10 Images. By The Time I Reached The Third One, I Was Crying. By The 10th, I Was Furious.

[sheshe2]

Normally, a picture is worth a thousand words. I'd say each image here is worth millions of words. And millions of tears.









John Crawford was holding a toy gun as he stood in the toy section of a Walmart. Before the police shot him to death in that same aisle, John managed to say, "It's not real." But it was too late for John.

Sean Bell was going to get married. One night, he was driving away from his bachelor party with his friends, Joseph and Trent. Suddenly, he hit a minivan. Four undercover police officers from the minivan began to shoot at them without warning, firing a total of 50 bullets at the three unarmed men. A wounded Joseph turned to Sean and said, "S, I love you, son." Sean's reply: "I love you, too." Joseph and Trent survived, but their best friend, Sean, didn't make it.

One of the witnesses in the Trayvon Martin trial, Rachel Jeantel, was on the phone with Trayvon moments before the scuffle with George Zimmerman that ended his life. One of the last things she heard the unarmed Trayvon say to the man who was following him with a gun that fateful night: "Why are you following me for?"

Michael Brown died August 2014. Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson shot him at least six times, twice in the head. Michael was not armed. His friend and eyewitness reported that Michael said: "I don't have a gun. Stop shooting." Minutes later, he was on the ground, bleeding. Dr. Michael M. Baden, the man who did Michael's autopsy, told the New York Times, "In my capacity as the forensic examiner for the New York State Police, I would say, ‘You’re not supposed to shoot so many times.'"

MORE: http://www.upworthy.com/here-are-10-images-by-the-time-i-reached-the-third-one-i-was-crying-by-the-10th-i-was-furious?g=2&c=ufb1

And the final fact check from the link...All 10 of these men were black. Any questions? Hmm...?

It is past time for this racist behavior to end. A tale of two colors. Believe it. There is White Privilege in this Country, open yours eyes and your ears. This needs to end and end now.

[redqueen]

1. And before anyone starts in with the 'it's really more about class/money' derailment.

The title of that segment...

[sheshe2]

9. Uhmmmhmm. Yes it is, redqueen.

[EEO]

11. I am a master at talking myself out of tickets. I think my 4-0 record may be different if I was...

not white, though.

[caraher]

35. Good video but...

I forgot to skip reading the YouTube comment thread. There are few surer ways to lose hope in humanity than reading YouTube comments...

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

37. OMFG, ain't it the truth! Whenever I forget to avert my eyes and happen to catch a glimpse of

YouTube comments, I regret it. Same with Yahoo News. Ugh.

[heaven05]

42. Class and money has always played a role

in this god forsaken, money driven, greedy society and though all won't admit it, all are victims of the upper class greed, that is a given. The elite bankers, corporations and all PTB love all this discord. Our minds are off their robbing us. That's a given.

Yet racial hate, and how it is agitated to make the lower classes of whites fearful enough to kill any black person and feel justified in doing so, is an immensely large component of all these murders mentioned in OP. Anyone who tries to say it's all money/class is off the mark, I think. Racism has been and will be one of the major reason this country will never realize it potential as a diverse and vibrant society. Amerikkka has ALWAYS squandered it's assets. ALWAYS! Ahhhh, I'm sick of seeing the same shit happening over and over and knowing that no matter how many protest, IT WILL NOT STOP. Racism hasn't gotten better, it has gotten worse, especially in the last 6 years with RW hate radio and fux news agitating the RW base into fearful idiots frothing at the mouth. The 'birthers' gave me my clue, we were in for some trouble. America STILL has a long way to go and I seriously wonder whether we'll see racial harmony again in this country.

People out in the streets have been agitated into an anger that I haven't seen since the 60's, both white and black anger is seething. Where it stops nobody knows.

[TBF]

2. May I share a bit about Oscar Julius Grant III?

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/TBF/23


I can tell you I am not the most sentimental person in the world. My family is comprised of stoic old WASPY English and German folks. But I always tear up when I go back to read about Oscar. These murders are sanctioned by the state, they are senseless, and they MUST stop.

[sheshe2]

3. Yes. And the cop...

Verdict today - 2 years (with time served he's out in 7 mos.). from your link.

[TBF]

4. That's right - 2 years -

and probably a miracle he even got that much time. It is disgusting.

