Miriam, the cops don't know I am white. I grew up in a neighborhood that is
greater than 90 percent Hispanic and I speak with an obvious heavy Hispanic
accent and even occasionally throw in a word or two is Spanish without knowing
it. My skin is very dark. If you were to encounter me without knowing me you
would either think Puerto Rican or Dominican, and yes cops in NYC kill
Hispanics too. Even after they would shoot me they would pull my wallet out and
see my last name is "Ventura" which is an Hispanic name. Do you think they
would do a DNA test before they shoot me? So I ask you how do you think the
cops would know that I was Italian? What you don't know that many times during
my 26 years of living in the Bronx I have been at gunpoint and when questioned
by cops I started to reply in English. That usually infuriated them and several
times they cut me off and told me not to speak "their" language. From the '80s
on there are really very few Irish or Italian cops In NYC. The force is very
representative of the cultural makeup of NYC; meaning mostly Hispanic with some
black, Asian and white members. This indicates that a diverse police force
doesn't cure the inherent racism in policing, because no matter what race,
color or creed you are before you join the force as soon as you do your race
now becomes not white nor black, but blue; hence the racist mantra of "blue
lives matter". As far as your question about cops only killing black folks
without provocation; was that made in jest? If so I don't think it was funny.
The majority of unarmed folks killed by police are not black in NYC. The folks
are killed in the same makeup as the population with Hispanics being the
largest group by far. When I was growing up in the South Bronx neighborhood of
Castle Hill, on my block only myself and Ritchie Castro were the only two male
kids to make it out alive. Both of us knew from a very early age that when a
cop car was on the block we got face down on the pavement, spread eagle, and
didn't even flinch. We survived; however other kids who ran away or opened
their mouths weren't so lucky. Probably the closest call I had was when once I
was pulling my cab down the block after my sift. I pulled my cab into the alley
next to the building we lived. I didn't see the two plain clothes cops wo were
back there. That was unusual for me, I was usually pretty good at knowing when
they are coming. One of the two cops took two shots at my cab, one missed
entirely and the other went through the windshield and missed my head by an
inch or so. You speak about cops shooting folks while being "unprovoked" so in
that circumstance were they provoked or not? The first rule of dealing with
cops in NYC is that you *never* look at a cop or make eye contact. So I looked
at the cop; was he provoked? Let me ask you:
How many times have the NYC shot your relatives to death?
How many times have you had a gun up against your head?
How many times have you been face down on "their" pavement?
How many times has one of their bullets narrowly missed your head?
These are all serious questions and I am very interested in hearing your
answers..
Frank
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Miriam Vieni
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2020 12:51 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Police Told Right-Wing Kenosha Killer "We
Appreciate You" Just Before Deadly Shootings
Frank,
But you are white. You're of Italian extraction, right? So why would they
police shoot you? A lot of police officers, especially here in New York, in the
city, are also of Italian extraction. It's only black people whom they shoot
without provocation, isn't it?
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Frank Ventura
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2020 6:09 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Police Told Right-Wing Kenosha Killer "We
Appreciate You" Just Before Deadly Shootings
Well lets see if I walked in front of cops carrying a gun I don't think they
would shake my hand. I would die of a led overdose. This is going to sound
paranoid but for a long time I have felt if Trump doesn't win this November's
election he will call upon his right-wing militia buddies to use force to keep
him in office.
Frank
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Miriam Vieni
Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2020 6:59 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Police Told Right-Wing Kenosha Killer "We Appreciate
You" Just Before Deadly Shootings
Police Told Right-Wing Kenosha Killer "We Appreciate You" Just Before Deadly
Shootings Coordination between police and far-right groups is far from abnormal
but as yesterday's killings show, it is becoming much more dangerous.
by Alan Macleod
August 26th, 2020
By Alan Macleod
Three people were shot and two died last night in Keshona, Wis, as right-wing
militias hit the streets, shooting demonstrators protesting the police shooting
of Jacob Blake on Sunday. After two nights of angry demonstrations, Wisconsin
Governor Tony Evers, who originally described the event as a "merciless" act of
police cruelty, called in the National Guard and declared a state of emergency.
