CNN: President Obama Preparing Executive Order On Police Militarization
President Barack Obama, responding to concerns over the use of military-style equipment during protests in Ferguson, Missouri over the summer, is asking aides to prepare an executive order that would better track the weapons and gear flowing from the federal government to local police departments around the nation.
The order, which he’s expected to preview Monday afternoon during a meeting with law enforcement and local government officials, would mandate federal agencies to review the way they provide U.S. police with heavy equipment like tanks and aircraft.
…. The White House will also ask for $263 million to provide police departments with body cameras, which advocates say would provide a clearer picture of confrontations like the incident in Ferguson, in which a white police officer shot and killed an unarmed black teenager. The funds would also go toward training.
Full piece here
White House.gov
First?
Yes, you are! Congrats!
Bravo PBO!!! Congrats on first Sabreen.
Wow, Sabreen. Congrats! :star:
Yes you are Sabreen!!
No doubt about it! Baby, it’s you! :-)
Yay! I’m back. Meeting at work cancelled! Woohoo!
[Resumes stealth TOD’ing by phone]
*Meeting at work cancelled*
It’s like a snow day at school when we were kids! (Not that we ever got any when I was going to Catholic school in the ’50s and ’60s, because, you know, the nuns lived on campus! Ha.)
:-)
Thanks everyone. Isn’t that a iconic picture. “Hands up don’t shoot”. I think this picture will see the hands of time.
Yep. That one and the one with the dude wearing the flag shirt throwing back the lit tear gas canister
Both images are unbelievable. They’ll be around for decades, as grim reminders.
I know I’m a broken record on this, but since the media was off most of last week (my guess is that they left their climate-controlled offices after lunch on Tuesday, Nov 25), and they only started tweeting late yesterday about PBO’s meetings today, they were hoping that PBO’s *decisive* actions with all the “stakeholders” (as MBAers like to say) could be swept under the rug.
By ignoring PBO’s Nov 25 speech in Chicago, white male journalists got the opportunity to link to their favorite journalists of color (@tanehisicoates and @jelani9) both of whom pretty much blamed PBO for Ferguson — without offering any hint of a solution to the problems that #Ferguson revealed.
Although emoprogs refuse to admit it, PBO is progressive, and he quickly takes steps to pragmatically address solutions to enormous (Ebola in West Africa) and ingrained (police militarization) problems .
They are already complaining about the 50,000 body cameras…..saying that there are over 700,000 police in the US…..50k are NOT ENOUGH !
i have already told a few that the President does not have a magic wand to wave away problems that have existed since before he was born…in fact i wanted to know what they were going to do to combat racism and police terror
Pf, invariably the chief whiners have no solution. To them, the whining IS the solution because it shows them to be hip, contemptuous and better than the president who actually has to deliver solutions.
I love that statement. Right on point Jackie.
You speak TRUTH Jackie G. The ” chief whiners” don’t even realize that the right wingers, who are heavily armed to the teeth, have been itching for a race war, knowing fully well that the Black community is poorly armed and not well organized to fight an effective armed struggle.
Well said prettyfoot58.
Good afternoon all of TODville. I am so proud of this President. We are seeing PBO unleashed. The Dems can go to h**** for abandoning him. He will never abandon the American people. This man has soul and compassion.
Amen, Marilyn.
One would think any genuine law enforcement officer would be asking to wear a body camera, after all, they are protecting themselves, right? This almost seems a redundant thing to say, or think.
EXACTLY vc and Mighty P! If these officers genuinely felt frightened that they were being approached and bullied or attacked for no reason by AA men - they would want the WHOLE WORLD TO SEE IT ON VIDEOTAPE….
But the fact that they are balking says a lot…in fact it says everything.
Exactly, at least if their intent was to serve and protect, citizens as well as themselves!
Arrrgh!
:( Dudette, it looks like we had the same thought.
Iknorite.
And Folks, these are the ways, the right are using their Propaganda schemes to continue to distort and dumb down many in USA. Their willing participants are ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, CNBC and many a times, Bloomberg News……….
I don’t watch local news or MSNBC anymore. I listen to KPCC/NPR on the weekends and no longer listen to them on the radio during the week. It reeks with GOP talking points. I come her to get my national news and my mom will tell me what is going on in the community that is not political. I get the L.A. Times but even they push the RW talking points.
God, he’s good… This is such a great thing to do – if only to remind some law enforcement officers that they’re not supposed to be an ARMY, at war with the citizens who pay their salaries. (I’m confident that the majority of them already know that.)