[redqueen]

5. It is a miracle he got that much time, and it is beyond disgusting.

[TBF]

6. Also there were civil cases -

Oscar Grant case: Civil jury rules in favor of Johannes Mehserle, denies award to slain man's father

By Malaika Fraley

Oakland Tribune
Posted: 07/02/2014 06:13:19 AM PDT3 Comments | Updated: about a month ago

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal civil jury on Tuesday ruled that former BART officer Johannes Mehserle's fatal shooting of Oscar Grant III at the Fruitvale BART station in 2009 was accidental and denied monetary damages to the slain Hayward man's incarcerated father.

"This was a tragic accident, and that's what the jury found today," said Mehserle's attorney Michael Rains. "I think this is going to close the chapter involving Johannes Mehserle, Oscar Grant and what happened on that platform on Jan. 1, 2009."

The jury's ruling, reached after less than five hours of deliberation, echoed the far more emotional criminal trial in 2010 in which Mehserle faced murder charges but ultimately was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

In addition to denying the claims of Grant's father, Oscar Grant Jr., the civil jury on Tuesday also ruled in favor of BART officer Marysol Domenici, accused by Grant III's best friend Johntue Caldwell of using excessive force against him immediately after Grant III was shot. The case against Domenici was brought by Caldwell's mother Zeporia Smith, who began championing her son's case after he was fatally shot at a Hayward gas station in 2011 ...

More here: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_26069466/civil-jury-rules-favor-johannes-mehserle-denies-award

So in the end his family (including the baby daughter) did get settlements, but Oscar is still gone and the white police officer is ready to move on with his life after a year in jail:

[IrishAyes]

7. Thank you.

My heart's too broken for words lately. Thank you for saying what needs to be said.

[sheshe2]

14. I know Irish.

[brer cat]

8. Brutal, just brutal.

[onecaliberal]

10. This. must. stop!

[ReRe]

12. K&R

This needs to be kicked and kicked again! Thank you so much sheshe. We have to figure out how to fight the horrible injustice of police brutality. I would like to see Eric Holder stay on until the end of PO's term and clean up the entire system.

[jillan]

13. Changing the subject just a little - what disgust me is that Mark O'Mara is a CNN analyst.

They actually had him on the other nite to discuss the murder of Michael.



The only reason I still have a tv is because I can't afford to buy a new one right now.

[Cha]

15. Mahalo, she~

Mary Engelbreit is selling a print with all proceeds going to the Michael Brown Jr. Memorial Fund:

sufrommich http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025434356#post10

[sheshe2]

18. Thank you Cha...

beautiful!

[MNBrewer]

16. What is the first thing that needs to be done to end White Privilege?

[sheshe2]

17. #1 STFU Stop and listen.

#2 Open your eyes and ears. #3 Understand that White Privilege exists and this is NOT ABOUT YOU unless you want to make it so.

Those are the first three that come to mind.

[Cha]

19. Sage advice, she~

[sheshe2]

21. Ya ....

I am kinda pissed here at the stupid....

I have to go soon, thanks Cha!

[freshwest]

20. JUST OUT AND OUT MURDER.

[sheshe2]

24. Yes it is. Every damn one! Murder!

Thank you for being here tonight, freshwest. I needed that.

[annm4peace]

22. You MATTER

YOU MATTER

YOU MATTER

YOU MATTER

[sheshe2]

25. YOU MATTER

annm4peace, thank you....

[Uncle Joe]

23. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, sheshe.

[smirkymonkey]

26. God, how sad.

I am in tears. This is just too heartbreaking. I have no words.

K&R.

[sheshe2]

27. Yes... I know, smirkymonkey :(

[Cha]

28. ..

[littlemissmartypants]

29. Kicking. Thank you. nt

[malaise]

30. Let me tell you why this happens

When you have done to others what you do not want done to you, you are terrified of those others.
It is not merely white privilege, it is white fear.

[Maraya1969]

31. I think that the majority of Americans do not know how oppressed black people are in this country.

I am just becoming aware of how horrible it is. Somehow the answer should be in spreading the information just like you did here. There are a group of white people who would not care at all but I think that group would be kind of small compared to the ones who would demand that things change.

