That is why I believe that both laws have to be changed to give those who paid their debt to society opportunities (for example, I believe in giving felons voting rights after they have paid their debts to society) and instructing people to try their best not to go back into prison ever again (if they were once prisoners). There is absolutely no excuse to intentionally harm another human being or to do unjust crime consciously at all. Even most homeless people don't murder, commit massive robbery, commit forgery, or commit violent acts, because they are homeless. I believe in second chances, but not giving excuses for unjustifiable behavior at all. The prison industrial complex is a place that has trapped many of our people for years and decades. Many Brothers and Sisters in prison have written about the corporate exploitation going on in prison too. We have to inspire and work with our people to defeat oppression. We have to be strong, compassionate, and real. Obviously, we are not talking about innocent people in prison. We are not talking about people in prison who have experienced an injustice. We are talking about those who committed unjustified crimes. People can change their lives as others have mentioned. Once they have changed their lives and paid their debt, then their total rights ought to be restored. Life is not easy, but a person improving their lives to be better is a blessing. It is better for a person to work from the bottom socioeconomically than to harm others. Ethics and common decency ought to be further advanced in our community. That is just common sense. Also, the structures of society must change as a means for society to be fairer. The research from Brother George Jackson and Sister Angela Davis comprehensively outline the rundown of the exploitation readily found in prisons worldwide (not just in the prisons in the States). Many prisoners are paid pennies and more and more prisons are being privatized. Some prisons exist near local communities that harm the economic strength of various locations too. So, there are complex social dynamics as it relates to the current prison system. That is what our legacy is all about. People who treat another person right, work hard, follow honesty, etc. should be rewarded. Also, those who have been wrongly convicted should be freed too. So, we can both condemn evil crime and still stand up against the imperfections found in the prison industrial complex at the same time. Revolutionary actions have nothing to do with hurting innocent people or taking things from others unjustly. Revolutionary actions deal with working in the community and confronting the powers that be. Nothing is easy in life totally, but the long term reward of doing what is right is so much better than a get rich quick scheme or any other futile deed. We want our people to succeed and win honorably.
There is the issue of undocumented immigrants. The White House said on Friday that they plan to accelerate the detentions and deportations of undocumented workers. Most of them are found from Central America. The announcement is blatantly a cruel response to a flood of immigrants in recent months, many of them are children. There has been an influx of underage immigrants, which has developed into a human rights crisis. Since the beginning of 2014, 11,500 children have been arrested from Guatemala, 13,300 from Honduras and 11,600 from Mexico. They entered by themselves across the U.S./Mexico border. It is estimated that between 60,000 and 74,000 children will be detained this year. More judges will be appointed to expedite deportation hearings. The state is creating new detention centers. The DHS or the Department of Homeland Security is also expanding the use of electronic ankle bracelets to monitor those released. This has been done to cut down on the number of children who do not show up for deportation hearings. The White House on Friday blamed the increase in immigration on rumors that families with young children are being offered entry permits to stay in the US. By quickly arresting and expelling those who come to the country out of desperation, the administration hopes that it will prevent others from making the attempt. Cecilia Muñoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, denounced “misinformation that is being deliberately planted by criminal organizations, by smuggling networks, about what people can expect if they come to the United States.” Vice President Joe Biden came into Central America recently. He announced a $255 million in financial assistance to several states, mainly to expand policing and establish programs to “repatriate” immigrants deported from the United States. Biden said that the growth of immigration was caused by “poverty, insecurity and the lack of the rule of law” in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. When you look deeper, you will see that the disastrous social conditions in these nations are a product of U.S. policy over decades. Central America has been exploited for cheap labor. The West funded reactionary military coups as a means to defend its interest. The White House has used mass deportation since 2009. Since 2009, more than two million undocumented workers and family members have been deported, which is a record for any President. Earlier this month, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said that the child immigrants from Central America were “priorities for removal.” He added, “Those who cross our borders today illegally, including children, are not eligible for an earned path to citizenship.” Human rights groups have exposed how these children have been treated with callousness and experience squalor. Some are forced to be treated in detention centers and were poorly fed plus forced to live in unsanitary conditions. Detainees are denied soap, toothbrushes, and even sanitary napkins. Detainees with serious and chronic medical conditions are denied treatment. A report from the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations earlier this month documented beatings, sexual assaults, inadequate food and other brutal conditions prevalent in DHS detention centers. Last year the legal aid group Americans for Immigrant Justice (ALJ) filed a federal tort claim on behalf of eight individuals subjected to egregious violation, including the confiscation of medications. The ALJ website described cases of diabetics denied their own insulin and of other immigrants kept under overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. Central America is suffering. The 2 parties are battling each other politically on desiring deporting immigrants and increasing policing. Republicans Friday denounced Obama’s policy of deferring deportation of children brought into the US before 2007, while the administration insisted that this program does not apply to any of the tens of thousands of children in border detention centers. House Speaker John Boehner called for deploying National Guard troops to Texas. The White House immigration plan includes beefing up security on the borders and speeding up deportations of undocumented workers, while also establishing an onerous and punitive “pathway” to citizenship for a small number of those already in the US. We have to fight for human rights. Human rights is human rights.
