[Policing News\2020 Elections]
The current crop of Democratic politicians running for the American Presidency is not much better than media in talking about the clear and ever-present danger of police racism and oppression. Those now running to unseat the vile racist reprobate Donald Trump are asking Black Americans to turn out and vote for them even though they refuse to fully commit to serving the interests of Black people. These candidates act as if hatred of Trump should be enough for African-Americans to vote for them.
Photo: Facebook
“Ghost Skin” former Louisiana Detective Raymond Mott, to the left, at a KKK rally with his racist brethren.
Yesterday was the 24th annual “National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation.” In recent days, there have been police protests and other related events in places like Georgia, California, and Minnesota.
Not surprisingly, there has been limited mainstream media coverage of these events. The topic of police brutality–especially, as it relates to Black people–is one corporate media now largely avoids. Despite the repeated stories showing the problem with racism in policing, the media refuses to do any in-depth analysis of American policing.
Recently, we saw the video of Atatiana Jefferson, 28, who was murdered by former Officer Aaron Dean inside her home–less than two weeks after former Officer Amber Guyger was given ten years for killing Botham Jean, 26, inside his home.
Institutional racism in policing is a big problem in America. Police departments have historically criminalized and targeted African-Americans. But the racial policing problem is no doubt being made worse by those who are actively connected to hate groups.
For example, the FBI (in a 2006 FBI Intelligence Assessment, updated in 2015) has said there is a serious problem with white supremacists (called “Ghost Skins”) joining law enforcement, yet you can be sure most Americans have never heard this term. The FBI has warned that “Ghost Skins” are “infiltrating law enforcement communities or recruiting law enforcement personnel.” How many “Ghost Skins” do we now have policing Black communities?
In recent years, a few of these “Ghost Skin” police have exposed themselves.
In September 2015, Louisiana Detective Raymond Mott was fired by the Lake Arthur Town Council after a picture revealed him to be a KKK member. In the picture, Mott is shown wearing KKK regalia and giving the Nazi salute, at an anti-immigration rally. By 2014, three officers from the Fruitland Park Police Department, in Florida, were forced to leave their policing duties—after their connection to the KKK were exposed. The officers were: Deputy Chief David Borst, Cpl. George Hunnewell and officer James Elkins. Elkins was the first to come under scrutiny after a photo from his secret Klan initiation ceremony surfaced—with him surrounded by white hooded KKK members. Another harrowing reality revolves around racist police gangs that are known to exist in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. These racist police gangs have names like the Lynwood Vikings, Grim Reapers, Jump Out Boys, 3000 Boys, and the Little Devils.
Racism is still a topic many White Americans, including the media, have trouble discussing honestly. But racism must be attacked everywhere we find it. That goes double for racism among police.
The current crop of Democratic politicians running for the American Presidency is not much better than media in talking about the clear and ever-present danger of police racism and oppression. Those now running to unseat the vile racist reprobate Donald Trump are asking Black Americans to turn out and vote for them even though they refuse to fully commit to serving the interests of Black people. These candidates act as if hatred of Trump should be enough for African-Americans to vote for them.
Former HUD Secretary Julian Castro has been the most courageous and forceful in honestly addressing this issue among the 2020 candidates. He is also the only one who has detailed his policing plan.
The Democratic Party needs the votes of Black America to be successful in defeating Trump. Given that reality, African-Americans must forcefully leverage their votes to create change in policing. An example of what we need to do was recently on display in Georgia where top Democrats were faced by angry protesters outside the Hyatt Hotel, where they were going for their annual dinner. The protesters made it clear to these Democrats that if they didn’t address police violence they would be voted out of office.
Black America must send that same collective message to the Democratic Party as they seek out votes for the 2020 Elections.
