Wednesday News

The Missouri Governor said that he wants to deploy National Guard troops if necessary in response to protests after the grand jury decides if they will indict Darren Wilson or not. Darren Wilson shot and murdered the unarmed teenager Michael Brown on August 9, 2014. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon spoke in an November press conference about these issues. “This is America,” Nixon said. “People have the right to express views and grievances, but they do not have the right to put fellow citizens and property at risk,” Nixon said. “Violence,” he declared, “will not be tolerated.” This comes from a man under whose supervision state and local police, in concert with the National Guard, indiscriminately attacked peaceful protesters with military-grade hardware, tear gas and rubber bullets in August. We know that the police deployed armored vehicles, militarized tactical teams with assault rifles, snipers on rooftops, and set up roadside checkpoints. There are over a dozen members of the media were arrested, and many more were hit with tear gas and rubber bullets. Nixon’s announcement comes before the protests themselves and the court decision. This shows that some predict that the officer will not be indicted. The execution style murder of Michael Brown and the unprecedented repression used against protesters set a new precedent for the use of police/military repression against popular opposition in America. Nixon said that 1,000 officers received an additional 5,000 hours of training in crowd control techniques. The police have been prepared for renewed protests for months. There has been riot gear being organized. Brown’s parents are currently in Geneva, Switzerland, where they intend to deliver a report to the United Nations’ Committee Against Torture accusing the United States of violating the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The thirteen-page report they delivered yesterday morning alleges that the police murder of their son constituted torture under Article 1 of the convention, which defines torture as “any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as…punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person.” Furthermore, it argues that the military-police crackdown against protesters in Ferguson violated Article 12 of the Convention, which enjoins governments party to the convention from committing “other acts of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment which do not amount to torture as defined in article 1.” We know that the crooked police, who has suppressing the human rights of the protesters in Ferguson, had violated national and international laws completely.

In any case, transparency should be known. The family has every right to express their pain and grief over the situation. The name of the officer should be released publicly. Not all of the facts are known. We know about the contradictions in testimony made by the officers. We know that Dr. Cyril Wecht found via his autopsy that Vonderrit was shot eight times. Six of the gunshots were from behind. The police have changed their stories numerous times. Vonderritt was not wearing a hoody from the convenience store footage. Vonderrit was almost finished with high school. People want to know the facts and the Why. There must be a truly independent, thorough investigation of the incident. Regardless of the truth, I can accept the truth wherever it leads. Yet, I will never accept the status quo. It is obvious that we have a problem in America. Laws have to be changed, people have to be made accountable, and the dignity of people should be respected. We don’t need to be reactionaries and blame black people for everything under the sun (like many do, even some of our own black people. Black people have every right to love their identity and to defend virtue, honor, and transparency) and scapegoat all of the poor (like many do). We should improve our own lives, stand up against any form of police brutality, build in our communities, condemn imperialism, oppose economic inequality, and oppose the agenda of oligarchy in the world. There has to be a radical, revolutionary, and positive change in society. I wish the best for the family and friends of Vonderrit Myers Jr. The violence from crooked officers harming men, women, and children in Ferguson (with tear gas, tasers, and fists) should never be tolerated. The revolutionary spirit of black people should not be restricted at all. Black people not only deserve justice, but black people are resilient with strength including courage.

Piers Morgan recently said to black people to stop using the N word. I wonder if he would tell white people, Hispanics, Asians, etc. to stop using the N word. Also, bigots will use the word irrespective if black people stopping using it collectively or not. The bigots should not use that word in the first place. Many black people abhor the word. There are many black organizations now where black people not only condemn usage of the word, but believe in uplifting the consciousness of black people. Piers Morgan should realize that black people for years and decades have spoken up on this issue. Black people have spoken up courageously for the condemnation of the word. Black people have sacrificed in the world for justice and it is highly disrespectful for some to ignore the many black people who are standing up for honor and dignity of black people today. It is disrespectful for some to ignore the black people who condemn the N word in the strongest terms possible. I don't use the word at all. Me personally, no one should use that word. We, as black people, are tired of being blamed for every issue under the sun. Also, many black people don't use that word. Black America is told to follow these edicts by some individuals while other ethnic groups are not told to stop saying the N word at all. The double standard is really real. Black people have great intellectual curiosity to realize the vicious nature of the word and to see that inspiring people to stop saying that evil word is not enough. Structures of society must change, unjust laws must be eliminated, and the post racial myth ought to be completely repudiated. The condescending people from the corporate media (who have spewed lies for generations) have some nerve to lecture Brothers and Sisters on how to be "respectable" citizens in the West. Well, we don't want to be respectable to the system of oppression. We want and we are fighting to be liberated from the system of oppression. We want justice and for our dignity to be honored. That spirit from our ancestors will continue on in us and for our posterity.

Nicki Minaj is known for controversy. First, the video was created by many people not just by Nicki Minaj. Many people want to target Nicki Minaj alone without targeting all of the people who created the controversial video (like the art director. Jeff Osborne is the video director). I don’t believe that she wants to support the Holocaust or fascism obviously (some folks need to realize that black people died in the Holocaust too not just Jewish people or Slavic people), but the video is very controversial. I can understand why people would express misgivings about it. She or Nicki wants to talk about female or women’s empowerment, yet the video shows a fascism regime. Fascism is the antithesis of female empowerment completely. Also, the video is filled with offensive anti-women and anti-black lyrics. So, the music industry in the mainstream level is filled with overt contradictions. She has free speech rights and people have the free speech right to disagree with the video. Also, another point is to be made. Many leaders in the music industry are hypocrites. They are heavily silent when artists call black people all sorts of names and degrade women constantly (as long as the corporate executives receive profits), yet they want to be up in arms over this new video. So, people have to be consistent. The video has images and lyrics (which are very offensive and degrading) that I profoundly disagree with. Nicki Minaj has made an apology about the video.


Bravo wants the bottom line which is about money. Bravo can do the right thing (they have the power to do so), but they refuse to do so. The Color of Change group has the right to make their grievances known. We should always reject false, perverted stereotypes about black women. Also, Bravo has a responsibility and we do too. We have the responsibility to do the right thing, to respect humanity, and to be a living example of integrity as well. I hope radical changes can come, but nothing will change unless we make things change at the end of the day. We have to be active and we have to be brave to condemn unnecessary violence (and allow people to be accountable for their actions). The solution will be a multifaceted process. Certainly, Enough is Enough. Also, I find stories about black people working in charities, working in community programs, working in educating people, and working in helping others in other ways much more exciting including interesting than portrays of nihilistic violence. Bravo should show more of those stories in their network. Doing good just feels good. I wish the best for Arisha Hatch and Color of Change group. Other people are right that we should bring forward stories about the great accomplishments of young black people. I believe in self-determination. Also, people have the right to use their free speech rights to criticize Bravo and withdrawal economic support of Bravo if it continues in its promotion of the degradation of black people. That is part of freedom. We should grow of our own infrastructure. That is fine with me. Yes, the post racial ideal is a notorious lie. Hopefully, more people can wake up in the future. With the events going on today, people should be awoken and see what time it is. When crooked cops brutalize our people, when the corporate elite harms Nature, and when we see other evils, then these realities should inspire people to do some good and fight for justice.

By Timothy