Black Lives Matter still going strong with October call to action
People gathered in Union Square in 2015 for one of the many rallies for Black Lives Matter that occurred regularly throughout the year. Tisch Professors Andromache Chalfant and Donyale Werle recently resigned in protest tied to the Black Lives Matter movement, citing a lack of diversity within their department. (Photo by Christian Forte)
October 20, 2015
Just over a month out from the anniversary of mass nationwide protests in the wake of the death of Michael Brown, the Black Lives Matter movement has shown no sign of slowing down.
As a part of #RiseUpOctober, the Stop Mass Incarceration network is organizing three events in New York City this weekend focusing mainly on combating police brutality. Among those organizing the three days of action are philosopher and author Cornel West and Carl Dix, a founding member of the Revolutionary Communist Party.
This Thursday, Oct. 22, will be a national day of protest to stop police brutality, with affiliated demonstrations across the Midwest and on the West Coast. Oct. 23 is aimed at encouraging non-violent action to protest and shut down Rikers Island.
The movement will culminate in a rally in Washington Square Park on Saturday, which is expected to draw thousands, including students from universities across New York City.
“All colors, all culture, all different folk fighting for those who have been victimized by this police terror and this police murder,” West said in a video. “We want to straighten our backs up, organize, mobilize, put our bodies on the line.”
A press release sent out yesterday morning officially announced the end of the week’s events. And although the movement has been in the works since May, the release called for continued refusal to turn a blind eye to those whose lives have been affected by police brutality.
“#RiseUpOctober will launch a more defiant, more determined resistance aimed at nothing less of stopping the epidemic of illegitimate police terror and murder targeting black and brown people,” the press release reads.
Since gaining traction last November, the Black Lives Matter movement has only continued to grow. Every Monday since January, activist group NYC Shut It Down has chosen a different victim of police brutality to rally around in Union Square.
Student groups have worked to make their voices heard on campus as well. Two weeks ago, the Black Students Union at NYU rolled out their Black Presence campaign, aimed at stimulating conversation and promoting acceptance of black culture.
Rahani Green, CAS junior and vice president of the BSU, said she felt the campaign was a success in allowing students to express themselves, but acknowledged that there is more work to be done.
“I think Black Presence was successful in that it scratched the surface in giving more black voices at NYU a space to announce themselves,” Green said. “In terms of achieving mandatory diversity training for all NYU students, that’s an initiative we’re still working on. “
Green added that society continuously pretends the lives of people of color do not matter, many are shielded from some of society’s fundamental problems.
“White privilege is such a strong blocker when it comes to getting non-black and brown students interested in and aware of these movements,” Green said. “The majority of students at NYU belong to a race in which society gives them the privilege to not have to talk about race.”
Activists, students and other rally participants will gather in Washington Square Park at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24 and will begin marching at 1 p.m.
Email Alex Bazeley at [email protected].
People gathered in Union Square on Monday for one of the #BlackLivesMatter rallies that have been occurring regularly throughout the year.
People gathered in Union Square on Monday for one of the #BlackLivesMatter rallies that have been occurring regularly throughout the year.
Avery Jarhman • Oct 20, 2015 at 9:52 am
During a February 2014 on-air discussion about “Gangsta Culture” with Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett (Google search discussion), Bill O’Reilly intelligently and compassionately talks about America’s expanding and shameful *National Epidemic of Child Abuse & Neglect*, aka “Poverty”, that for decades has deprived countless children from experiencing and enjoying a safe, fairly happy American kid childhood.
Besides O’Reilly and Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke, how many Americans are addressing this topic that is at the core of most all the issues and social problems many Americans of African descent are today experiencing?
Speaking At The Eulogy For The Honorable Reverend Clementa Pinckney, President Barack Obama said:
*”Perhaps it causes us to examine what we’re doing to cause some of our children to hate.”* (Applause.)
Video Excerpt from Obama Remarks Search YouTube: /watch?v=2T_GwYI7MnQ
With all due respect to my American neighbors supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, I believe your cause would better serve all Americans if your organization were to honestly, openly and compassionately address our *National Epidemic of Child Abuse and Neglect,* aka *Poverty*, that for decades has deprived untold numbers of depressed children from experiencing and enjoying a safe, fairly happy American kid childhood.
I strongly suggest members of the Black Lives Matter target communities that for decades have embraced The Street Culture Baltimore Mom of The Year Toya Graham desperately struggled to keep her young teen son from embracing.