This “Roorda” person (if that’s his name), and the “police group” for whom he speaks, demanding that the Rams players be “punished” for expressing their opinions, is utterly tone deaf. The self-righteousness is truly alarming, especially when they are weaponized out the wazoo.
I listened to the CBS radio network news at noon PST (just a few minutes ago), and they didn’t mention this. The local news didn’t mention it either.
This country has become jaded about gun deaths — apparently no one cares, multiple shootings are no longer considered news worthy.
SMH.
Mean to post this yesterday
Just imagine if she had prevailed back then. What progress we would have made by now.
I remember her well, back then. Fearless.
Indeed! I was in DC in high school, and this lady really stirred up the old stale mentality! She was exciting!
She was!
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm was absolutely fearless. I was in graduate school when she run for the presidency and me and many of my friends were all very excited. Sadly, although she was a fierce fighter for Civil Rights and women’s rights, not many Blacks and women Democrats voted for her in the primaries.
By the way, Dudette, I meant to say thank you for recognizing and honoring the birthday of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. It’s very important to continue to remember, and honor, the trail blazers in the struggle for freedom and human dignity.
Dudette, how I wish we still had her voice in these dark days. She was one of the true heroines of her time and inspired so many.
The Juvenile in me has struck again…….I am not really sorry, but pardon me TOD ;)
I saw it too Nena, but stopped myself. :-)
NOT GOOD ENOUGH!11!!11 UNLESS OBAMA SIGNS AN EXECUTIVE ORDER MAKING ALL POLICE UNARMED LIKE BRITISH BOBBIES HE’S A MILITARIST OPPRESSING HIS OWN PEOPLE!!11!!11 SNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWDEN!!!!
Step away from the Kool-Aid pitcher, man! You don’t want it. :-)
IT’S A GOOD PLAN FROM THE PRESIDENT…AS USUAL,,,HIS INTELLGENCE OVERRIDES EMOTION….BODY CAMERAS WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND OUR COUNTRY IS FILLED WITH NAZIS AND WHITE SUPREMICISTS…PLUS ALQAEDA CELLS…YOU CAN’T HAVE UNARMED COPS….NOT TO MENTION…RAPE,ROBBERY,CHILD MOLEST,HOMICIDES…ETC…ETC!!!
I turned on MSNBC (against my better judgment) to see what Joy Reid was talking about. What I saw was an ad with Lindsey Graham fear mongering about President Obama possibly talking with Iran regarding their nuclear program. He had some petition on a web site for people to go to and sign telling President Obama not to talk with Iran unless he gets approval from Congress. The ad was paid for by the South Carolina Conservative Action Alliance (ACCAA.net). No telling how much this ad cost.
Now that I got that channeling out of my system, other news.
1) SIL has blood clots in her lungs. She’s on a blood thinner for that, and on medication for her heart. Still in hospital.
2) Missus called me before I went out to the reference desk. To quote: “Indiana is sucking out my soul.” So being the proactive guy I am, I’m looking at LVN to BSN programs. Found a promising one at Azusa Pacific: it’s a 2 year program, so less expensive than a 4 year program. And it’s a Christian school, so she’ll like that.
1) Wow, that’s serious. Hope SIL gets the best possible care and treatment is successful.
2) Yes, definitely, She should go for her dream. So sweet of you to help her move toward it. [You, Sir, are what we like to call ‘a keeper” :-D ] You are both lucky to have each other. Hold on tight!
APU is my alma mater. It is a non denominational Christian college. I graduated 42 years ago. My father taught there for 35 years. I hear they have great on line courses. Hope it works out for her.
I think APU and WGU might be the best options for her.
Good luck and I hope all in your family are doing better.
Thanks, Marilyn. I’m really concerned about my sister in law. Blood clots in the lung are no laughing matter.
Chipsticks -
Thank you for your fierce and relentless commitment to truth and equality.
Thank you and Nerdy for making a difference every day.
I know some may be irritated with the recent coverage…. but please know…you are effecting change.
Last Monday I have to say that I felt as if part of me shriveled up and died. I embraced the concept of “an eye for an eye” and to heck with the consequences. Because of your compassion toward people you do not know, your commitment to sharing the uncomfortable truths publicly via your blog and because of the people who participate in the TOD conversations daily… you all have renewed my spirit and I give me new reason to hope.
Thank you Chips. Thank you Nerdy. I won’t rag on you for your public displays of affection toward each other again (…..well at least for another week).
You all are the best people I know.
I love you. Seriously.
Thank you so very much, Nospin.
So glad that there is a community like TOD to hold you up and have your back especially during the rough times.
