Lazy Saturday Reads: End Police Brutality!
Posted: March 21, 2015 Filed under: morning reads 32 Comments
Spring Has Sprung!
Good Morning!!
Today is the second day of spring! Isn’t it wonderful? March came in like lion and it looks like it’s going to go out like a lamb; so I’m going to illustrate this post with baby animals to offset the contents of this post, which will be about police violence. Spring fever and computer problems have combined to put me in the mood for baby animals photos. I hope you’ll enjoy them too.
I got really down the last few days because my computer went haywire–after only six months! But I’ve accepted it now, and I’m determined to deal with it as gracefully as I can. I have to send it back to the manufacturer for repairs, so I’ll be without a good computer for a couple of weeks. Fortunately, I have a backup. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, but it works.
The University of Virginia is back in the news. Martese Johnson, an honor student at UVA was beaten by Alcohol and Beverage Control (ABC) officers outside a Charlotte bar on Wednesday night. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that this young man is black. The incident has led to anger and protests on the UVA campus. From the LA Times:
University of Virginia student Martese Johnson’s bloody arrest sparks protests.
Following a night of heated protests, officials in Charlottesville, Va., on Thursday scrambled to defuse the anger sparked by the arrest of a black University of Virginia student outside a bar.
Martese Johnson, 20, had just been denied entry into a bar near the University of Virginia campus early Wednesday when he was questioned by agents with the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the agency said.
Johnson’s attorney said during his client’s arrest he was thrown to the ground and hit his head on the pavement, gushing blood and requiring stitches.
Johnson was charged with two counts: obstruction of justice without force and public swearing or intoxication.
Oh dear. Public swearing? No wonder he got his head bloodied. /s
In a news conference Thursday, Johnson’s attorney called him an “upstanding young man” and a scholarship student with “no criminal record whatsoever.”
“As the officers held me down, one thought raced through my mind: How could this happen?” Johnson said in a statement read by his attorney, Daniel Watkins….
Watkins also said that despite media reports claiming Johnson had furnished a fake ID, the student supplied a “valid Illinois state identification card issued in 2011” when an employee at the bar asked him for one.
Oh. I see. He was under age, so of course he deserved the beating. /s
Governor Terry McAuliffe has ordered an investigation, and UVA President Teresa Sullivan has asked for witnesses to the incident to “come forward.”
Michael Daly at The Daily Beast: Bloodied UVA Student Martese Johnson Is Left to Ask: ‘How Did This Happen?’
The official answer was that agents of the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) had seen the 20-year-old University of Virginia student being denied entry to the Trinity Irish Pub in Charlottesville.
But that does not explain why the ABC agents chose Johnson in particular.
He surely was not the only person to be turned away from an Irish bar at the edge of a college campus on St. Patrick’s Day.
Yet, he seems to have been the only one who was arrested.
Interesting. Of course he happened to have black skin and that probably made him stand out to the ABC officers.
Johnson had never been in trouble with the law and was understandably surprised to find himself suddenly grabbed by the ABC agents who asked him about a fake ID. He told them he did not have one and reflexively asked them to let go of his arm.
The ABC agents responded by slamming him to the sidewalk like he was a gunman after a shootout, causing a head wound that would require 10 stitches to close.
Johnson repeatedly declared himself to be a legitimate college student.
“I go to UVa! I go to UVa! I go to UVa!” he cried out.
What other explanation is there for this incident other than racism? Read the rest at the link.
Now check this out from ABC News yesterday.
A group of black students walked out of a University of Virginia student meeting in protest this afternoon, claiming they were left out of the planning of the event that stemmed from the bloody arrest this week of fellow African-American student Martese Johnson.
Johnson, who was in attendance, also left after the group dominated the first part of the sometimes contentious meeting with their questions for panelists, who included the Charlottesville police chief, the state’s secretary of public safety, which oversees state alcohol control agents, and UVA police. An overflow room contained more people, in addition to the 350 attendees in the main room….
Today’s on-campus meeting, set up by the student council and local and state officials, was titled “A Conversation with Law Enforcement.” Members of the black community at UVA said they were angry that they were excluded from the planning of the event by the student council. A group of black students quickly dominated the first part of this event with their questions.
Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo acknowledged this has been a hard year for everyone in the university community, noting that the school has been put on the national stage three times in the last seven months. “What happened this past week has shaken your trust. It is my responsibility as the police chief to regain your trust. I commit to you today to do that,” Longo said.
But often when he and other speakers were asked a question, students standing in the aisle said together: “Answer the question we asked” with their fists in the air.
