General rules I currently try to follow (click on links for further discussion):
Source: abagond.wordpress.com
This article sheds light on why many are nervous to talk about race.
They are scared they may say something offensive.
Learning from this post can provide a lot of help to not be offensive.
Avoiding the topic of race, culture and ethnicity does not help move the country toward racial justice, dignity and respect.
Avoiding the topic of oppression keeps the oppression firmly in place.
Let me tell you something. Like those doing sit-ins in the civil rights era, and what we were doing at CAL Berkeley and the other protests I’ve participated in – There was a protocol. We were trained on it, and knew what to expect. For the most part, by and large in my experience the cops were cognizant of those protocols too, and adhered to them.
If you opted to be arrested, you were clearly shown the places where you should stand or sit. The areas outside the “arrest zone” nobody was touched. You could choose to link arms and the police had to extricate you one by one from the line and take you into custody. You could choose to go limp, or walk. No officers would beat you over the head, punch or shove you, or cut off your circulation with the cuffs or restraints. The idea was to simply arrest you, get you off the protest line and into jail.
Because it was understood that the protesters were getting arrested on purpose, going to jail to make a point, and to show how far you were willing to go for your cause. The police were there to do your job, as you were there to do yours. There was mutual consent to and adherence to the protocols. I’m not saying they were gentle, or always respectful – in individual cases, with individual officers, some weren’t adverse to being a bit more rough with their methods of taking protesters into custody.
But this his casual, pointed, out of control and targeted aggression at protesters simply just shattered my soul and boggled my mind. It’s bad enough to just see it outright, but to have experiences under my belt that were far opposite to what has been going on in Ferguson, Shaw and all around St. Louis now has fucked up my brain and bruised my heart.
– Click through to read more –
Source: awakeblackwoman.wordpress.com
TR: In August, Ferguson, Mo., police Officer Darren Wilson shot Michael Brown in a confrontation that began when the officer reportedly asked him and a friend to walk on the sidewalk instead of in the street. The incident ended in the shooting that ignited a firestorm of controversy, including weeks of fiery protests over excessive force and police brutality. Given this scenario, can citizens refuse to heed an officer’s command when they haven’t committed a crime and, well, walk away alive?
RS: My advice is to heed the officer’s command, even if someone has not committed a crime. It’s just not worth the risk. It is always best to remain polite and calm, and certainly never to physically resist a police officer.
Always ask the police officer if you can go. If the officer says yes, you have the right to remain silent or leave. If the officer says no, it means you are being detained for questioning. In this instance, you should say, “I am going to remain silent,” and request a lawyer.
Just because you have rights in your interactions with the police and choose to exercise them does not mean that the agents or police will follow the law and respect those rights. That’s why it’s advisable to remain calm, polite and cooperative, even when you know they are wrong. Challenging police misconduct should not be done on the street. It is better to do it in court afterwards. If you believe the police have violated your rights, call your local ACLU affiliate as soon as you can.
Source: www.theroot.com
August 12, 2014, Los Angeles, CA – The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) was today informed of a suit filed against the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) by Judge Ashley Tabaddor, an immigration judge for the U.S. Immigration Court. In this suit, Judge Tabaddor challenges an order that indefinitely recuses her from hearing cases involving Iranian nationals, citing that the order violates her First Amendment rights of free speech and association. The suit also notes that the order is racially discriminatory under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The suit, Tabaddor v. Holder et al., charges that the DOJ based its disqualification order on racially-motivated and discriminatory criteria, specifically Judge Tabaddor’s Iranian heritage and her leadership role within the Iranian American community.
Source: www.payvand.com
police state, police brutality, war on drugs
Source: thefreethoughtproject.com
Black and brown communities continue to be disrespected by the police.
Police do not treat black and brown bodies as human. Police do not treat black and brown bodies as belonging to a parent.
Police still think they own black and brown bodies and can treat them with no regard for decency. Even little black and brown kids are abused by the police.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in the US based on race, colour, religion, sex or national origin. It also outlawed segregation, keeping races separate, at schools, public places and most businesses. It, and the Voting Rights Act a year later, overthrew Jim Crow.
School busing and affirmative action grew out of it as policies designed to meet its demands
It was one of the main civil rights reforms of the 1960s:
Click through to read more.
Source: abagond.wordpress.com
“(CNN) – Over 50 years after Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, the issue of race is back in the political headlines, after comments from Attorney General Eric Holder and events marking the anniversary of the law’s passage renewed the dialogue over race relations in the 21st century.”
No surprise over this ‘news’.
A record number of Americans with criminal records cannot vote in what is expected to be a tight presidential election, a new study says.
See on www.huffingtonpost.com
A firefighter ended up in handcuffs after he disagreed with a highway patrol officer on where to park a fire engine.
See on www.cnn.com
On Saturday, February 1, 2014, Sergio García was sworn in as the first undocumented immigrant lawyer. An important moment in history. Watch the moving video:
See on ppclc.wordpress.com
