Will the result of the DoJ investigation in Ferguson be just a band-aid?

[rhett o rick]

The Real News interviewed Glen Ford th Executive Editor of the Black Agenda Report.

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=12335

Mr. Ford points out that we need to look at the bigger picture. The problem isn't just Ferguson and fixing Ferguson, even if it's "fixed" won't touch the bigger problem. The problem is a system that is working fine and, "is accomplishing the mission of criminalizing a whole race of people, black folks,"

"The New York Times has a very interesting article out this week in which it notes that the state of Florida, which is not the worst, not the best, pretty indicative of Southern justice, certainly, the state of Florida has not even charged, much less tried, a single police officer in 20 years for using deadly force against a civilian. Not once in 20 years. And Florida doesn't really stand out too far from other states."

Mr. Ford says we shouldn't look at the problem as a "broken system":

"But my position is that the system works just fine. It does exactly what it was designed to do. It acts with uniformity all across the United States and delivers, like clockwork, millions of black bodies to be incarcerated in the biggest gulag in the world. It does it quite efficiently. It cost a lot of money, but the money that's spent is made by somebody. And it's the uniformity, again, the system that shows that it is a well-oiled machine that has been working at the highest possible speed for the last 45 years. That's not a broken system. If we look at it as a broken system, we're just going to tinker with it. If we understand that it is a system that is accomplishing the mission of criminalizing a whole race of people, black folks, then we have to look in a much more systemic, societal-wide way at what we do about a criminal justice system that is itself a criminal enterprise."

IMO Mr. Ford is pointing out that what we see in Ferguson is just an example of a culture that has developed over decades that criminalizes the Black Community and justifies that criminalization to the White Community. Why, one might ask? It is very profitable to those invested in the for-profit prison system. It also provides a good excuse for the militarization of the local police departments, which is very comforting to the paranoid American Aristocracy. And IMO the most important reason, it keeps the masses fighting among themselves instead of fighting the tyranny of the American Aristocracy. That is, when the Black Community stands up against the overbearing authoritarian dominance of the American Aristocracy will the White Community give support or look the other way. I bet the armed TeaBaggers will side with the American Aristocracy. I also believe that the Left will support the Black Community, but what will the Centrists do? Those that are so comfortable in their "status-quo"? Will they turn on the Black Community like they did OWS? Or will the simply hunker down and hope the Aristocracy won't see them and won't punish them? It's just like in the school yard: some side with the bully, some fight the bully, and some hide from the bully.

[AngryAmish]

1. DOJ is investigating George Zimmerman, no?

[rhett o rick]

6. Yes, they are good at investigating. nm

[SidDithers]

2. Glen Ford. LOL...

He and Bruce Dixon are the go-to sources, whenever anyone needs to show criticism of the Obama Administration from the "Black Community".

BAR is a joke.

Sid

[rhett o rick]

4. But what do you think of the article? Did he have a point or not? Or do you even bother to read

but just look for opportunities for ad hominem attacks?

This wasn't even an attack on the Pres Obama administration but a statement on our culture. But you wouldn't know that if you didn't read the article.

Why are you here in DU?

[el_bryanto]

3. Centrist by definition don't believe America is as broken as some on the left or the right do

They believe the mechanisms of the government might not work right sometimes, but in general they are good and valuable. And because of that, if there is an investigation by the FBI and involvement by the federal government, they will largely adopt a wait and see attitude.

But in any sort of revolutionary situation - they are likely to side with the state.

Bryant

[rhett o rick]

5. I don't disagree. I call it heavy denial. They can look at what happened to the

Last edited Mon Sep 8, 2014, 10:54 PM - Edit history (1)

American middle class over the last 30 years and be ambivalent. I think they are lazy at best and cowards at worst. They are afraid if they admit there is a problem, they will be expected to do something. They get mad at OWS because OWS shines a spotlight on a problem, so they quietly (some not so quietly) hope the police will beat some sense into the damn rebels. At least the TeaBaggers recognize that something is wrong, they just easily fooled as to what it is. The centrists pretend nothing is wrong.

[rhett o rick]

7. kick for the evening crowd.