In his 2015 Grammy award winning Rap Performance titled “I”, Kendrick Lamar writes, *”I’ve been dealing with depression ever since an adolescent.”*
During a January 20, 2011 LAWeekly interview (Google search) Kendrick, born in 1987, the same year songwriter Suzanne Vega wrote a song about child abuse and *VICTIM DENIAL* that was nominated for a Grammy award, he told the interviewer:
*”Lamar’s parents moved from Chicago to Compton in 1984 with all of $500 in their pockets. “My mom’s one of 13 [THIRTEEN] siblings, and they all got SIX kids, and till I was 13 everybody was in Compton,” he says.”*
*”I’m 6 years old, seein’ my uncles playing with shotguns, sellin’ dope in front of the apartment. My moms and pops never said nothing, ’cause they were young and living wild, too. I got about 15 stories like ‘Average Joe.'”*
It seems evident to me Kendrick identified the source of his depression, the roots of poverty, the child abuse/maltreatment that prevented him, his brothers, sisters, cousins, neighborhood friends, elementary and JHS classmates from enjoying a fairly happy, safe Average Joe and Josie American kid childhood.
Seems the adults responsible for raising the children in Kendrick’s immediate and extended family placed obstacles in their children’s way, causing their kids to deal with challenges and stresses young minds are not prepared to deal with…*nor should they or any other children be exposed to and have to deal with.*
It seems evident to me these PARENTAL INTRODUCED obstacles and challenges cause some developing children’s minds to become tormented and go haywire, not knowing *OR NOT CARING ABOUT* right from wrong…because as they mature, young victims of child abuse realize their parents introduced them to a life of pain and struggle, totally unlike the mostly safe, happy life the media showed them many American kids were enjoying. *RESENTMENT*
I cannot speak for anyone else, but if I was raised in Kendrick’s family I would most likely be silently peeved at my parents for being immature irresponsible “living wild” adults who deprived me of a safe, happy childhood.
Though like many victims of child abuse, most likely I would deny my parents harmed me, seeking to blame others for the pain my parents caused to me.
I wonder how little Kendrick and his classmates reacted when their elementary school teacher introduced the DARE presenter and they learned about the real dangers of drugs and how they harm people, including their parents? *Cognitive Dissonance*
Growing up during the 60-70s I listened to virtually ALL American music artists of African descent writing songs admiring, praising, respecting and loving the maternal half of our population.
I am curious to know if members and supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement have wondered why for the past three decades, many popular American music performers of African descent have been characterizing the maternal half of our population as *itches and *hores…essentially less than human creatures or people not worthy of respect?
Honestly, I have a feeling most BLM supporters don’t have the strength or will to face the truth about who is responsible for filling our prisons with depressed, angry, frustrated teens and young men who were victims of early childhood abuse and neglect at the hands of immature teen girls and women who irresponsibly begin building families before acquiring the skills, PATIENCE and means to properly raise a fairly happy American kid who enjoys a Safe Fun Street to play in.
Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke offers sound advice to all Americans, *”Fix the ghetto!”*
I’m with Sheriff Clarke. I believe we also need to re-examine society’s child protection and welfare laws.
I am hoping when camera technology proves its mettle in protecting police officers, as well as identifying officers who require further training or officers who have no business serving the public in a LE capacity, we will use that same technology to protect children by monitoring the common area of homes in which caregivers have established a track record for failing to properly raise, nurture and/or supervise their children.
If we do not take affirmative action to protect children, “the ghetto” will continue to thrive, fueled by poor parenting, resulting with depressed kids maturing into depressed teens and adults who often vent their angers and frustrations on their peaceful neighbors, instead of the person(s) responsible for introducing them to a life of hardship, pain and struggle.
This video depicts horrific examples of men who were victims of childhood abuse and neglect, conditioning a young teen to embrace the criminal, anti-social ‘Street Culture’ Baltimore Mom of The Year failed to protect her teen son from…not to mention representing the fear peaceful people living and WORKING in the community experience knowing depressed, angry, unpredictable teens and young adults need to vent their angers and frustrations for being introduced to a life of pain and struggle by irresponsible, “living wild” single moms and/or dads.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3ChOLiJa8k
This is a recorded act of criminal child abuse, maltreatment and violence against…”A little girl, catching a cool breeze from an air conditioning unit in the yard, was blindsided by another child about her same age, who had evidently had some practice with fighting fierce. The small victim wasn’t alone, as there were plenty of nearby witnesses, who could have protected her but didn’t because they were too busy recording the brutal beat down and encouraging it.” | Written By Amanda Shea
hxxp://madworldnews[dot]com/video-little-girl-gets-beating/
On MAY 18, 2015 The New York Times reports:
*Rise in Suicide by Black Children Surprises Researchers*
By SABRINA TAVERNISE
Who is responsible for physically and/or emotionally traumatizing children to the point young kids believe their lives are not worth living?
With all due respect to my American neighbors of African descent, the oppression of humans that led to racism and slavery has largely been replaced with a new form of human oppression that impedes and deprives many American children from experiencing a safe, fairly happy American kid childhood.
#TakePrideInParenting
#EndChildAbuseNeglect
#ProtectKidsFromIrresponsibleCaregivers