This is What the "Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave" Looks Like in 2015 Y'all

Protesting while white vs. protesting while black. Police protection vs. police interference #ConcernedStudent1950 pic.twitter.com/2XMevobXrY

— Teezo (@365DaysOfAutumn) October 13, 2015

See, this is where I start to lose it! ---> http://t.co/v08Jtw4x2F pic.twitter.com/f1AHLLMQiQ

— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) October 13, 2015

Video shows GA deputies tase handcuffed man in groin before he died in custody

Father pressing charges against Cop who threw son to the ground by the throat.

Waiving the wrong flag while waiving their rights.

How NBA player Thabo Sefolosha took on police brutality and won.

Here's what happens when you complain to cops about cops.

It's the white, male dominated media driven racial stereotypes.

"And they want us to sing God Bless America?"

No

No

No

You’re either going to treat us right, or we’re going to withdraw from you our economic support,We intend to boycott Christmas, but not Jesus,” said Farrakhan. “So on Black Friday, we won’t be there.” ‪#‎JusticeOrElse‬  #NotOneDime

Another Day Another Hashtag #ChristianTaylor #KidsWillDie

Listen to How Langston Hughes Nailed Our Problem with Police Brutality 77 Years Ago

Read his tweets... "I don't feel protected by police" "I don't wanna die too young" #ChristianTaylor #Every28hours pic.twitter.com/R3eyJqN2Ad

— Hands Up United (@handsupunited_) August 8, 2015

"With Liberty and Justice" for Some, but not for All in #SweetHomeAlabama

Brett Russell, left, beating victim Gary Hopkins, right. (File)

An African American Huntsville Police Officer was convicted for the arrest, beating of a white suspect  who used a "racial slur" during the incident.  No one is saying what the 'slur' was but I'm willing to bet the 'slur' started with the letter N and ended with the letter G. 

Compare that with the  Huntsville City Attorney saying an elderly black man's injuries after a police encounter are not excessive force.

Frazier's claim states that he was "illegally and improperly stopped, searched and seized," and that police "beat him" and "abused him." Frazier, who had faced warrants for fleeing and eluding police, driving without a license and failure to yield right of way, turned himself in Wednesday afternoon to police and was released on bond.
A charge of driving while under the influence was dropped because his blood alcohol level was less than the legal limit of 0.08, police said.

Don't get me wrong, I deplore police brutality regardless of race or gender, but please explain to me why Officer Russell was convicted of using excessive force, but the officers who beat Mr. Frazier were not? 

Mayor Tommy Battle has defended the police department since he first viewed the dash cam video last week. Earlier today, the District Attorney's Office released a statement saying none of the officers involved in the arrest "violated any existing Alabama laws or statutes."

How about some Liberty and Justice for all citizens who are the victims of police brutality, regardless of race, gender, age, or sexual orientation? 

"There is a mean spirit on the lose, not only in Alabama,but America, and that's what makes this election so important". Alabama State Senator Hank Sanders (D. Selma)

Sandra Bland Video Confirms She Yielded For Officer in Pursuit

This video confirms what Sandra said when she was stopped by Officer Brian Encinia: that she pulled over to yield to an officer in pursuit.

Bernie Sanders: We're seeing black people killed 'every day now'

Stop Cop's Rage: "I will light you up!"

It was a rather ordinary, quiet evening for me. I tuned into MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell to watch Sandra Bland's sister, Sharon, and the family attorney. Then it all went to hell when the attorney said that Waller County wanted Sandra's body returned to Texas for another autopsy because the first one was "defective." Emotionally now, I am struggling between outrage and the numbness of shock. Again. No. Not again. AGAIN!

Lawrence O'Donnell read the text wording, saying: (They) "need to have the body available for future examination by qualified experts."

From Texas, Sandra's body was released to her family, who flew her home to Chicago for her funeral today.

It's Saturday now, as I write again, and Sandra's grieving family and friends are gathering for Sandra's funeral, while the Texas authorities demanded continued access to her body as evidence. How that will, or has, played out, I just don't know. Even in death, Sandra is being denied human dignity, just as Texas trooper, Brian Encinia, denied her professional courtesy during a routine traffic stop for improper lane changing.

Already there is speculation that Sandra died by lynching, rather than suicide, as the jail authorities assert, despite the pledge of Elton Mathis, the District Attorney in Waller County, that her death will not be swept under the rug.

Not surprisingly, the District Attorney's statement includes a statement that a video of the hallway adjacent to Sandra's cell doesn't show anyone going into her cell to do her any harm.

On the one hand, authorities allege that Sandra told them she had previously been depressed, but at the time of the booking, she said she was not depressed, despite now being charged with a third degree felony. But, they also admit to neglecting to do visual "walkaround" checks of Sandra's safety while in their custody.

"The Texas Commission on Jail Standards criticized the Waller County Jail for insufficient training and for failing to check on inmates face-to-face every hour, and ordered it to come into compliance. The Waller County Sheriff's Office said its jailers had received mental health training, though not in the past year. The office acknowledged that guards used the intercom to check in on Bland rather than an in-person inspection as required. But the sheriff's office said it has no reason to believe either of these deficiencies contributed to Bland's death."