The student protesters brought up an incident that happened Wednesday evening, where a University of Virginia police officer allegedly arrested a student in a chokehold. Captain Mike Coleman with the UVA PD said that situation is currently under review.
About 100 of the student protesters walked out of the meeting chanting, “Black lives matter.” The meeting continued for about 40 minutes afterwards, though most people had already left.
That doesn’t sound like a very productive meeting….
At Slate, Jamie Bouie writes “if you want to understand the anger over the police misconduct and brutal arrest of a UVA student, you must also understand UVA.” Of course the incident also relates to police violence against black males–an issue that has been front and center since the Michael Brown was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri last year. It’s a long article, and you should go read the whole thing, but I’ll give you a couple of excerpts.
Johnson is black, and for himself as well as other students, this linked his experience to other incidents of police violence against black men, part of a larger narrative of race and policing, and reflected in the rhetoric of the protests. Students, black and white, chanted “Black Lives Matter” and “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot,” the slogan derived from early—and false—reports of the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. No, Johnson wasn’t killed, but his experience resonated with black students at UVA. “It’s still hard for me,” said one law school student at a Wednesday rally for Johnson. “I can’t believe I’m even up here right now, I have no words—because I’m sick and tired of this,” he said. “What I’m going to do is to continue to say that black lives matter until it’s true.”
Bouie describes the state of race relations at UVA:
What’s more, there’s the particular racial atmosphere of the university. It would be inaccurate and unfair to say that all black students at UVA share a common experience of the school and its institutions. Some find community in the student mainstream, others in the rich collection of black organizations and clubs, and others still in their particular networks of friends and classmates. But while experiences vary, many black students can speak to moments of racial tension and outright racist aggression. “People call you the N-word and say that you don’t belong here. They don’t realize what that does to the psyche. Then you have to go to class,” explained one protester in an interview with ThinkProgress. To that point, I spoke with one alumnus who was once taunted with racial slurs while walking through campus, and another who could point to multiple incidents across his college career. Indeed, my first month at UVA was marked by a rash of racial disturbances, including one in which a black student living in a prestigious “Lawn” room—adjacent to the Rotunda, at the center of the university—was greeted with racist epithets (including “Nigger”) on his door.
And beyond these individual experiences is the broad context of black life at the UVA.For most of the last decade, first-year black enrollment held steady at 9 percent. As of 2012, it had dipped to 6 percent, which school officials attribute to the recession, weak economy, and a lack of outreach to younger students and their families. It says something of the present university environment that, out of the 47 Lawn room assignments for the 2015 school year, not a single one of the honors went to a black student….
At a school as large as UVA, shrinking black enrollment—and the persistence of racial microaggressions—can create the feeling of isolation, even as the school keeps its commitment to programs and services for black students and other students of color, from a strong mentoring program and dedicated Office of African-American Affairs to merit scholarships for minority students and a dedicated team of minority college recruiters.
It all adds up to a fraught environment of unresolved problems, where police violence against a black student sparks mass protests of dissatisfied students—black and white—and the school administration joins the criticism. UVA President Teresa Sullivan declared her “commitment to seeking the truth about this incident,” while Marcus Martin, joined with the school’s dean of African-American affairs, Maurice Apprey, to condemn the entire incident. “We are outraged by the brutality against a University of Virginia undergraduate student that occurred in the early hours Wednesday, March 18, 2015,” reads their statement. “This was wrong and should not have occurred. In the many years of our medical, professional and leadership roles at the University, we view the nature of this assault as highly unusual and appalling based on the information we have received.”
When will it end? We need a serious effort in this country to seek law enforcement officers at every level who understand racial prejudice and are committed to ending it. Officers also need to be trained in techniques to deal with violent and/or mentally ill suspects other than shooting and killing them. There have been a number of recent incidents of violence against black men by law enforcement officers around the country. This issue must be addressed, if necessary at the Federal level. A few more links to recent stories on police violence:
Jacksonville.com: Suspect, 16, identified in fatal police-involved shooting; grieving Jacksonville mother has many questions.
Cleveland.com: Tony Robinson shooting: Protestors hit Madison, Wisconsin streets (video).
Chicago Tribune: Kenosha officer kills man upon return from leave for other shooting.
Fox News: 10 protesters arrested after DA says Philly police-involved shooting is tragedy, but not crime.
ABC 5 Cleveland: Teen shot & killed by Cleveland Police on east side identified; source says he did not have a gun.
Vice News: San Diego Police Shoot Man’s Service Dog Dead After Responding to Wrong House.
It just goes on and on. When will it ever end?
