Hood Notes
Classic While Black
By John Burl Smith
The death of 19 year-old Michael Newby (1/5/04), a Louisville, KY black
man, who died in police custody, bears all the telltale signs of an absurd
pattern of "dying while black."� First, only vague and sketchy details as
to what actually happened are available.� The black man fled; there was a
chase.� A scuffle ensued and the officer, this time McKenzie G. Mattingly
(undercover drug unit), claimed the suspect tried to get his gun.� Fearing
for his life, the officer shot the unarmed black several times in the back,
killing him for some alleged minor infraction that does not carry the death
penalty, even if he had been found guilty.� Sparks of outrage ignite a
volatile situation of shared distrust from past incidents and denials of
racism and police wrongdoing.
Explosive, Phase 2 swings into action as soon as blacks in the community
learn of the incident.� Outraged people spill into the streets sparking a
confrontation between the community and police.� Sometimes these situations
erupt into violence; other times they are peaceful.� Either way, preachers
and so-called black leaders plea for blacks to remain calm.� White leaders
claim to understand black frustration, while supporting police efforts to
control crime and violence by lawless youth and people involved in illegal
drug activity.
Phase 3 kicks in when the officer is placed on "paid leave" or reassigned
until an internal review is completed.� The Mayor, this time Jerry
Abramson, expresses regret but stands squarely behind police efforts to
reduce crime.� Then, the Mayor either refers the matter to his "Police
Accountability Committee" or appoints some similarly named group to
investigate the investigation of the black man's death.� Classic!
Community calm, black leaders and preachers return to their "day jobs," the
Mayor and white leaders continue to run their cities to benefit white
interests and police still profile and kill blacks.�� Based on Christian
belief that blacks are heathen savages, which makes them animals, killing
blacks is a part of the Neanderthal "ritual hunt" syndrome.� Using deadly
force against blacks is residual self-imaging based on rights and attitudes
whites developed during bond slavery.� Every since the Fugitive Slave Act
1850, 1865-66 black codes and lynchings, those enforcing laws and
regulations feel justified using deadly force in classic "while black"
situations.
DISHing It Up Hot!
Soft Bigotry?
By Dot
George W. Bush frequently refers to the "soft bigotry of low expectations"
in sound bytes about the federal education program euphemistically called
"No Child Left Behind."� Fifty years after Brown v. Board of Education
(1954), which supposedly ended the doctrine of "separate but equal" in
public schools, black and Latino children are still not afforded an equal
education.� All across the nation, in inferior public schools, which
operate as holding pens for the criminal justice system, black and Latino
children are unwitting victims, mis-educated and profiled as second class
citizens.
A confederate flag supporter and advocate of strict construction of the US
Constitution, Bush is using the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr.'s birthday to justify a political fund-raising swing through Georgia.
Local activists see Bush's wreath-laying gesture as the height of
hypocrisy.� Bush does not share the ideals espoused by Dr. King, who
opposed war and bigotry, hallmarks of Bush's personal life and public
policies.
Dr. King dreamed one day the US Constitution would reflect the Declaration
of Independence, i.e., "all men are created equal."� Since his 1968
assassination, neither the Constitution nor the minds of the ruling elite
has changed to reflect Dr. King's wish.� Ironically,� the very men that
voraciously opposed Dr. King in life, claim to share his ideals in death,
while pretending no constitutional changes are required.� Hypocritically,
they advocate a strict construction of the US Constitution, which leaves
white supremacy as the law of the land, while insisting no barriers to
equality exists.� And, of course, if blacks fail to succeed in the land of
plenty, home of the brave and free, it is no fault of the system.� This is
the "soft bigotry of low expectations."