Ah, yes, the old "we didn't do our job, but we assure you that doesn't matter" defense. Perhaps if a correctional officer had actually observed Sandra, spoken with her, sympathized with her about her situation, given her hope that she would be released soon, today's situation might be different.

Of course, not if the swirling rumors that she was actually lynched are true. That speculation is based on a long list of various factors. The photos below are part of the speculation that she was murdered by suggesting that they were taken while Sandra was prone on the jail floor, and that the photo on the right was photoshopped to show her as alive.

This "conspiracy theory" would have much less credibility if Sandra's booking photo was of the quality that would allow for her identification. Odd that its such poor quality that she is not recognizable, isn't it?

There are other anomalies in Sandra's booking documents. On page 2, the jail's screening officer, Elsa Magnus, answers "No" to the following questions:

"16. Does the individual seem confused, pre-occupied, sad, paranoid, etc.?"

"17. Is the person's speech rapid, hard to understand, hesitant, or childlike?"

"18. Observed to be under the influence of: Alcohol? Drugs? Withdrawals?"

"19. Observed to have physical signs of harm (i.e., cuts on arms, etc.):"

"20. Does the screener suspect mental illness/mental retardation?"

Yet, Warren Diepraam, a Waller County Texas prosecutor, reported that Sandra had approximately 30 "cut marks" on her left wrist which were in a state of healing.

Also unusual is Prosecutor Diepraam's statement that Sandra had marijuana in her system at the time of her death, despite the screening officer's observations that she wasn't under the influence (presumably that means she got the marijuana in jail) and without wrist cuts.

Page 15 of the booking documents shows that Sandra had no money. A woman drives from Illinois to Texas without money? I suppose it's possible, but it does sound improbable.

These are just a few of the inconsistencies, but the question remains: was Sandra treated professionally and appropriately by the arresting officer? Had she been, she wouldn't be dead today.

"This is my country, Land of my birth"

How can society expect black boys to become men when parents have to give them a disempowering narrative like this?

"Thisis my country! Grandest on earth!"

If Trayvon Martin had been white and George Zimmerman were black. If you don't understand how deeply and viciously racist has been the official and right-wing reaction to the murder of Trayvon Martin, all you have to do is consider what would have been the official and right-wing reaction had the races of Martin and his killer been reversed. 

 I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,
For this is my country to have and to hold.

What diff'rence if I hail from North or South
Or from the East or West?
My heart is filled with love for all of these.
I only know I swell with pride and deep within my breast
I thrill to see Old Glory paint the breeze.

With hand upon heart I thank the Lord For this my native land,
For all I love is here within her gates.
My sould is rooted deeply in the soil on which I stand,
For these are mine own United States.

This is my country! Land of my choice!
This is my country! Hear my proud voice!
I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,
For this is my country! To have and to hold.

Eye Weep for My Country.

"Real Talk" about what to do if you're stopped by the police in black and white

The Talk for Black Americans

Artist Michael D’ Antuono created a powerful painting portraying what many African-American parents experience when trying to explain to their sons the gross injustice surrounding the killings of Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Tamir Rice or the many other young black men killed by the hands of law enforcement.

The Talk for White Americans

 

• Don’t get into an argument with the police.
• Never bad-mouth a police officer.
• Remember, anything you say or do can be used against you.
• Keep your hands where the police can see them.
• Don’t run.
• Don’t touch any police officer.
• Don’t resist even if you believe you are innocent.
• If you complain at the scene, or tell the police they’re wrong, do so in a non-confrontational way that will not intensify the scene.
• Do not make any statements regarding the incident.
• If you are arrested, ask for a lawyer immediately.
• Remember officers’ badge numbers, patrol car numbers and physical descriptions.
• Write down everything you remember ASAP.
• Try to find witnesses and their names and phone numbers.
• If you are injured, take photos of the injuries as soon as possible, but make sure you get medical attention first. Ask for copies of your medical treatment files.

Must Reads:

When White Parents Have to Have  "The Talk" with their black sons

Police Brutality in black and white

Real-time photo evidence of a cop planting evidence on a victim
What NOT to do if you are black and stopped by the police.

Eye will close with some misinformation and faulty logic from the designated African American black attacker on Fox.

COOPER: In the black community, we need to have a conversation that’s unemcumbered by the radical left and progressives’ agenda that tries to use government coercion to address some problems. Here’s the reality: black Americans, like myself, we have an elevated risk of death that will come – not from law enforcement but that will come from other black Americans.
…According to the CDC, the second most likely contributor to that disparity is homicide. There is no other ethnic group that homicide ranks as high and the statistics actually show it’s black people killing other black people. …If no other ethnic group faces this risk, it is a sign that there’s a disparate amount of criminality happening in this one group.

Sound familiar?  Faux News.  All spin, all the time, unfair and unbalanced, distorting what you decide.  Just say NO to Faux News.

RedEye

"All we are asking for is a little respect" 50 years later

"@TheRoot: Martin Luther King Jr.'s words on police brutality still ring true today http://t.co/6APWKC0D4e pic.twitter.com/ydzyeKubl1"
— vanillathehun (@JenD1974) January 18, 2015