From Smartypants
I’m sure there are those who would challenge what Chris said about white people not being as crazy as they used to be when it comes to race - especially in light of the reaction to Ferguson. They’d have a point. In many ways the crazy never went away, it just got harder to see and/or name over the last 40 years. But lately the confederate insurgency has re-surfaced with a vengeance. If we’re going to move forward this time, white people are going to have to decide whether or not we want to stay crazy.
I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on his appointment, Alycee, from your current knowledge of the Philly area, if you have time.
I remember Charles Ramsey well, from various cases he’s been involved with … and here are some stats from Wiki:
“Since Commissioner Ramsey assumed his position, the city’s homicide rate has dropped 37 percent and violent crime nearly 20 percent. In the city’s nine most dangerous precincts, which account for 65% of homicides and 75% of shootings, homicides are down by over 40 percent. Ramsey’s tactics have included installing a network of surveillance cameras in the city’s most dangerous sections, increasing the number of cops on the beat, and moving police patrols out of their squad cars and onto foot patrols or bicycle patrols … ”
Maybe things would have been different if Darren Wilson hadn’t been hiding in his police car “appendage” and been on foot patrol or bicycle patrol, instead … but, in his case, maybe not.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey was one of two people appointed by President Barack Obama today to chair his Task Force on 21st Century Policing, according to a news release from the White House.
Roorda said that it would be a mistake to blame a “failure of law enforcement” on issues of race being discussed all over the country right now, and it would be especially unfair to blame Wilson in particular.
And then he had this to say:
“If we spend this time in the wake of Michael Brown’s killing trying to change law enforcement to fix this problem, it’s going to be a betrayal to his legacy because that’s not why Michael Brown ended on the street confronting a police officer. It’s decades of racial disparity, and economic disparity. It’s not a problem with the police.”
/////
Twisted Logic……CRAZY interpretation of the English Language.
Nena, this Roorda is utterly delusional. An out-of-control policeman shot a young unarmed man multiple times for no reason but his own ingrained racism and panic. The culture of the police department in Ferguson allowed Wilson to believe that killing a young man with multiple gun shots was acceptable and would be condoned by his superiors. He was right, which puts both the police culture and the police hierarchy at fault along with the murdering cop. You have to be blind or brought up on another galaxy not to see there’s something horribly and fatally wrong with the police department.
This is Truth, JG. They have been psyching themselves their entire lives, as they have yet to be held accountable, thus they have no way to comprehend that they have always been totally wrong. How they can possibly believe they will stand at the pearly gates and say, yes, I did a good job? I don’t think so. Thou. Shalt. Not. Kill.
ROORDA v. THE CITY OF ARNOLD
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/mo-court-of-appeals/1333908.html
For eleven years, appellant, Jeffrey Roorda, was a full-time commissioned police officer employed by respondent, City of Arnold (“City”), a city of the third classification located in Jefferson County, Missouri which has adopted a merit system of employment for its police officers pursuant to § 85.541.1 After an informal pre-termination hearing was held on the morning of June 20, 2001, Roorda was terminated by the City effective later that afternoon. - See more at: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/mo-court-of-appeals/1333908.html#sthash.UFgIw4Sk.dpuf
What the…? Is this man high or just STUPID? That sounds like same Sarah Palin-type word salad.
I need some fresh air!!!
I hope he keeps talking though Dudette.
He is a raging nutjob and the more he speaks, the more clear that will become.
some word salad. :roll:
This guy needs to stop trying to pass himself off as a spokesperson for any police department or union. He is nothing more than a private citizen, which is why the NFL shrugged their shoulders at his demands to punish the players. He really needs some professional help, and that latest statement is proof.
This was part two of his audition. There’s money to be made in RW circles ya know.
He is high on his own stupidity. Remember PBO says to let the ignorant talk, they will only elaborate on their own ignorance.
“I need some fresh air!!!”
You not alone Dudette! This idiot sounds like the slave owners who defended slavery by claiming that slavery was good for Black people.
I finally saw a report about this guy losing his job for falsifying reports. It was on CNN by none other than Rachel Nichols, their Sports Reporter.
I LOVE MY ENERGIZER BUNNY PRESIDENT…HE’S DOING A GOOD JOB IN THE MIDST OF THE LANDFILL HE HAS TO WORK IN AND MOST OF THE TIME…HE IS THE ONLY ADULT IN THE ROOM…BACK TO MY CHORES!!!!…YUKKA!…:(
Landfill << spot on!
love the word landfill to describe the DC political toxicity he must endure.
Livestream of AG Holder’s speech, tonight at 6 PM
The sleepers have awakened!
