Politics

feature: in the wake of no indictment in eric garner grand jury there are only questions

December 3, 2014

Eric Garner told the police he couldn’t breathe eleven times before dying in an illegal choke hold. The death was ruled a homicide by the coroner. Nonetheless, the Staten Island Grand Jury elected not to indict NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo in his death. He was unarmed. His death was caught on video. We’re told that body cameras are the answer to bring accountability to the police, but once again there has been no accountability despite widely viewed video. Tamir Rice, Mike Brown, Vonderrit Myers, Akai Gurley. Those are just the names that have gotten national attention over the last few weeks, because there is no official record of how many civilians are murdered by the police. Those are just the names that have gotten out. What does it take to change a system that devalues the lives of black and brown Americans? What does it take to change a media that immediately engages in character assassination of the victims of police violence in order to justify their deaths? What does it take to change an American public that willingly turns a blind eye to a pattern of racist violence by the police? What does it take to end the narrative of false equivalences? What does it take to hold the police accountable? Are we past the point where there is a legislative solution? Where do we go from here?

By Nathan Leigh, AFROPUNK Contributor

 
There will be a rally and demonstration December 4th 2014 starting at 5:30pm in Foley Square. But remember, this is not a New York only or a St. Louis County issue. There are actions planned throughout the country in solidarity. Follow hashtags #ThisStopsToday #BlackLivesMatter #D6Resist and #Ferguson for upcoming demonstrations and community building opportunities in your area.

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