Views from Beyond: Article Share

Folks are sick and tired of being sick and tired...the following article is in synchronicity with current conscientious events...

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HANDS UP-I CAN’T BREATHE

Updated: December 9, 2014

By:-

Gary Norris Gray-BASN Staff Reporter

We are at the crossroads in racial relations in the United States of America. Unfortunately we are still viewing images in Black and white in this country. Since The 44th President of the United States entered the White House confrontations have increased year by year.

The events in Ferguson, Missouri, Cleveland, Ohio, and Staten Island, New York prove that this country definitely needs judicial restructuring, police training, and racial understanding.

This is not a Ferguson, Missouri problem, this is not a Cleveland, Ohio problem, nor is it a Staten Island, New York problem, it is an American problem. With the assistance of the broken justice and police systems racial harmony cannot be found.

It has escalated with the help of rich African American stars. The system of oppression, white supremacy, and white privilege continues to be alive and well.

Just think if Mr. Brown had been white or if Mr. Gardner were white we would not be having this conversation. There would not be protests all over this country and lastly the police officers would have treated Gardner and Brown in a civil manner.

The Question should be asked WHY?

REFORM

Here are some of the reforms that could be implemented immediately to change a broken judicial system.

1) An independent prosecutor when cases of police officers and civilians are involved.

2) A transparent and representative Grand Jury panel with the community’s population.

3) Employ police officers that represent the city’s population or that live in that city.

4) A separation of powers between District Attorney, Prosecutor, and the Police Force.

5) Every City should create a Civilian Police Review Board.

6) Steroid testing at least once a month for all police officers.

7) Cultural and sensitivity training by all officers each year.

8) A body camera on every officer on duty.

9) Civilian ride along programs on non-threatening or dangerous calls.

IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE!!!!

A TRAITOR IN YOUR HOUSE

Former basketball star and now TBS sports broadcaster Charles Barkley often speaks his mind on issues of race in this country…’ The Round Mound of Rebound’ spoke out again this past week.

Mr. Barkley has aspirations to be the governor of his home state of Alabama. This is a very odd way of attaining white votes. Sir Charles throws dirt on the African American community. The same community that loved and supported him in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Houston, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona.

This time it was the events in Ferguson, Missouri and Staten Island, New York.

Mr. Barkley beware, remember O.J. Simpson, remember Tiger Woods, Robert Griffin III, Michael Joe Jackson, and lest we forget the current episode and attack on Bill Cosby.

Remember you threw a young man through a plate glass window and stood over him saying “I don’t care if you bleed to death.”

The police should have thrown you in jail but because of your celebrity status, you my friend walked free.

The same individuals that put you on television and made you a star can bring you down… Just mention something the master does not agree with or that is against the GOP-right wing-TEA PARTY political agenda. They will boot you out, call your name, muddy your reputation and end your public life.

Barkley stated that the looters were wrong and the scumbags of the earth. That maybe true but if you are a scholar of American history every single significant political movement has had either ended in violence or monetary consequences. It may have been wrong to burn and loot stores but it got America’s attention-AGAIN.

Sir Charles is doing the master’s bidding. He stated years ago in the George Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin Case, that “Zimmerman had the right to kill Travon Martin, because he was defending himself”.

REALLY?

It is very, very, interesting how the media covers stories like this

CO-CONSPIRATORS

Whenever there is a civil rights issue or event CNN, Fox News, and other major News agencies find these conservative Black males and throw a microphone under their noses.

The question we need to ask is why?

These networks get the sound bites to play over and over on the network news. The House Negros, The Uncle Toms, The Oreo Cookies, and Conservative Blacks whatever you want to call them hamper the real Black political and social agenda.

The Self Hate Gene is in full force with Charles Barkley helping the enemies of The Dream Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. planned 45 years ago.

We need to ask why these same networks don’t interview Dr. Cornell West, Tavis Smiley, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson or our own Eric Satterwhite or Professor Fred Whitted. Because they (networks) are not going to get the canned response they want and they cannot control the spin of the conversation.

Sound bites for example if Rodney King had to stop moving they would have stopped beating him. THAT WAS AND STILL IS POLICE BRUTALITY STRAIGHT UP!!! IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN NEW YORK….

You’re telling me that six police officers with night sticks, teasers, guns, and six patrol cars could not subdue a lone Black man driving his car who had been drinking and driving. REALLY?

If it were not for the black and white video America would still not believe it.. Some people still don’t today.. DON’T BELIEVE YOUR LYING EYES, talk about blind justice, that woman who is blindfolded above the court stairs needs to take her blindfold off because it’s not working.

Sound bites for example if Eric Garner did not sell those loose cigarettes on the streets five of New York’s Finest (NYPD) would not have jumped on him, bring him down to the ground and choke him to death. He was a big elephant making him an animal.