Well, Dudette, it’s about effing time they woke up. They must have slept through the destruction of our democracy this November and missed that the American people have now installed an extremist majority in the both the Senate and House, not to mention state houses across the country. Hope they enjoyed their nap. Ferguson will seem mild compared with what’s in store for them from the congressional loonies they were too sleepy to care about.
THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’d think the student load issue alone would’ve been enough to move them to the polls. It took life/death scenarios being played out in front of them via video. The thing is: This fight for change isn’t going to be quick one. Hope they don’t get bored and/or discouraged.
student loan [sorry, I can’t type worth snail farts]
This a million times!!!
Moderation Molly << my new nickname :-(
Phew! It’s good to be free! Thank You Blog Goddess! :-)
This warmed my heart and made me recall my justice walks during the civil rights movement in the sixties
Speaker is giving out phone number for National Lawyers Guild so protesters can get legal representation
National Lawyers Guild 212-679-6018
Bravo to President Obama and his E.O. pen. Make that pen(s). Sitting right next to the Veto pens, I’m sure.
Pens Made In America! :-D
I was outraged at the military response to Ferguson. It was a disgrace and the USA should be embarrassed! I’m glad the President is embarrassed and will take action.
Please Sue, President Obama has nothing to embarrassed about because he did not contribute to any of this. Sadly, people like you are part of problem - you fail to understand who is responsible for what and simply throw blame around because you think you can. Meanwhile, you let the real culprits off the hook… It is the collective responsibility of ALL of us, you and I included, to see injustices and DO something about it, not just President Obama.
What does he have to be embarrassed about ? The 1033 program was signed by Clinton..in 1997.
Congress needs to repeal it….PBO can’t stop it on his own. Is this ANOTHER Clinton mess he has to clean up ?
Thank You.
It appears Sue did a drive by post and hit the road…
Indeed! We need to tell Sue to “hit the road and don’t come” to TOD “no more.”
#BAM tell it Linda!
Go ahead and educate, Linda! It’s so tiring to read ignorant statements used to justify veld attacks on President Obama.
I meant to say “veiled attacks.”
???
Anybody surprised that this tweet turned out to be troll bait?
not surprised but it does make them look very very small doesn’t it?
President Obama is amazing. Buckle up Repugs it is going to continue to be a bumpy ride for you the next two years, and yeah some of you DINOS too. This President doesn’t have to go to his ranch to sleep off a drunk, like someone else, he is going to go full speed in taking care of us. I say not enough body cameras for all police, then start with police departments with a record of the kind Ferguson and Cleveland have. Liz Lauten resigning, GOOD! Seeing the Obama family together, they give me a good warm fuzzy feeling.
Your words are my thoughts expressed perfectly.
A glorious two years coming up, Anna!
#TrustBarack
I have grown so weary of so called progressives promoting the garbage that folks like Christie are saying….i do not need to read the garbage to know it is garbage…what i do need is for folks to instead of just repeating the JIVE…to challenge it…(almost made me cuss)
Good for you, Pf. A loud-mouthed bigot says something nasty and the last thing you do is publicize it because that’s exactly what he wants to build up his creds with the nut jobs. Christie isn’t worth one second of my time.
^5!
Oh, of course he does. So. Eff’ing. What. Is anyone at all listening to him, except himself? What a Nobody.
Okay, I’m going to tell you all what happened to my 15 yr old son and I just a few hours after my grandson was born.. which has marred things for us- and which pertains to the subject of police; etc.
Saturday morning we heard a woman screaming.. we were inside our house, my son was upstairs and yelled a woman was getting beat up outside. I went out through my back gate- there is a side street about 25 feet from my back alley. In the middle of this one way street was a group of people (turned out to be a family) the man was standing over and literally strangling the woman in the passenger seat and yelling: Do you want me to get my gun? over and over. I came a few feet outside my gate and yelled to him to stop, that I did not want to call the police, so stop and go home. He came flying down the alley at me threatening to kill me for calling the police.. I repeated that I didn’t call the police.. and to their credit- his family - which was his mother, brother and cousin it turned out- yelled at him that I had said I didn’t call the police. He got up to a foot from me and let me just say I realized at that moment that I had made a serious mistake. He was so angry he had tears in his eyes, all the while threatening to kill me. I backed away from him as he cornered me. Them my 15 yr old son came out behind me- and told them not to threaten his mom. Well then it got real crazy - as the man, his brother, also a man, and third person that was I think only a teen boy.. and the mother all threatened to kill me, my son, and my whole family. Telling us to mind our business; etc. They were all ready to jump on my son, I stood in front of him at that point, and said he’s only 15 and he’s doing nothing to you. Take your family business home- when we can hear you in our home- then you make it our business.. then the police rolled up. Before I knew it, one officer had the man by the front of his shirt and was literally zapping him (once) with a stun gun. Then the mother really freaked and began yelling at me- that this was my fault. The other cop approached me- and I admit I flipped out a bit at that point (I do not like police, never have, sorry) I was trying to go back in my house with my son.. telling the officer that this was not my fight, that I had only wanted to stop the fight, that the man had been strangling the woman (and turns out there was an infant in the back seat of the sub). The mother yelled that the man was her son and he wasn’t strangling her, that he was strangling his girlfriend. Not kidding.. because, she was seriously angry that I thought it was her getting choked.. ok that it was the other woman. Now here’s the part that pissed of my son… another cop came up and told the officer that was speaking to me and the mother.. the other cop comes up and tells me to STFU and then walks away with the mother and the officer. And we were left to go in the house. However, All three of the males and the mother threatened before and while the police were there to kill us.