Now, what stories are you following today. I hope you’ll post links in the comment thread, and I promise to click on every one. Have a great weekend, Sky Dancers!
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Sky Dancing 
This shooting sounds like it might have been justified. This man sounds like he was mentally ill though. Fortunately, he wasn’t killed, so maybe we’ll eventually find out what was going on in his mind.
AP via WaPo: Police: Man swinging a machete shot at New Orleans airport
Well, that does sound at least somewhat justified. Unlike slamming a young man’s head into the concrete sidewalk when he asks for his arm not to be grabbed. Or even for the crime of swearing in public.
It was a wild night last night as that unfolded. They did get the airport back together quickly and no one was seriously hurt thankfully. Some of the officers shots went through the man and hit bystanders, It does sound like the man snapped from what I could gather.
The sheriff just announced he was also carrying molotov cocktails. It seems like it was a mental health issue.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/21/new-orleans-airport-attack-scene/25136201/
I am not sure what it takes to become a Virginia ABC Agent, but this story and another from two years ago clearly show that these people should not be in positions of law enforcement nor allowed to carry weapons. In 2013, in the same area, a twenty year old and her friends were coming out of a supermarket carrying a case of sparkling water and some cookie dough and were accosted by ABC Agents with weapons drawn. The story was especially chilling since my daughter was exactly the same age. This so easily could have been her and her friends that I could hardly contain my rage.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/07/02/198047492/felony-arrest-of-student-who-bought-water-riles-many-in-virginia
The young woman’s family sued for 40 million dollars and eventually settled for a much smaller amount but I honestly thought there would be an immediate reaction from the state to clean up the ABC and provide better training or eliminate the position of ABC agent altogether and turn those duties over to real law enforcement. Reading and watching the sickening story about Martese Johnson, I now realize that nothing has changed.
Who could blame those women for being terrified? What a dreadful story.
I’m not surprised that enrollment of black students has dropped at UVA. I wonder if black student enrollment has dropped in colleges nationwide because of the economy, but in the case of UVA, it is increasingly developing a reputation of being a bastion of white privilege. I am horrified however, to read about the overt racism on campus. Where the hell is the leadership?
Hi Janice,
I’m so glad you stopped by. I really wanted to get your perspective on this.
I’m actually impressed with the spontaneous protests that broke out on campus and off after the Martese Johnson incident. Gov. McAuliffe was quick to order an investigation by the state police so it’s nice to see there are more right-minded Virginians than it would appear at times.
Here’s something for you:
Ted Cruz plans “important speech” in Virginia.
http://atr.rollcall.com/ted-cruz-heads-plans-important-speech-in-virginia/
Important only in the mind of Cruz. Should say “Ted Cruz announces another racist speech.” No, make that racist and misogynist.
I am so, so tired of these wackos. It’s hard to even muster up the outrage anymore. It’s an incessant day-after-day barrage of harassment and rights erosion.
Well, if a Christian wingnut is going to announce his run for POTUS, Liberty University would be the place to do it.
Get out the popcorn!
This is funny.
Did you see what happened in Ft Lauderdale yesterday with the 4 police who made this racist video and tweeted these racist remarks while working? It was on Chris Hayes last night. The police chief is black there and he looked shock announcing their terminations.
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Fort-Lauderdale-Police-to-Discuss-Internal-Affairs-Investigation-297057771.html
That is a shocking story. I’m so glad those creeps got fired. Quite a contrast to Ferguson.
BB, thanks for the baby animal pics! The frolicking lambs are especially cute.
You’re welcome. I needed some “cuteness” today.
Attempting to twist the facts 180 degrees:
Yeah, good luck with that. I can’t see them convincing many women away from Patty Murray in Washington State. I’m glad I have two Dems, but I miss having Patty and Maria as my Senators.
Typical GOP strategy. Treat women like they’re stupid and gullible.
Yes, I feel very lucky to have two women Dems as my Senators. And the Republicans are deluded fools if they think the women voters in this state can be tricked into not re-electing Patty Murray. Of course, they are deluded fools anyhow.
I remember when people would rent “Faces of Death” videos to see death and dismemberment. Now all you have to do is watch police videos.
Ugh. Awful but true.
The Machete attacker from NOLA has died.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/suspect-machete-attack-new-orleans-airport-has-died-n327841
Depressing story. Well written article though.
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https://ideologyvisiondiscussion.wordpress.com
Have you seen the video of the young lady at the police station? Or the one of the guy throwing rocks?
No, I don’t know about them. Do you have links?
Can’t reply
http://Www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/28/teen-shot-police-station-video_n_6567340.html
Sent link