The men experienced an overt injustice. The agitation against their dignity has been done not only by the NYPD, but by Koch, Trump, and others overtly. Trump should be ashamed of himself too. Much of the media have profited from the suffering of these innocent men, which is disgraceful. Regardless of what the post racial skeptics say, racial stereotyping is still a problem in America and we have every right to confront racism & any form of injustice in the world. Much of their lives have been ruined by them unjustly experiencing prison time. No amount of money in essence can compensate their hurt and pain. Their stories represent the overt corruption and problems found in the criminal justice system and the prison industrial complex. The settlement is the least that the authorities can do. I hope that each of the men can find some peace of mind. From time to time, I will mention quotes from historic people who stood up for the truth. The point is that the oppressor in an imperfect society will never relinquish his power to the people. That is why the people have every right to stand up firmly and courageously against injustices in society. As human beings, that is certainly our duty. When we see five human beings being wrongly convicted, then we will speak up about it. Their story is related to us, because if it could happen to them, then it could happen to us. A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. This is a new era. Many of our elders from Ruby Dee, Maya Angelou, etc. have passed on. They are now with the ancestors. So, it is our responsibility (those in the Joshua Generation) to continue onward with the work that the elders have done. This incident represents the need for us to continue to oppose the tragedies found in the prison industrial complex. Even the 14th Amendment permits slavery under certain circumstances, so human rights are important to protect. I will never compromise my core convictions at all. I will still believe in the right to protest. I still believe in human rights and black people having the right to express self-determination. I still believe in the prosecution of any Wall Street banker who committed criminal activities. I still believe in love for black people and equality among all in the human family.
We all want peace and human dignity to be established in the world. Too many people seek tensions and injustice. When a member of our community is hurting, we have to find out why. What we see is that many social conditions and other reasons lie at the heart of why numerous complications persist in our world. We have to be honest about WHY things exist in order for us to formulate real solutions. Common sense tells us that black men and black women caring for each other, respecting each other, and loving each other will carry huge dividends in the short term and especially in the long term. Individually, we have to improve our lives. We have individual responsibility and we have every right to UNITE and utilize collective power as a means to advance our interests (plus establish the real POWER). True education can help to fight poverty (I have no issue with real education), but that is not enough. As Dr. Martin Luther King said before he died in 1967: "...We must recognize that we can’t solve our problem now until there is a radical redistribution of economic and political power… this means a revolution of values and other things. We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together…you can’t really get rid of one without getting rid of the others… the whole structure of American life must be changed. America is a hypocritical nation and [we] must put [our] own house in order.” Like always, our people are entitled to a living wage, to democratic power, to self-determination, and to health care (and health care should be for all not some). Economic exploitation is linked to Western neo-colonial and imperial policies. So, we must be in solidarity with our Brothers and with our Sisters worldwide. We are an international people. Yes, it is important to note that hate groups are not just those who wear sheets. They are also found in those who wear suits and ties who perpetuate racist, legal policies and support a nefarious system that also harms the poor among the human family. Being proactive is the right thing to do. The truth is that tons of black people from the ghetto to richer communities are hard workers. Nothing will change unless the structural problems in the system are addressed. Morality is not enough. You can be the most moral person in the world and face income inequality, discrimination, and poverty. So, we have to both be moral and address the injustices going on in society. Continue on showing your views Brother, because your wisdom is highly appreciated here. We have the right to not only be politically Independent, but to reject reactionary plus retrograde views. Power should be reserved for the people not for a select oligarchy. I appreciate the words of many Brothers and Sisters that enlighten, inspire, and educate people. WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO ACT IN A PROACTIVE FASHION TOO. Congratulations to Rachel Jeantel. She is a Strong Sister and her resiliency is inspiring. I wish her all of the best in her life. Fundamentally, compassion for humanity, love for truth, and fighting for justice are succinct ideologies that all of us should embrace in our hearts. Bless her. :)
There is a great point that many have advocated. We should be political Independents (as advocated by the late Malcolm X). Both parties of the Republicans & the Democrats have been blatantly funded and aided by the one percent. The leadership of both major parties have supported imperialism, massive privatization, the War on Drugs, and economic neoliberalism (which includes harsh austerity measures. Wall Street funds both parties greatly. I have no respect for the ideological views of reactionary GOP Tea Party extremists). We have every right to rise up and stand up against the instruments of white supremacist power. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASSERT OUR OWN POWER. We should never ashamed of expressing militancy against evil, against oppression, and against injustice. That is our duty as black human beings. Also, we should defend the right to vote. Our people died for that right and any policy that restricts the number of days where citizens can vote ought to be opposed. There are many Brothers and Sisters who legitimately oppose police brutality, and oppose imperialism (while having solidarity with African peoples globally). Grassroots community power can improve society. There are many who also love self-determination, economic justice, etc. Not to mention that any Wall Street banker involved in financial corruption ought to be tried, prosecuted, and convicted. We know how monopoly capitalism does not work to solve problems totally. The scholar Asad Ismi has documented that truth in his literature. I have read his literature before too. If we want to be free for real, then we have to advocate an end to racial and class oppression for racism is linked to economic exploitation. There should be a radical redistribution of economic and political power since the 1% has stolen the wealth & the power from the people for a very long time. One important point is that we have to defend the working class and the poor (i.e. the economic and the social rights of the poor should be respected. We have too many people in extreme poverty. Income inequality, record corporate welfare handouts, and further capitalist exploitation has exacerbated the problem of poverty in America). We have to believe in the care for the environment and there is nothing wrong with universal health care either. I have no issues with economic cooperatives and even a guaranteed annual income. A cooperative society where the dignity of people is respected is superior to a society where civil liberties are readily suppressed. There is nothing wrong with being revolutionary and not reactionary.
By Timothy
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