Sooo I learned a lesson here: My neighborhood is not a nice place and though it took me a few months to realize it.. I will never again try to speak to people bent on violence. I have avoided calling the cops even though a lot goes on. But I’m done being my ‘sister’s keeper’ at this point- that was the third woman I tried to help in that situation.. but I put myself and my son in danger and I won’t do it again. Let me add, that ALL of my neighbors were already outside on their steps WATCHING that man choke that woman.. and literally stood their saying nothing to him.
Anyway, this is the kind of stuff that goes on when you live in a crap neighborhood that too many people don’t care enough about, imo. I did not stay to watch, but I know there was an ambulance and about 4 other police out front.. I think the man was on something because he was so out of control- although to be fair, he could have hit me when he came on me, and he restrained himself. So maybe some of that was an act too.
I made a lot of mistakes, and won’t do it again.
Again, thank you all so much for wishing me well on the birth of my grandson, obviously they won’t be bringing him over here- but hopefully soon, I’ll get to go see him.
Sherijr, what an utterly terrifying, disgusting, soul-destroying experience, when all you were doing was the right thing, trying to save that woman from that scum. There is so much in this that is shocking, I don’t know where to start, but the police treatment of you - “STFU” - and their indifference to the threats made towards you and your son are stunning. But all too common, I would imagine.
I am just so relieved you and your son are okay, but distraught about your experience, especially at what should be such a happy time for your family.
Endless love to you Sherijr, I am so, so sorry you had to go through this.
I will be frank, Chips, I have been scared the last few days. And being scared is no my normal state of mind ;). Thank you for your kind words. My son said just now, as I’ve made him call me before leaving school, when he gets on the train; etc.. he has a bit of a journey to and from school, anyhoo- he says to me, just now: Mom, I’m not traumatized.
I told him, I am. There is a drug dealer around the corner from us, he also runs the hookers. I had a long chat with him just about two weeks ago and told him straight up, I mind my business unless it’s folks doing stuff in my face.. such as hookers in front of my house, primping in my car windows- that ticks me off- so keep them off my front and no drug dealing in front of or behind my house. And if theres violence, I will call the police. period. BUT that woman was being choked then and there and the cops weren’t going to be there in that minute.. so really the good thing is- he never did go back to finish choking her… he was way too interested in me by the time someone else called the police. :) So there’s that.
Thank you for giving me this space to vent it out a bit.. I appreciate that, because I have been afraid, and I hate that feeling so much.
” There is a drug dealer around the corner from us, he also runs the hookers. I had a long chat with him just about two weeks ago and told him straight up, I mind my business unless it’s folks doing stuff in my face.. such as hookers in front of my house, primping in my car windows- that ticks me off- so keep them off my front and no drug dealing in front of or behind my house.”
sherijr lolololol I am not sure whether to laugh or cry.
Please be careful. but I sure do admire your spirit.
Well my sons all laughed when I told them. Listen, I try to humanize everyone- because it’s too easy to dehumanize folks who’s lifestyle’s don’t fit in with mine.. so I fight that within myself.. some people appreciate it and most people around here just consider me nosy- so I’ve heard ;) Now the drug dealer- Jeff and his best friend- Ace stood and chatted with me for a couple of hours.. and we I think managed to understand one another. Frankly it’s the ‘normal’ folks around here that are less apt to connect. The two 69 yr old twin ladies next door are racist white ladies who literally hate everyone… except me, my bi-racial sons and black grandchildren… go figure that one out. They no longer say the N word around me, as they did when I first moved in- so we’ve made progress. The AA family on the otherside of me have had to remove both their pool and their trampoline since I moved in and have literally blamed me for that… even though I have a pool too- and have clearly told them I have never, would never get in anyone’s business like that. However the white lady and her husband across the street despise me and my biracial/black family… as does the black man down the street. SOOO frankly, I have a better repoire at this moment with the drug dealer.. go figure.
