and change that Obama never really did deliver on. A Constitutional Convention could possibly offer a way out of this oligarchical system, bringing campaign finance reforms which could bar big monied interests from buying political favor.
Since the 4th Estate is dead, controlled now completely by corporate America, and even foreign interests, it is only the alternative news media that can counter the psychological operations[aka War for Your hearts and minds] that are televised at our expense, and to our detriment. However the "Black Lives Matter" movement goes, I will support it right down to being ready to be martyred if it were necessary being that the future of young black men and women are at stake.
I pray that more whites do the same, feeling the anguish of a proud, and incredible people who's only supposed crime is gotten from some racial profiler who is nothing more than a reincarnation of the National Socialist philosophy of Germany. Extreme Right wing political parties have unfortunately been making gains in government throughout Europe, so we must guard against such possibilities here in the supposed home of the brave.
Refugees in Europe are being used as political pawns when they should be given understanding and love from the native people there, rather than revulsion and hate. This is so typically how African-Americans get treated by the US government, the police, judiciary and social services, there being no excuse except racism for the lack of care, concern or any sign of any shred of humanity. If we spent even half of our defense budget on helping bring up those blacks who are poor and homeless, we could have it help in revitalizing our messed up economy, bringing up an educated and talented section of our people, giving them respect, understanding, and love. Perhaps then the police would follow suit in not targeting African-Americans as if all of them were criminals, drug dealers and pimps, which are all repugnant stereotypes.
It seems to follow in this country that if you have a comfortable amount of money, the police actually show you more respect. Strange yes, but it is then all too important for us then to eliminate poverty, homelessness and all other social ills. We shouldn't wage a war against drugs, but instead ought to legalize them, regulate them, and tax them, offering rehabilitation for addicts by way of the money gotten from taxing it. We already spend way too much on the farcical War on Terror, grinding down the poverty stricken even more by raising our debt ceiling to where we are indebted to foreign countries like China. Instead we should manage our near bankrupt country as if our lives depended upon it, which they actually do, though our bureaucrats don't seem to understand. Blacks need to be also given reparations for the immoral, unethical and evil slavery that went on for nearly 200 years. Once more, cops need to be reformed, understanding that they are there to protect and serve, not being bullies and monstrous killers of young black people.
Only time will tell how the "Black Lives Matter" movement goes forward, but it looks like it will gain more and more ground, since even the discredited corporate mainstream media is reporting on it fairly often. May the Lord, Allah and whomever what God you may believe in, bless the efforts of "Black Lives Matter," for they are most certainly the inheritors of the good old Black Panther Party. And there are a number of old Black Panther Party members who can guide the younger black members of the "Black Lives Matter" movement, a wonderful and vibrant conjoining of two forces which will I'm certain overtake and defeat racism once and for all.
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