[Initech]

32. The police have declared war on us.

[NOLALady]

33. Females are not immune.

http://www.rolereboot.org/culture-and-politics/details/2014-08-black-unarmed-women-girls-without-weapons-killed-law-enforcement/

[mother earth]

34. I would only add there is a huge disconnect in how police are trained, and I wonder if there should

be term limits on how long one should serve?

I don't think it's only about "white privilege", I think it's about domination that usurps the mind when serving in law enforcement. That same mindset seems to exhibit in the military after too many years. People may start with the best of intentions in their chosen fields and then gradually the system wears and warps sensibilities. I think this happens in many occupations. Power corrupts.

[calimary]

36. Devastating.

What you said, sheshe2:

"It is past time for this racist behavior to end. A tale of two colors. Believe it. There is White Privilege in this Country, open yours eyes and your ears. This needs to end and end now."

Forcryingoutloud, can't we get beyond this, America? Can't we finally bury THIS, instead of the continuing series of dead bodies it's about?

[sheshe2]

40. Calimary~

I so hope that they have not died in vain. I am anxious to see if Michael's murder will be the tipping point. The world is watching us now. We need to make this happen and we need to do it together.

[777man]

38. KILL THE MESSENGER MOVIE -Policies that Kill and Imprison Blacks disproptionately

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022291453
OCTOBER 10, 2014 KILL THE MESSENGER- HOW CRACK CAME TO AMERICA
SECRET DEAL ALLOWED DRUGS TO FLOW INTO THE CITIES UNCHECKED
Please help spread the word.


Here is a copy of the agreement between the Attorney General and DCI ALLOWING drugs to flow in unchecked


US CONGRESSWOMAN Maxine Waters Investigation

Quite unexpectedly, on April 30, 1998, I obtained a secret 1982 Memorandum of Understanding between the CIA and the Department of Justice, that allowed drug trafficking by CIA assets, agents, and contractors to go unreported to federal law enforcement agencies. I also received correspondence between then Attorney General William French Smith and the head of the CIA, William Casey, that spelled out their intent to protect drug traffickers on the CIA payroll from being reported to federal law enforcement.
http://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/17/world/cia-says-it-used-nicaraguan-rebels-accused-of-drug-tie.html
Then on July 17, 1998 the New York Times ran this amazing front page CIA admission: "CIA Says It Used Nicaraguan Rebels Accused of Drug Tie." "The Central Intelligence Agency continued to work with about two dozen Nicaraguan rebels and their supporters during the 1980s despite allegations that they were trafficking in drugs.... The agency's decision to keep those paid agents, or to continue dealing with them in some less formal relationship, was made by top officials at headquarters in Langley, Va.". (emphasis added)
.........The CIA had always vehemently denied any connection to drug traffickers and the massive global drug trade, despite over ten years of documented reports. But in a shocking reversal, the CIA finally admitted that it was CIA policy to keep Contra drug traffickers on the CIA payroll. The Facts speak for themselves. Maxine Waters, Member of Congress, September 19, 1998




The 1982 MOU that exempted the reporting requirement for drug trafficking was no oversight or misstatement. A remarkable series of letters between the Attorney General and the Director of Central Intelligence show how conscious and deliberate this exemption was.

On February 11, 1982 Attorney General William French Smith wrote to Director of Central Intelligence William Casey that, "I have been advised that a question arose regarding the need to add narcotics violations to the list of reportable non-employee crimes ... No formal requirement regarding the reporting of narcotics violations has been included in these procedures."

On March 2, 1982 Casey responded happily, "I am pleased that these procedures, which I believe strike the proper balance between enforcement of the law and protection of intelligence sources and methods..."

Simply stated, the Attorney General consciously exempted reporting requirements for narcotics violations by CIA agents, assets, and contractors. And the Director of Central Intelligence was pleased because intelligence sources and methods involved in narcotics trafficking could be protected from law enforcement. The 1982 MOU agreement clearly violated the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949. It also raised the possibility that certain individuals who testified in front of Congressional investigating committees perjured themselves.
....... Many questions remain unanswered. However, one thing is clear - the CIA and the Attorney General successfully engineered legal protection for the drug trafficking activities of any of its agents or assets. Maxine Waters, Member of Congress, September 19, 1998



“Several informed sources have told me that an appendix to this Report was removed at the instruction of the Department of Justice at the last minute. This appendix is reported to have information about a CIA officer, not agent or asset, but officer, based in the Los Angeles Station, who was in charge of Contra related activities.According to these sources, this individual was associated with running drugs to South Central Los Angeles,around 1988. Let me repeat that amazing omission. The recently released CIA Report Volume II contained an appendix, which was pulled by the Department of Justice, that reported a CIA officer in the LA Station was hooked into drug running in South Central Los Angeles.”

