WHITE ACTIVIST THOUGHTS ON POLICE SHOOTINGS OF BLACK PEOPLE

How many Black people will die before police departments police themselves in America?

Terence Crutcher, an unarmed father of four, walking slowly away from police and toward his stalled car with his hands up in the air, is the most recent victim who died for being Black. Killed in the streets by Tulsa police.

Their police department claims he was not complying with officer's orders; yet police don’t have carte blanche to kill anyone who doesn’t show perfect compliance. In fact, a ruling in Boston Tuesday by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court stated that blacks in Boston who escape run-ins with police officers may be justifiably motivated by a desire to “avoid the recurring indignity of being racially profiled,” and their flight should not be automatically interpreted as evidence of “criminal activity.”

Can Hartford citizens count on their Police Department to do the right thing? Will Hartford speak out about this latest tragedy by issuing a clear and timely statement condemning rogue police actions and police departments that perpetrate or condone racially-motivated profiling, predatory policing and overreach, brutality, and killings in the streets of US cities? 

It’s long past time to change the policing culture and practices of silence.

JoAnne Bauer, Hartford

THE CLERGY'S INTERFERENCE STIFLES THE PROTEST OF FREEDOM FIGHTERS

The recent civil unrest in Charlotte, North Carolina over the shooting death of a black man by police has people on edge. For two days freedom fighters took to the streets and during the process some property destruction took place. It is clear that after watching black men, women and children dying at the hands of police over a three year period, people have expressed outrage and are beyond being consoled. However something I saw on the CNN News service caused a moment of reflection inside my brain. Clergy in the city of Charlotte went out on the street and formed a boundary between police and freedom fighters. What is interesting is how on television pictures of the clergy hollering at freedom fighters and protesters displaying anger at clergy came across. What the clergy did during one night of protest is offensive to the idea of people trying to free themselves from oppression. Clergy seem to come out in cities only when there is civil unrest, and then clergy want to impose their "love, peace, and Jesus" worldview on the unwashed masses. If the religious community would come out of their churches daily to interact with the people perhaps there might be some manner of connectivity. However how can religious leaders come out of those religious sanctuaries to quell righteous indignation of an abused population, and stand with religious garb on in front of the very oppressor that has unleashed death upon the people?

The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote in Thus Spoke Zarathustra how people feel about the clergy "churches are places of putrid air and words of empty meaning." These select words from Nietzsche are reflective of protesters feelings in Charlotte toward clergy. How can preachers go into the streets during moments such as the rebellion in North Carolina and preach love and harmony? What shibboleth do the clergy hold up as justification for  standing between the police- who historically used force on black folk- and angry citizens. The clergy's interference in affairs of freedom fighters smacks of hubris and disrespect. These holy ones show up at civil unrest situations and proclaim a God that has not shielded the masses from injustice in America. These same preachers stand shoulder to shoulder with locked arms in front of police and ask the unwashed masses to embrace the state. Nietzsche writes in Zarathustra "the state ? What is that? Well then ! ... The state is the coldest of all monsters. Coldly it lies, too; and this lie creeps from its mouth: I the state am the people."

Then on this same CNN News broadcast there were clergy speaking about how they brought calm to the city and no rioting occurred. Let it be noted that during this interview a black male preacher and white female clergy were present. However it was the young white female clergy doing most of the talking. In other words white folks who have no idea of how it is to live or die black, talking about bringing peace to a largely black community in the depths of despair over yet another shooting death. Not only is the clergy's interference in affairs of the unwashed masses offensive but a white female is the one to articulate feelings of natives in their natural habitat. Give me a damn break !

In closing let me state that at this juncture in history it is clear America has declared open season once again on the destruction of black people. There is no longer any time for the same tired strategies from religious leaders or  foolish people getting in the way of righteous indignation over killings of black people by police.

And to be sure it is no longer necessary for clergy to come down and interfere with righteous indignation of people being oppressed. And black people damn sure do not need well meaning white clergy -who do not suffer as black people do in America- to explain reasons for standing in front of the police and angry demonstrators.

WHITE FOLKS COMMENTING FROM WHERE IT IS SAFE

I know and have worked with lots of dedicated white activists over the years. These white male / female / transgender / lesbian & LGBTQ, religious/ non religious activists are wonderful people seeking social justice in America. However there is a segment of white folks in America commenting on issues from where it is safe. Let me be clear. I recently saw on Facebook the video shooting of a black man in Tulsa, Oklahoma by white police officers. The shooting occurred last week but the video footage was just released. The man did not have a gun and was walking towards his car that broke down on the road. After viewing the video I made a few comments and then pondered what I had seen on the video. Well it did not take long for white folks from different parts of America to comment on my words. Of course one white person said "all we need in America for healing is to embrace Jesus." Next came the "there is not enough evidence to conclude what happened in the video." Oh really? What is interesting is how many of the white folks looking at the video commented on it from the safe haven of white privilege somewhere in whitopia. When white people make their remarks and then couch it in their worldview, I ask where is my parallel to that type of thinking?