The thing is, I have stepped in a few times when there was a man beating his girlfriend and a few other times, my neighbors have seen this and thus consider me nosy and foolish. So, honestly nospin, I’m not making friends here at all.
Girl, if you ain’t a bold as a lion, I dunno who is. Love your spunk! Be careful out there! {{{{{ sherijr }}}}}
(((((((Dudette)))))) oh hugs back to you, thank you. Listen though, I’m a lot less spunky.. plan to remain that way for a while.. wanna see all my grands growup.
I hear you. You be spunky grandma to the young’uns in the house. That’ll do just fine.
good advice, I’m going to follow it, thank you.
I friggin’ hate that you’re feeling like this sherijr, but you wouldn’t be human if you weren’t. I’m smiling at your chat with the drug dealer and your message to him, you’re flippin’ amazing, but be careful too. Have you any hope of getting out of that damn place?
nope, not for a good while. This house was a disaster and I put what bit of money I had into it.. I am really hoping that things will get better, though I don’t see that with a new republican govt moving in soon, do you? But I have committed to staying and fixing while my son gets through high school, he loves his school and it is the best one in Baltimore… but after that, I’m outta here. I’ll just try to mind my business ;) seriously. I hate violence and like my middle son said: Mom, you’re doing the cop’s job at this point.. just call them the next time. And I will probably have too- I can’t do nothing. Thank you Chips, now I won’t bring any of this up again, you allowed me to vent and I can’t tell you how much better I feel for it. :) :)
Sherijr, bring it up ANY time you want, we’ll always want to hear how you are doing.
I love your sons: “Mom, you’re doing the cop’s job at this point.. just call them the next time” :-)
You’re a gem.
Chips heres the thing, the first thing I thought of when I went out there, was that I did not want the cops to come out and turn this into a fiasco as in Mike Brown; et al… I thought that if someone spoke up - so the guy knew this was not okay with everyone, what he was doing.. that he would calm himself and go away- that has been my previous experience. I fear cops.. my stepfather was one, not very long.. but I know what kind of a man he was and therefore I am already skeptical of police. But when those guys were going to come after my son.. I literally was almost thinking out loud what a stupid stupid thing I was doing. Anyway, I will try to judge things smarter in the future, Chips.
But sherijr, it’s so hard to stay composed and measured and make the right decisions in tension-packed situations like that, it’s only when you can reflect later that you start saying to yourself, ‘should have done this, shouldn’t have done that’. I’ve ever experienced anything so frightening, all I can think of is how I reacted when that guy starting kicking Danny in the park - and I’m embarrassed even mentioning this is the same breath as your experience. But I was so utterly enraged I lost all sense, I should have got the hell out of there because he was out of his mind and dangerous, when he started approaching me I was sure he was going to attack me, but I didn’t back off, I just screamed abuse at him and stood my ground, which was absolutely stupid. You were a way lot cooler in a situation 1000 times worse, you need to give me lessons :-) Just look after yourself.
Oh I like what you did Chips, we have to stand up sometimes to people.. and we can’t always fear danger. The neighbor closest to the goings on Saturday- is HUGE, his name is Bubba.. we think of him as Shrek.. he is humongus and I know for a fact that he has attacked people physically… He stood 14 feet away from this man watching while he choked that woman, said nothing and did nothing… same when the guy came after me- said nothing did nothing. Sometimes we have to speak and act. I didn’t remain calm really, I was angry and scared.. and the mom really pissed me off too, as she - of anyone- should have been able to physically remove her son- man though he was and try at least to prevent him hurting anyone else.. or the cops stunning him. But there I am, second guessing. It’s so hard to know, I just cannot abide someone hitting/ hurting a person, child, animal. So I would have had your back in that park, believe it :)
Damn it, next time I go to the park, you’re coming with me!!
Shrek (!!!) is, frankly, a piece of shit - how can a man of that size and strength stand by and do nothing?
But for us less humongus - :-) - folk, it’s always trying to hit that balance of taking no shit, but not endangering ourselves. Flip, it’s hard.
yep we don’t like Shrek much at our house either ;) Yes it is hard Chips, to find that balance.. if people would just get along damnit we wouldn’t have to figure this stuff out all the time ;)
I should point out that my beloved football/soccer person Wayne Rooney is nicknamed Shrek by cruel people (like Nerdy and LL) who believe he looks like him.
