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Rev. Amos Brown, Please...talk to us about real violence

by ntuit
Mr. Brown, I think you are confused about who and who isn't violent
"If you really want justice for Mr. Grant and his family, let's get rid of this violence and this attitude, 'we're gonna tear the place up,'" the Reverend Amos Brown said. (KGO 7 News, February 26, 2009).

Mr. Amos Brown, if you wan’t to talk about violence why don’t you talk to your friend Arnold Schwarzenegger, who paid you to be a political consultant. Schwarzenegger, your friend, apparently had no problem signing off on the execution of Tookie Williams . Tookie was totally subdued and helpless when he was strapped down to a gurney and had his life snuffed out. Now that is real violence. Why don’t you talk to your friend, Arnold, about violence instead of preaching to us?

As far as violence in Oakland, why don’t you talk to the Bart Police and the Oakland Police? Talk to them about Oscar Grant III, Gary King, Jr., Jerry Amaro and many others who have died unnecessarily at the hand of the police. How many people have protestors killed or injured? None that I know. How many people have been beaten or tasered by the cops in these protests? What about those acts of violence against people? That I know of the protestors have physically injured no one. What about the police violence against the protestors?

Why don’t you talk to the Alameda County D.A. about why BART police officer Tony Pirone can viciously assault Oscar Grant III for no reason and walk away with no charges. Why don’t you talk to Tony Pirone or Johannes Mehserle about violence?

Why don’t you talk about real violence, Mr. Preacher man?
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Comments (Hide Comments)
by CitizenRealist
Pirone and Mesherle are TWO DIFFERENT issues.

Pirone DIDNT PUNCH GRANT.

do your homework:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E1BV3LjMDo
by ;
pirone and all those cops on scene are an accesory to the killing and non medical attention of dying man
by miles
All cops everywhere are complicit in every beating, maiming, harm, and death of every person assaulted by any cop at any time. There are no innocent police. Their choice of job makes them a part of the blue wall of silence (silence=complicity) regardless of how often they actually assault people. Their choice of job also places them on the other side of the class divide; cops are the class enemy for as long as they're cops. Pirone, Mehserle, who cares? Focusing on the shithead who pulls the trigger does nothing to alleviate the institutional culpability of all cops who protect each other, who remain unaccountable to the people they're supposed "to serve and protect," and who ultimately get away with murder.
by tired of the b.s.
that's a double edge sword you are playing with Mr.
If ALL cops are to be stereotyped and deamed evil, guilty and in "cahoots" then WHY not do the same to Grant and the others for that night? All Blacks/Young kids/"Thuggish" looking people are drug dealers, gang bangers or criminals?

Stereotyping anyone/anything is BAD and you are doing the SAME thing you claim those officers did: stereotype. Good luck with your quest.

by a
all police are the same family.if all your arrest records go to police everywhere,warrants etc.,then howcan any individual cop say ''it wasnt me'' when you say you were abused by cops.they always say it was not them.all police are linked.if that wasnt the case no cop could arrest you for warrant anywhere.stupidity of police when they say it had nothing to do with any particular cop.
by ntuit
Slowing down this video does not necessarily mean than this was not an assault. When you slow it down, yes, it seems more benign. But when it is full speed it seems to be a very powerful assault. One comment on the video page mentioned that military and police are trained to hit with their palms not their fists. If police treated people more respectfully and with dignity, there would be more cooperation and less hatred.

I'm not saying all police are bad. Some police actually live in the communities they serve. They know the people of the community and they know their conduct must be above reproach. Unfortunately, these are a minority. I don't think all police want to act like thugs but many do. Police have become like paramilitary in uniform as versus citizens who have put a uniform on to help their community. If police wanted community respect they would work to repeal all the hiding of personnel information they have accomplished and push for open, public records. When police start serving the people instead of themselves we might have some change although the whole concept of police and who they really serve is very troubling.
by miles
I'm not "stereotyping" cops. I am examining their social role, the actual effects they have in their role as guardians of the social order of Property and Domination.

I am not saying that cops are "evil." The fact is that police are the first line of defense of the regime of Capital and the State. Whatever good they provide "the community" is a by-product of their ability to push people around. Nobody likes a bully, and given the proper set of circumstances (not a stretch by any means), every cop will behave like a bully. Why else would they have guns and sticks?

The police form a subculture of their own that is encouraged by the atomization of Euro-American culture in general. Cops have had an increasingly professional paramilitary role created for them to use in curtailing "crime" and other forms of social deviance. From petty harassment to outright murder, they are provided with the means and tools to keep people in line and are hardly ever held to account.

If there are a few cops somewhere who live in the communities they police and are generally nice, tactful, and only resort to bullying and other forms of violence as an absolute last resort, they are in the extreme minority. Almost all urban cops commute from neighborhoods where most of their neighbors are other cops (and sometimes firefighters, another paramilitary formation).

Regardless, all I actually care about is the actual social role and impact of cops, which is pernicious in terms of social justice and social change. Go cry on somebody else's shoulder cop lover.
by /
cops are fraekin psychos.arrogant self absorbed ,off the planet pignazis!
by ntuit
It is true...cops, the police do seem to always represent the interests of the status quo, the establishment over communities which have great needs. As I have said, that I know of no protestors intentionally hurt or injured another human being. This is not true of the cops - they are willing to break a head if someone does some property damage. They are the ones who killed Oscar Grant III, Gary King, Jr. and Jerry Amaro. They are violent and out of control. And they have almost always supported the racist practices in america. Instead of armed thugs who we pay for, we need unarmed community workers who identify social problems and needs and help with answers.

I heard recently that the midnight basketball games were stopped because of insurance risks. The insurance industry is another that has done all kinds of things to stop good things from happening. Can't we have a solution? Can't schools be open on weekends where kids can work on projects, use the gym and weight rooms, use the library. The whole american culture needs to change and the focus needs to be on education and responsibility of individuals not enforecement and head beating. What can we do?
by ntuit
Maybe this link can provide some insight on police in America:

http://akpress.org/2007/items/ourenemiesinblue
by Hypatia
You forgot to mention Marysol Domenici, the officer who was aiming her taser at citizens, tapping them in the forehead with it. She was Pirone's partner and was the female Pirone has alleged that he was "protecting". From reports it seems like she was part of the abuse against citizens which ultimately turned a controlled scene into a murder scene.

Tony Pirone and and Marysol Domenici should be charged. Why haven't they been charged?
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