There is a letter to President George W. Bush in today's Huffington Post written by Larisa Alexandrovna, which I think is one of the most import letters of political history ever written. It is a response to the remarks made by this this selected President in front of Israels' Knesset in which this selected President compared Barack Obama to Nazi appeasers.
Some of the information in this letter is central to the plot of my new novel, Rapturous. But I will let Ms. Alexandrovna's response to this shameful, politically treasonous speech speak for itself. You can read it at the following URL:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larisa-alexandrovna/all-the-presidents-nazis_b_102022.html?view=print
Friday, May 16, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
365 Days of Marching
Filmmaker Veronica Keitt's new movie, 365 Days of Marching is about the murder of Amadou Diallo by the New York City Police and the mass protests which followed as the police were cleared of any wrongdoing.
I’m proud to have been part of those protests and the protests that followed when Patrick Dorismond was shot and killed by undercover police.
My wife, Janice Cline, who teaches cultural diversity and English at York College, CUNY was arrested with two other York College colleagues protesting at One Police Plaza. She was with many college professors who protested while wearing their caps and gowns.
I was arrested twice–both times with my colleagues in National Action Network. As a white man, it was a privilege to be included in this fight for justice.
I’m proud to have shared a cell with Rev. Sharpton, Minister Conrad Muhammed, Eddie Barnes and so many others. My friend Azim Thomas photographed every step of the way. His photographs can be seen at http://photosbyazim.com.
Tami Gold’s film, “Any Mother’s Son” chronicles the effects of police brutality on the families of victims.
Yet, year after year the NYPD continues its carnage unpunished. Sean Bell, a young man who was to have been married the next day, was killed in a hail of 50 bullets in Jamaica Queens when undercover police opened fire. Even though Mr. Bell and his friends--all of them unarmed--were shot multiple times, even though windows of the Jamaica train station a block away were shot out, even though the police never identified themselves as police--Queens State Supreme Court Judge Arthur Cooperman ruled that none of the officers were guilty of wrongdoing.
If the murderers of Amadou Diallo had been brought to justice, I believe that Sean Bell would be alive and that his friends, Mr. Guzman and Mr. Benefield, wouldn’t be suffering life-long disabilities from bullet wounds.
The NYPD has a long history of rogue cops, and yet they continue to assert that any accusations of rogue activity is against the entire police force. What we are asking is that the NYPD–like any other city organization or any corporation–stop protecting its guilty employees and begin to work in BEHALF of the community and not against it.
I’m proud to have been part of those protests and the protests that followed when Patrick Dorismond was shot and killed by undercover police.
My wife, Janice Cline, who teaches cultural diversity and English at York College, CUNY was arrested with two other York College colleagues protesting at One Police Plaza. She was with many college professors who protested while wearing their caps and gowns.
I was arrested twice–both times with my colleagues in National Action Network. As a white man, it was a privilege to be included in this fight for justice.
I’m proud to have shared a cell with Rev. Sharpton, Minister Conrad Muhammed, Eddie Barnes and so many others. My friend Azim Thomas photographed every step of the way. His photographs can be seen at http://photosbyazim.com.
Tami Gold’s film, “Any Mother’s Son” chronicles the effects of police brutality on the families of victims.
Yet, year after year the NYPD continues its carnage unpunished. Sean Bell, a young man who was to have been married the next day, was killed in a hail of 50 bullets in Jamaica Queens when undercover police opened fire. Even though Mr. Bell and his friends--all of them unarmed--were shot multiple times, even though windows of the Jamaica train station a block away were shot out, even though the police never identified themselves as police--Queens State Supreme Court Judge Arthur Cooperman ruled that none of the officers were guilty of wrongdoing.
If the murderers of Amadou Diallo had been brought to justice, I believe that Sean Bell would be alive and that his friends, Mr. Guzman and Mr. Benefield, wouldn’t be suffering life-long disabilities from bullet wounds.
The NYPD has a long history of rogue cops, and yet they continue to assert that any accusations of rogue activity is against the entire police force. What we are asking is that the NYPD–like any other city organization or any corporation–stop protecting its guilty employees and begin to work in BEHALF of the community and not against it.
The lesson of Amadou Diallo’s death must never be forgotten, and I am very glad that 365 Days of Marching will help to bring that message to millions of people.
You can learn more about the film, including screenings at: http://www.365daysofmarchingmovie.com/home.html.
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