Hmm, actually….. twins.
welp there is something to this Chips.. ha, what a face :)
Oh, Sherijr, I am so sorry this happened to you-it sounds like a nightmare. I hope that you and your family will soon find a safe, calmer neighborhood to move to. In the meantime, I pray that you and your young son stay safe. I missed the part about your new grandson. Congratulations!
thank you Jackie, well we only moved here two years ago.. and can’t leave without finishing the fixing of this house- which is also why I care about this neighborhood, aside from the fact that it’s our home- I will never be able to sell my house in this environment.
Goodness Sherijr. What a horrible experience. I am so sorry that you and your son had to endure both crazy people and apparently a crazy cop as well. I’m glad that you were not harmed physically but I am sure that it took an emotional toll on you.
Be careful and stay safe.
thank you Donna- yes am growing eyes in the back of my head for the time being. :)
that is horrific Sherijir
{{{{{sherijr&son}}}}}
aww (((MP))))))) thank you so much :) so much better now that Chips and all of you let me vent. I appreciate it.
Dearest Sherijr, what a nightmare! First, I’m glad you and your son are safe. As you are, I’m appalled at the behavior of all of the adults in this situation who stood watching in silence, those you tried to help and and the outrageous response from the police.
You did what any good-hearted person would do. You spoke up when you saw someone being hurt. It’s so distressing to hear how so many involved were not able to see through the anger and work to de-escalate the situation. It’s so hard to temper the frustration and fear with love, but try not to let this darken your heart. Be safe. Hold your loved ones and that new grandbaby tight. Deep love to you all.
oh thank you Dudette- I will- hold them close and dear.
I agree, the almost worst part was realizing how many neighbors were already outside watching before I even got out there.. grown men watching this occur. That was very sad.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Bill-Cosby-Resigns-from-Temples-Board-of-Trustees-284376801.html
What the hell is going on with Bill Cosby? The weirdness of it is just weird.
KOBAN and RESIDENTIAL POLICE BOX As a Symbol of Safe and Secure Environment of Your Community
In the Koban system, cops are in little mini-stations scattered around the community. A Residential Police Box is a cop who lives with his family and makes himself accessible to the rest of the community, deploying from his house.
The idea that I like is that cops are spread out among the community they serve, and therefore have to get to know the people sittleg in those little boxes as they do.
Finally able to check in and the first thing I see is this post on PBO’s executive order! I am uplifted once again! I love this Pres!
Was mad at the Rams for letting Michael Sam go, and have been generally giving the side eye to St. Louis in general, after the clips of those Cardinals fans a month or so ago, but I was sooo proud of the player’s protest action! And it paid off too! They won 52 to nothing (sorry Raiders fans)! Also pleased to see the NFL finally got a response right in their statement on the player’s actions.
The fact that PBO is acting on police dept. militarization and body cameras from the office of the presidency is testament to something our own Jackie Grumbacher said on a thread a couple of days ago. I was too busy to comment but I copied and saved it:
“.. If people stop at protests, no matter how big, it will all be buried in time. What we need is skillful political organization that can systematically win back the reins of power, starting with school boards and city councils and moving up to the state assemblies, governors, congressmen, senators. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen if people keep at it and stay focused. The way to beat the system in the end is to BECOME the system…”
THIS is so key. We need young men and women of color to become police officers and change the mentality from within. If the Dem and Repub are both racist, don’t say voting doesn’t matter, run for office yourself. It won’t happen overnight but that’s how change is made. That’s how germs do it! They infiltrate and take over the body’s systems from within.
A president Hillary Clinton wouldn’t have taken this action. President PBO has because he has lived it. He has walked across the street and heard car doors locking. Attorney Holder has been stopped on suspicion of jogging while black. They are able to begin to change the system because they are now part of the system (albeit, a good part :-) )
I know the last thing many kids of color would aspire to be is a cop (understandably) because they don’t want to be the kind of cop they see abusing power and killing w/o consequence. What they need to aspire to become is a different kind of cop. Their communities and country need them.
Exactly this MadameSoph- ” What they need to aspire to become is a different kind of cop. Their communities and country need them.”
and hopefully in time we will see more of just that. I see that POTUS invited the Baltimore City chief of PD to today’s meetings, Anthony Batts is AA and fairly new to the Chief position. When I moved here two years ago, there were 3 or 4 killings of citizens by police, I was shocked- then not too long ago, Chief Batts came in- whether he is good or not, I don’t know yet.. but POTUS certainly must feel he is, that’s quite a good recommendation.
