NOT JUSTICE; JUST US

After listening to the media reports about the Sean Bell murder trial, (or whatever that was), it has become obvious that "it's business as usual" when it comes to unarmed civilian deaths. A police officer will usually get a free pass, unless the situation is really, really outrageous. Not that this incident was not, but the victims did not matter to the judicial system in New York City. When was the last time a NYC police officer involved in the death of a civilian of color was successfully prosecuted and punished? Unfortunately, I cannot recall any. Stereotypical judgments leads to deadly decisions. Let's face it, NYC Cops shoot each other by mistake. Unfortunately, in most of those cases the victim was a person of color. There is a pattern here. If you are a male of color, you need to be very, very careful how you carry yourself in NYC. At best you could wind up lost in the NYC jail system for awhile. The worst was demonstrated in November of 2006 in Queens. Today culminated the tragedy because no one is to be held accountable. Only one officer attempted to apologize to the Bell family. The other two acted as if they were victims. There was definitely an absence of moral character there. The judge just shifted the responsibility of securing justice for the Bell family squarely in the lap of the Civil Court. The strategy of throwing money at the victim's family is a practice that stinks! Money is okay, but it will never bring closure to the family. Now, I must admit that all police officers are not like the three who were acquitted. They claimed they were in fear of their lives. I believe that, but why did it take them fifty (50) shots to realize they were really not in any danger? Well, all of us need to remember when it comes to situations like this, there's no real justice; there's JUST US!

THE VERDICT IS IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOT GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS!!!!!!!!!!! The police officers in the Sean Bell shooting have been acquitted. The judge did as expected, preserved the status quo of the NYPD. Do I believe this was the proper verdict? Not really... Yet, one has to take into account that the police will state they can not do their job effectively if they are in fear of prosecution. "Careless, not reckless" was the term the judge used along with his disbelief of prosecution witnesses including the victims. So, again as in previous high-profile shootings that ended in the death of unarmed people of color no one will be held accountable. I guess people of color are still paying for OJ. People of color unfortunately are reliving what has been going on for decades. We die and no one pays. Lately, the cities tend to throw money at the situations. The criminal aspect will be removed and there will be a "quiet" settlement of a civil nature. The more things change, the more things stay the same. So, I guess we have to wait and see what will happen. I will be back following post-verdict interviews.

More Bad News

Again I watch the news; again I get depressed! There doesn't seem to be any good news anywhere. Gas prices are already sky-high and rising steadily. The murder rate is ascending rapidly, and so is unemployment. All the manufacturing jobs are in other countries and the welfare rolls increase. New Orleans is still wrecked and a solution is beginning to seem unlikely. The lame duck president is continuing to be lame. Airline prices are going to increase by 20%. The election is haywire. Nothing but mudslinging but no solutions. Oh yes, the stimulus rebate package.....too little, too late. Well, stayed tuned to your local news....see how depressed you can get.

REMEMBERING MARTIN

April 4, 1968 was the day civil rights history screamed! The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was the real "shot heard 'round the world". "The Dreamer" had been murdered and everyone worried whether or not "the Dream" died with him. While any African American leaders called for calm and others yelled for retribution, unrest and anger began springing up in different cities. The media, (in its usual wisdom), plastered images of violence and unrest over the airwaves and front pages. Officials scrambled to thwart what they feared would be a larger repeat of the summer of 1967. Eventually calm was restored and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was laid to rest with the honor and respect he deserved. His successors tried to keep the dream alive, yet the void created by Dr. King's absence was very difficult. I applaud their efforts, because they did not let the dream die. Unfortunately, the movement stalled at times and although we as a people and society have made great strides, we still have along way to go. Yes, there is an African American man and a White woman running for the office if the President of the United States, yes there are African Americans running major corporations, the reality of so many African-American men being such a large percentage of the nation's prison population remains a black eye on the legacy of the movement. The fight is far from over. That fact needs to be realized and we all need to act accordingly. Welfare and other forms of public assistance are not positive by-products of the Civil Rights Movement! They are instead tools of oppression, suppression and create complacency. That message needs to get across to those caught in that vicious cycle. There are many others, but that is another blog. getting back to MLK, the assassination has always been and probably will always be speculation about conspiracy. We live in a distrusting society that suspects cover-up and sinister plot behind every event. The funny thing is that usually there is something shady going on somewhere. History has demonstrated the alphabet law enforcement organizations (FBI, CIA, etc.) have tendency to interfere in matters in the name of what is perceived by a few to be necessary for the sanctity of "National Security". Well, again, another blog...not this one. Let us remember Martin Luther King, Jr. and his accomplishments and be grateful for the way we all have been touched by them. Hope remains alive and well as a result of the life of this great man.