--U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters – October 13. 1998, speaking on the floor of the US House of Representatives.


http://www.scribd.com/doc/117070568/US-Congresswoman-Maxine-Waters-Investigation-of-CIA-Contras-involvement-in-drug-sales-1996-2000



Exhibit 1
:
U.S. Attorney General William French Smith replies to a still classified letter from DCI William Casey requesting exemption from reporting drug crimes by CIA assets.

Source: cia.gov/library/reports/general-reports-1/cocaine/contra-story/01.gif



Exhibit 2:

DCI William Casey happily agrees with William French Smith and signs the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) exempting his agency from reporting drug crimes. This agreement covered both the Latin American conflicts and Afghanistan war. It remained in effect until August, 1995 when it was quietly rescinded by Janet Reno after Gary Webb began making inquiries for his series. The 1995 revision of the DoJ-CIA MOU specifically includes narcotics violations among the lists of potential offenses by non-employees that must be reported to DOJ.

Source: cia.gov/library/reports/general-reports-1/cocaine/contra-story/13.gif



Exhibit 3:

On February 8, 1985, Deputy Chief of DoJ's Office of Intelligence Policy andReview (OIPR) from 1979 to 1991, A. R. Cinquegrana signed off on this letter approving the MOU. Mark M. Richard, Deputy Assistant Attorney General with responsibility for General Litigation and International Law Enforcement in 1982, states that he was unableto explain why narcotics violations were not on the list of reportable crimes except thatthe MOU had "other deficiencies, not just drugs."
Source: cia.gov/library/reports/general-reports-1/cocaine/contra-story/14.gif


MOTHER JONES COVERAGE of "A TAINTED DEAL" - Analysis of The secret agreement (above) allowed drugs into the USA
https://web.archive.org/web/20050420101319/http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/1998/06/cia.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20050405214411/http://www.motherjones.com/news/special_reports/total_coverage/coke.html







full background and supporting documents are here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022291453



---------------


To fully understand the implications of this movie-- after basically flooding the streets with drugs, the feds then increased prison sentences for the mostly black crack users and sellers (80% of those arrested for crack) to a 100:1 ratio.

--meaning a black user with 5 grams (a small rock) got a 5 year sentence
--a white person possessing 500 grams (over a pound) would get a 5 year sentence.


Communities were devastated. An entire generation of black people were imprisoned by the new law. People died and had their health damaged by the CONTRA Drugs




https://secure.huffingtonpost.com/tag/crack-cocaine-sentencing/

---------------------------

A rush to judgment

In 1986, lawmakers wrote new mandatory crack cocaine penalties in a few short days, using the advice of a perjurer.
March 23, 2014 12:00AM E

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/3/23/a-rush-to-judgment.html




------------------------

Congress narrows disparity between sentences for crack vs. powder cocaine convictions

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/28/congress-moves-narrow-disparity-crack-powder-cocaine-sentences/

Crack-Powder Sentencing Disparity: Whites Get Probation, Blacks Get A Decade Behind Bars
https://secure.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/02/crack-powder-sentencing-d_n_667317.html

http://jurist.org/paperchase/2011/06/ussc-unanimously-approves-retroactive-application-of-reduced-crack-sentencing-law.php


-------------read more here


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Sentencing_Act

"The sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine has contributed to the imprisonment of African Americans at six times the rate of whites and to the United States' position as the world's leader in incarcerations."

---U.S. Senator Dick Durbin,
---------------------------------------



United States Sentencing Commission Special Report to the Congress: Cocaine and Federal Sentencing Policy, February 1995
http://www.ussc.gov/crack/execsum.pdf


---------------------

[Worried senior]

39. As an older white woman

I have lost a lot of respect for the police.

We always taught our kids that if they were in trouble of some sort to find a policeman; they would help. That doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

[madinmaryland]

41. Fuck the NRA/teabagger party. Rot in hell!!

[blackspade]

43. K&R

[raven mad]

44. Pardon me but I'm going to say......

FUCKING PIGS.