However, along with the National Guard came large numbers of right-wing militia
groups, existing relatively harmoniously with law enforcement. Far-right news
organizations and websites had earlier signal boosted the Kenosha Guard
militia's call for reinforcements to come to "protect lives and property."
Last night's killings were filmed and immediately posted on social media. In
one video, protesters fight with an armed militiaman, who fires at three people
at point blank range, killing two. He then hurries from the scene, "repeating
"I just killed someone," retreating back towards police lines, still carrying
his rifle. Even as the crowd shout to the police that the killer is coming
towards them, they ignore him, instead instructing the protesters to get out of
the way.
The shooter has been widely identified as a 17-year-old boy. From his public
Facebook page, it is clear that he idolizes the police, his profile picture
being a "Blue Lives Matter" logo with him in the center, holding a rifle.
Virtually every post he made is about either the police or guns. As of
Wednesday morning, he is still at large. Footage taken earlier in the night
shows the teenager bragging that he and his crew "don't have non-lethal"
ammunition with them.
Another video shows them fraternizing with heavily militarized police, who
offer them water and tell him "we appreciate you guys, we really do,"
evidence which might explain why he was neither shot nor even arrested after
killing two people right in front of dozens of law enforcement officers.
Speaking about the shooting, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Wisconsin,
Mandela Barnes said that "we can't even act surprised that this happened."
Barnes said that it had become normal to see heavily armed militia in public,
adding,
In many instances, these people have been led on by various conspiracy theories
that have ruminated on the internet, and these people are demanding to have
their country back. And to assume that nothing bad is going to happen, to
assume that these people are up to - or, have the most fine intentions, is
completely ridiculous."
Not an isolated incident
Coordination between police and far-right groups is far from abnormal.
During the George Floyd protests, Oregon police associated with groups such as
the Proud Boys, video showing one officer asking the group to hide in a
building because they were about to start gassing protesters, but to do it
"discreetly," as they did not want to be seen as "playing favorites."
Another Oregon officer was caught on camera flashing the "White Power" hand
gesture at right-wing counter demonstrators.
In June, a Seattle man drove his car at high speed into anti-racist protesters,
opening fire at the crowd. He then calmly leaves his vehicle and walks over to
police lines, where they shield him, turning their backs on the armed killer to
face the crowd. That they appeared totally unconcerned at this is a sign of how
confident they were that they were in no danger. As activist news outlet It's
Going Down noted, "Such a relationship allows the police to use far-right
groups as an auxiliary force against social movements."
A study published last year by Injustice Watch found that 20 percent of police
officers nationwide have shared egregiously racist material or content
glorifying police violence against protesters on their public Facebook
accounts. This figure rises to 40 percent of retired cops. Rarely is any action
taken against officers sharing this content. On the other hand, a Massachusetts
officer was recently fired for sharing a pro-Black Lives Matter social media
post.
The shooting of Jacob Blake
The events of last night were sparked by an incident on Sunday, where an
unarmed black man, Jacob Blake, was shot from point blank range in the back at
least seven times by police officers, the shooting occurring in front of his
friends and children. Miraculously, Blake survived but is now paralyzed after
one bullet severed his spinal column. Blake's father, also called Jacob, wept
as he described the incident as "senseless attempted murder,"
and said he had no faith that the police officers involved would be held to
justice. The suspects are currently on administrative leave, a status which
amounts to a paid vacation.
The shooting was denounced by a great number of human and civil rights groups.
The American Civil Liberties Union, for instance, described it as a "disgusting
act of police brutality." "With each of the seven shots fired, police made
their intent clear-they believed they had the right to kill an unarmed Black
man for the crime of walking away from them," said Jeffery Robinson, director
of the ACLU's Trone Center for Justice and Equality.
Seeing as the teenage militiaman has not even been apprehended, it appears
far-right groups might also be able to kill with impunity in Trump's America.
Feature photo | Police in riot gear clear a park during clashes with