For the most part the responses to my comments about the shooting of this black man by police were not received with enthusiasm or appreciation by white people. That is okay with me. What is troubling is how whites in various geographical locations in America can comment about healing, prayer, meditation, and working with the police when black folks are literally being hunted by people sworn to protect them ... dat be da police. It is bad enough to wait for the predictable response from black activists over this murder - marching, singing ol' man river spirituals,  black clergy calling for independent investigations that yield verdicts on the side of police, begging for God to come down from heaven and stop the killings. The response of white folks however is an exercise in how to comment from where it is safe; not having to worry whether their lives are valued or not based on their skin color. So let white folks continue to have conversations about the National Anthem and Colin Kapernick, or whether to get involved in social justice issues, or whether black activists tactics are too divisive for white tastes. In the mean time back at the ranch, black people are shot with hands in the air by police officers and "white folks are commenting from where it is safe."

DUPREE IS VICTORIOUS AND GETS JOB BACK, BUT THERE IS A LARGER ISSUE THAT MUST BE EXPLORED

Youth Service Officer Dupree won his job back on September 1, 2016 after an arbitrator declared Connecticut Juvenile Training School fired him without cause. Now CJTS Plantation must give Dupree back pay plus any time lost. Let me refresh the memory of readers about the persecution of yet another black man at the CJTS Plantation. On April 1, 2015 YSO Dupree was working on the infamous Unit4D, known for  Supervisors who abuse Workers Compensation and are incompetence [ not to mention baking cookies while at work ]. A riot situation occurred in which incarcerated residents were out of control. YSO Dupree tried to restore rule of law on the Unit 4D and finally got involved in a hands on restraint. Dupree is a young muscular black man of over 200 pounds and has [in 4 years of working at that facility] never could be accused of being abusive toward residents, but all that changed on April 1, 2015. After the restraint took place a Greek Chorus led by Unit 4 D Supervisors- who are always applying overly maternal instincts to incarcerated males- and white male management, Dupree got singled out as the personification of the hulking black male out of control. The Child Advocates Office issued reports about Dupree's restraint, videos surfaced of supposedly bad restraints,while the local media showed up at Dupree's home looking for "dirty laundry" during interviews. Dupree lost his job, was found guilty in the court of public opinion, could not come out of his home because media trucks were outside.

For over one year Dupree languished in a Purgatory created by white management for the hulking black man. Instead of pointing out how the incompetence of Unit 4D Supervisors created unsafe conditions might be part of the reason(s) a riot took place- a time honored American tradition happened.. blame it on the big black male. If CJTS management and the Childs Advocate Office really looked into what happened on Unit 4D, empirical evidence would have pointed to Unit Supervisors more concerned with promoting motherly balms toward male residents and not rule of law. Ergo, the residents on Unit 4D were always in some sort of chaotic situation due to mismanagement by Unit Supervisors. Dupree provided cover for white management during all the uproar over improper restraints by YSOs. To be blunt white management covered their asses by sacrificing Dupree.

Now the moral arc of justice has swung in favor of Dupree, Sept.1, 2016 an arbitrator said "CJTS fired this man without cause." Yet the larger issue in this story is racism and how it pervades the CJTS environment. For over three decades the Department of Children and Families has faced allegations of racism from employees of color. For some unknown reason such allegations of racism at CJTS / within DCF are not addressed by the black or brown residents in Hartford. In 2010 five CJTS workers launched a class action lawsuit against DCF /CJTS alleging hostile workplace environment and racism. Disciplinary actions against people of color working within the DCF/ CJTS Plantation is hovering around 60%, while lower for other ethnic groups. While this blog celebrates the fact Dupree is reinstated to his job, what about the toxic atmosphere of white supremacy within the DCF/CJTS plantation allowing Dupree to be  lynched by policy / procedure?

BEAT DOWN AT THE CLOCK TOWER

The narrative coming out of Connecticut Juvenile Training School this week is about a fight between three residents. As the story is told two residents were outside near the clock tower and decided to beat down a resident from Unit 5B. Now fights between residents are not unusual at CJTS but this one resulted in severe injuries to the resident beaten by two peers. Now during the beat down assistance was called for to breakup the altercation, but the fight continued. There were no staff to respond due to several factors (1.) due to state layoffs of workers staff levels at CJTS are at an all time low, (2.) then the staff that are at the facility have worked double and triple shifts... ergo, cannot respond quickly.

Now the beat down continued at the clock tower for several minutes; no response from staff. When a group of female staff came on the scene they could not separate the combatants. Finally by some miracle the fight ended, but not before severely injuring one resident. This writer learned that the one resident beaten by two peers is in the hospital. When Youth Service Officers do not perform their jobs management investigate them. The dreaded mandated report called #136 is filed against YSOs who are deemed negligent when dealing with residents. With the depletion of YSOs on the CJTS Plantation an unsafe condition exists, why no #136 filed against management for a shortage of staff ? If that youth in the hospital dies who is responsible for not having appropriate levels of staff at CJTS to handle client safety?