Look at what's happening in NYC and tell me that Rev. Wright didn't have reason to be pissed off

[Hugabear]

I've said it before, and I'll keep saying. The vast majority of what Rev. Wright said in those controversial sermons has been repeated here on DU for years. Take a look at what just happened in NYC - a couple of cops being acquitted primarily based on their 'character' in the shooting death of an unarmed African American - and tell me that Rev. Wright was wrong.

[EFerrari]

1. Is that the case of the young man who was killed at his bachelor party? n/t

[zanne]

2. Yes. The police were acquitted of all charges. nt

[EFerrari]

4. Unbelievable. n/t

[Hugabear]

5. Based primarily on their 'character'

At least, that's what I heard on the local news radio. Doesn't surprise me - although it should.

[EFerrari]

7. Edit: I get it -- the COPS character?

:puke:

[LakeSamish706]

3. The biggest problem that I have is the media taking about 4 sound bites....

and running them over and over again. Rev. Wright was probably bang on even in those 4 sound bites... America very definitely sucks at times and no one can argue against that.

[Parche]

6. Exactly

They take it way out of context, and that is what people see, over and over and over again,
once you tell a lie, its hard not to believe it over and over again.

We should start spreading John Hagee remarks out of context..........:sarcasm: :sarcasm:

:hi:

[Kool Kitty]

9. Hagee's remarks suck,

in OR out of context.

[Emillereid]

8. OK you Hillary supporters, tell me again how it's worse to be a woman in America than Black.

I am a white woman, but I wouldn't dare to compare my experience in America as a woman to what it means to be black - especially a young black male -- in this country. I have a good friend who is about 50 and african american and recently he was pulled over for driving while black in Beverly Hills while on route to a party and made to lie on the road in his good clothes. They didn't even pretend to have anything on him - -just normal harassment! So when African Americans hear Rev. Wright say 'God damn America' they totally understand where that's coming from.

[EFerrari]

11. Iirc, the stat (or, the conclusion) was worldwide, not for America. n/t

[redqueen]

10. How many people thought they'd be punished?

Sickening. And YES we ALL should be pissed off.

[ej510]

12. The police hate young blacks like myself!

It happens in the bay area all the time. All over the country police kill and plant evidence on young bruthas. I am sick and tired of this fuckin shit they get away with this shit all of the time. There is a saying when you black you're guilty until proven innocent.

[stray cat]

19. 2 of the three police officers charged are black

[redqueen]

21. Those in positions of power... no matter what color...

are conditioned to act unfairly toward minorities.

[ellacott]

14. I thought they would be punished

I'm not surprised but I am still angry. I understand what Rev. Wright was saying.

[redqueen]

17. Growing up... my dad used to tell me...

that this kind of stuff will never change. Divide and conquer. They divide the powerful from the powerless... the rich from the poor... races from other races... sexes from other sexes.

It works really well.... still. I hope he was wrong, and it won't always... but...

[ellacott]

20. Your father had a lot of wisdom

Sadly, I don't think it will change. Sometimes I think divide and conquer is in our DNA

[redqueen]

22. Nah... we're just conditioned to accept hierarchical power structures.

And they naturally benefit from the divide and conquer strategy.

When a threat is big enough that it is a threat to several groups and not just one or two, that's when the tactic falls apart... which is IMO what we're seeing now.

On the other hand, I could be full of shit. :P

[ellacott]

23. No, you are definately not full of it

:)

The reason I wonder if people will ever overcome divide and conquer I wonder if those in control would give up that power.

[redqueen]

24. Aw... thanks. Power will never concede anything without demand.

So... no. We have to take it from them. :)

[ellacott]

25. Very true

:)

[anigbrowl]

13. You have some facts wrong. But it's a shameful incident and shameful verdict.

It's not a simple black/white thing - Detective Isnora, who began shooting, is black. Nevertheless, it seems like a clear episode of police malfeasance to me.

from an AP report...
Isnora said he decided to arm himself, call for backup - "It's getting hot," he told his supervisor - and tail Bell, Guzman and Benefield as they went around the corner and got into Bell's car. He claimed that after warning the men to halt, Bell pulled away, bumped him and rammed an unmarked police van that converged on the scene with Oliver at the wheel.

The detective also alleged that Guzman made a sudden move as if he were reaching for a gun.

"I yelled 'Gun!' and fired," he said. "In my mind, I knew (Guzman) had a gun."

Benefield and Guzman testified that there were no orders. Instead, Guzman said, Isnora "appeared out of nowhere" with a gun drawn and shot him in the shoulder - the first of 16 shots to enter his body.

"That's all there was - gunfire," he said. "There wasn't nothing else."

With tires screeching, glass breaking and bullets flying, the officers claimed that they believed they were the ones under fire. Oliver responded by emptying his semiautomatic pistol, reloading, and emptying it again, as the supervisor sought cover.

The truth emerged when the smoke cleared: There was no weapon inside Bell's blood-splattered car.

I don't know whether the officers' claim that they thought they were under fire (when they were doing all the shooting) is deliberate bullshit or staggering incompetence, but either way, it's not acceptable. I am sick of this 'shoot to kill' policy that has become the norm.

[ellacott]

15. Racism is never simply a black or white thing

[Hugabear]

16. Thanks - corrected OP

Changed from 'white cops' to just 'cops'. Still, seems like a horrible case of institutionalized racism!

[redqueen]

18. deleted