From [HERE] Here are four lessons to be learned from the public push back in Anaheim.
1) Do Not Trust the Agitators:
During the Occupy protests of 2011, protesters were often accused in the national press of starting trouble with police. So-called “anarchists” were said to have bolstered the ranks of the protesters, hell bent on causing trouble. But according to multiple reports out of Anaheim, there is increasing evidence that police plants are common at these protests—and they aren’t there simply to keep an eye on things. A policewoman (in photo) in Anaheim with her badge number tattooed on her arm was seen screaming epithets at cops, seemingly daring the police to charge the crowd—this only a few hours after she was spotted yelling pro-police slogans at several protesters.
If you plan on attending a protest, don’t let adrenaline-charged calls for fighting with police spur your inner bloodlust. The most violent protester in the crowd could very well be a cop.
2) There Are Repercussions to Running a Banana Republic:
The Occupy movement launched last year in part to protest an emerging America where the rich are not only seen as getting richer, but as using their money to drown out the democratic voices of the poor majority.
In Anaheim, that disparity plays out in stark brown and white. City affairs are dominated by the interests of a multi-billion dollar corporation—Disney—and a cabal of local real estate magnates, who together funnel millions of dollars into local elections.
Anaheim is more than 50 percent Latino, but not a single member of the city council is. Elections are held on a citywide basis, instead of dividing districts by geographic regions. Neighborhood pull isn’t good enough to get the word out about a local hero’s candidacy. It takes a whole lot of money instead.
If more than half of a community feels its interests aren’t being addressed, has little economic prospects, and has no representation in government, you’ve got a problem on your hands. The riots in Anaheim started over a series of police shootings, but the issues behind this uprising go much, much deeper. Expect to see the syndrome replicated in other communities.
3) History Repeats Itself:
This isn’t the first time there has been unrest in Anaheim over social conditions and police brutality. Serious problems date back to 1978, when the historically segregated Latino neighborhood of Penguin City erupted in a riot against Anaheim police.
The incident began after a drive-by shooting targeted teenagers gathered in a public park to celebrate the return of a local football team. When police arrived, instead of investigating the shooting, officers started by questioning party-goers about underage drinking. Angered community residents responded in protest, and were summarily beaten and arrested by police.
A brief period of community collaboration followed in the wake of the Penguin City riots. But in the 1990s, Anaheim’s chief of police was revealed to be assembling dossiers on Latino activists who were organizing for change.
4) Local Politics Matter:
As the Anaheim protests clearly demonstrate, local politics affect communities far more than anything Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will jockey over in the next few months. Anaheim residents typically don’t see the impact of the rising deficit, but they do see the daily effects of police brutality, shady real estate deals, ill-equipped social services and failing schools. National politics can be compelling theater. But if you want to make a difference, pay attention to what’s going on right outside your door. Not only does local political decision-making affect you most, it’s also the thing you are most equipped to do something about.
More Likely than Not, Did Racist Pittsubrgh Police Brutally Beat Unarmed Black Student? A struggle for the jury composed of 7 whites and one black male. Did Miles' attorney screw up by filing suit in federal court? Federal juries are drawn from the entire southwestern corner of the state, meaning the pool skews white and old. The jury pool of 60 people included just three African-Americans, and the defense had the right to strike any six of the final 20 pool members, so Mr. Miles' legal team had reason to expect an all-white panel. The defense tried to strike the lone African-American among the 20 finalists. But Mr. Miles' attorneys successfully filed what's called a Batson challenge. [MORE] From [HERE] Federal court jurors have ended a third day of deliberations without a verdict in the civil rights trial of three white Pittsburgh police officers being sued for allegedly beating and wrongfully arresting a young black man, but have yet to return a verdict.