Sherijr, so sorry to hear about your experience with your neighbor! I know how upsetting that stuff can be, especially when you just want to get along with everyone and then find yourself a target.
You mentioned, “…the white lady and her husband across the street despise me and my biracial/black family… as does the black man down the street. SOOO frankly, I have a better repoire at this moment with the drug dealer.. go figure.”
It’s funny how people can project their own preconceptions on someone they don’t really know. I guess the drug dealer is probably used to shrugging off appearances, seeing as how anyone could be a potential customer :-)
Ha! That could well be with the drug dealer.. however he is white, but his best friend (they both told me this) is black. So they’ve managed to cross the lines, that the more ‘together’ folks on this block haven’t.
The person / family who were fighting and then threatened us, weren’t neighbors.. I have no idea who they were, they had literally stopped their car in the middle of the street and like I said, he was choking the woman. I don’t think anyone here knew them.. I think they may not live far away, as that is a one way street.. unless they were there buying drugs, but that is real doubltful as they were 3 generations of family in that suv. Just some folks who lost it on their way somewhere.
Good Reminder: Lots of folks out there still need some insurance coverage.
http://t.co/Kk2h6BHQ8t
MSNBC had a breaking news item over an hour ago that PBO will be making a statement on Ferguson.
Did we miss it ?
Haven’t seen anything yet Linda, will check.
He is on right now Chips…
PBO is on now! Summarizing talks today.
Lauten was arrested for shoplifting when she was a teen.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/buster/Elizabeth-Lauten-arrest-786543
Bad parenting…they obviously did not teach her to respect the law…
maybe they forgot to pray?
:-D
A man who allegedly fired a rifle at his neighbor who was hanging Christmas lights, blockaded himself inside his home and kept police in Munhall, Penn., at bay for several hours, the Associated Press reported on Sunday.
Police said they charged 53-year-old Richard Carter with attempted homicide for shooting at his neighbor on Saturday afternoon.
The man’s neighbor suffered a cut lip resulting from a ricocheted shot fragment, but, per police, was otherwise unharmed.
Police said they found spent shell casings, thousands of rounds of ammunition and at least two dozen rifles in Carter’s home after a SWAT team finally persuaded him to surrender.
Munhall Police Chief Patrick Campbell said Carter had mental health issues. Carter himself told reporters he was angry at his neighbor for personal reasons.
***
Ugh! Here we go again. At least no one ended up dead.
I am definitely late to the party - just noticed that Lizzie Lauten quit her GOP staffer job! Drinks all around.
:-)
Cheers to that JOB :)
Yep.
Yea.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/01/us-chicago-shootings-police-idUSKCN0JF34T20141201
https://twitter.com/FORUS50/status/53955320419150643
This is very much needed. The Reuters article mentions 100 people have been killed by Chicago police in the past 6 years. That’s an average of 1.3 people a month which is beyond awful. I wouldn’t be surprised if it drops to less than half of that after cameras start being worn.
sorry, bad link above.
Wow these walk outs are all over!
Not sure if this has already been posted:
<—This man is the people's president.
Oh yeah.
I was hoping Philip Agnew was going to be there……..
The Senate is voting on nominations tonight.
The Congressional Black Caucus will be taking the floor of the House tonight to give comments on Ferguson.
Nerdy’s tweets:
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/12/01/a-tweet-or-two-180/
Our president is serious about all that he does. I love him, and I will keep supporting him. Our AG is working hard alongside the President to make a difference on these issues by his actions as well. AG Holder works hard daily with his entire DOJ. Keep him in your prayers and thoughts of goodness.
Please keep my loving and hardworking brother in your prayers and meditations especially during this time. He is working so hard, and my heart is calm but he is my only sibling and I worry and love him dearly. However, he constantly reminds me that all things will work out just fine, and mom, dad, and our grandparents would want us always to do what we do with dignity, truthfulness, core compassion, and what is right. ” Fear is not an issue, and never allow it to overcome you and your actions of goodness”. He always keeps me calm. Thank you TOD family. HZ
_/|\_
Yowza! Mama, you are fierce!! :) How about you take the initiative and start a neighborhood watch of sorts where you live…you’d be perfect. No one like this stuff happening in their neighborhood, but they’ve become numb to it all…you could light that fire under them and take your neighborhood back from the riffraff….hell, you’re already tight with the drug dealer…the rest should be easier! You could make him get a legit job and stop messing up others lives….I was terrified for you and your son reading your account…but some things really happen for a reason…I think this is one of those times!!