This recent event is most tragic because Mr. Garner did not fight the police. Mr. Garner did not resist arrest, and Mr. Garner did not punch, kick, or spit at police … still they attacked this unarmed man and got him to the ground and choked him to DEATH!!!!

This is a Civil Rights violation.

Sound bites that if Tamir Rice had not been playing with that toy gun in the street he would be alive today. Little boys all over the country play with toy guns all the time so just STOP IT, STOP IT before you start sounding stupid.

The police responded to the RICE call and should have asked questions before firing the deadly shots in 14 seconds. Now there are reports surfacing that this officer was unstable and a Cleveland suburban police force would not hire him just a few months earlier. Maybe this man should not have been in uniform.

Also the 911 caller mentioned that the gun may have been a toy gun. Alarm bells should have gone off and the officers responding should have taken their time. But in our John Wayne society, shoot first and asked questions later, this is the results.

To parents of boys of color DO NOT GIVE YOUR SONS TOY GUNS it could be a death sentence.

Remember this fact this Christmas holiday.

WHAT HAPPENED TO POLICE RESTRAINT? WHAT HAPPENED TO RESPECT?

The Grand Jury in New York did it again!!!! Now African Americans are losing faith in this country, losing faith in Americans as a whole and losing faith in America’s police force.

These same police forces are getting armored cars and automatic weapons through the federal government program. REALLY?

Why do they need them? Are they going to war? Who are they fighting?

WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY?

WHERE IS THE TRANSPARENCY?

WHERE IS OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL?

Now I really fear for ALL young African American males in this country… there are no checks and balances in place and we are in trouble, REAL TROUBLE…

The people at Fox News Network should be questioned for their ethics. An example of this was interviewing the Ferguson Police Chief after the city and the country had calm down. The Police Chief said he was looking into the charges of inciting a riot.

Mr. Brown stepfather was upset saying what he said. “Burn This B**** Down.” That only restarted the cycle of violence. Is this what Fox News wanted or needed to keep their high ratings? If so, it is a sad commentary for our television network news.

If the City of Ferguson were smart they would fire this police chief and restructure that police force. But how smart are we? As my friend Cowboy Reggie Howell Walston from WCLM-1450 Richmond, Virginia states many times. “I DIGRESS”!!!

That would be the positive thing to do but America’s ONE PER CENT is too busy trying to control people of color.

FREE SPEECH

Second the issue of free speech. Is it o.k. for the White Knights, the KKK, and other radical left and right wing groups speak up on whatever they wish but when five Black Saint Louis Rams football players enter the tunnel for the Oakland Raider-St. Louis Ram Game with their hands up-don’t shoot position, like the Ferguson protesters? It did not sit well with some individuals in the St. Louis Area.

The Fraternal Order Council of the St. Louis Police Department complained and wanted those five players fined and suspended… The National Football League did not respond. Neither did the St. Louis Rams Football administration.

WHAT HAPPEN TO FREE SPEECH?

For those who don’t remember or not old enough to remember the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City, Mexico. John Carlos and Tommy Smith raised their Black fist in the air and stepped on the podium with their bare feet standing in protest of the poverty and unemployment rates in the Black community.

Carlos and Smith were called everything but the son of Satan, when they returned home to the United States. They were traitors to Americans and America. People stated that we sent you and paid for you two BOYS to win gold medals for the United States of America, not air America’s dirty little secrets in public.

These two Black men walked through hell the next four years; nobody would talk to them, interview them, or praise them until the 20th anniversary of those summer games.

A Statue now stands at San Jose State University of Smith and Carlos with bare feet and raised fist. They are Spartan graduates.

COULD THE SAME EVENT happen all over again in St. Louis, Missouri with the Rams football team? I just hope those five football players do not go through what Carols and Smith went through in the 1970′s.

FOR FREE SPEECH-FREE SPEECH

Last point we must ask America, where are the people that care?

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAS TO STOP DEHUMANIZING BLACK MALE LIFE.

THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA HAVE TO CHANGE!!!!!

Or are we just walking around singing and dancing to the top ten hipster tone “Because I’m Happy” by Pharrall Williams…

It reminds me of the 1988 song by Bobby McFerrin years ago “Don’t Worry Be Happy” when African Americans were going through a hard economic time. History is repeating itself.

Gary Norris Gray – Writer, Author, Historian. Gibbs Magazine-Oakland, California and New England Informer- Boston Mass. THE GRAYLINE:- The Analects of A Black Disabled Man, The Gray Leopard Cove, Soul Tree Radio In The Raw, and The Batchelor Pad Network on Blogtalkradio.com Disabled Community Activist. Email at garyngray@blackathlete.com