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ORIGINAL: ThePrincessKali

I experienced a lot of racism growing up, I'm bi-racial and grew up in an essentially all Caucasian town. It was drilled into my head that I was worth less than my white peers while in school. I was harassed, bullied, and alienated from the time I was nine or ten until I graduated high school. When I was in junior high my family was still going to church. I went to the same church as everyone else in town yet in sixth grade my teacher asked me if I celebrated Kwanza, I was banned from the only movie theater in town bc my friends and I once bought tickets to a PG-13 movie and snuck into see Jackass when I was 13. The owner of the theater said all my friends could go home but I was banned for life. So to say it makes me sad is an understatement. I am devastated. After going through such adversity growing up and coming to self acceptance as an adult, the fact that there are still those out there who feel that my life is worth less than someone who's 100% white is heartbreaking.

But on an more uplifting note I attended a protest here in CA and the crowd was a mix of all races. I was glad to see that.

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ORIGINAL: Marini

Just talked to a family member that is a lawyer.

Several points, in addition to the "chokehold"

1. The "crime" that Mr. Gardner was accused of committing {selling cigarettes illegally} is not even considered a misdemeaner. She said it is the legal equivalent of some traffic offenses.


2. The fact that they let him lie there and did not immediately get medical care, AND let a man of that size lay on his back, instead of placing him on his side sealed his fate.

It just goes on and on.

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I'm actually thinking about moving overseas. Maybe England. It's a lengthy process so I want to start it now. I know if I ever have kids I don't want them to grow up in a country where they are told that their lives are not worth the same as every other person or have to experience so much racism.

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ORIGINAL: kdsub

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I'm actually thinking about moving overseas. Maybe England. It's a lengthy process so I want to start it now. I know if I ever have kids I don't want them to grow up in a country where they are told that their lives are not worth the same as every other person or have to experience so much racism.

Good idea...because we all know there is no racism in the UK.

Butch

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ORIGINAL: ThePrincessKali

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ORIGINAL: kdsub

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I'm actually thinking about moving overseas. Maybe England. It's a lengthy process so I want to start it now. I know if I ever have kids I don't want them to grow up in a country where they are told that their lives are not worth the same as every other person or have to experience so much racism.

Good idea...because we all know there is no racism in the UK.

Butch

Never said there wasn't. But it's not nearly as bad as it is here.

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ORIGINAL: BamaD

FR
The NY post says that the coroners report shows that neither the windpipe or neck bones were damaged by the attack.
The rule on "choke holds" is loosely worded enough that it would include headlocks.
Remember I said that even if it was a heart attack that killed Gardner it was brought on by excessive use of force.

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ORIGINAL: inkedone

The Eric Gardner case is sickening, but hence reality in practice of loss or life due to collateral damage caused by excessive use of force and the lack of due care by the police as far as Mr. Gardner. Police frenzy in its finest. There needs to be an overhaul of the penal code concerning” use of force”.

The second fold problem is proper police training, metal evaluations, and accountability of those officers that are to protect and serve. The stigma of police abusing or not being able to judge how much force is necessary to detain a person is a big issue. A growing fear among many who may be arrested not to resist arrest due to the likely hood that excessive use of force will occur.

The protect and serve mantra was lacking in this case and did not have to escalate to loss of life. A senseless loss of life for a tax dollar on cigarettes. Where was the due care and humanity of it. This case really is sickening.

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ORIGINAL: inkedone

The Eric Gardner case is sickening, but hence reality in practice of loss or life due to collateral damage caused by excessive use of force and the lack of due care by the police as far as Mr. Gardner. Police frenzy in its finest. There needs to be an overhaul of the penal code concerning” use of force”.

The second fold problem is proper police training, metal evaluations, and accountability of those officers that are to protect and serve. The stigma of police abusing or not being able to judge how much force is necessary to detain a person is a big issue. A growing fear among many who may be arrested not to resist arrest due to the likely hood that excessive use of force will occur.

The protect and serve mantra was lacking in this case and did not have to escalate to loss of life. A senseless loss of life for a tax dollar on cigarettes. Where was the due care and humanity of it. This case really is sickening.

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Sickening and disheartening are the words that come to mind.
I do feel that resisting arrest in not a good idea, but this case has little to do with resisting arrest.

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ORIGINAL: Marini

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ORIGINAL: inkedone

The Eric Gardner case is sickening, but hence reality in practice of loss or life due to collateral damage caused by excessive use of force and the lack of due care by the police as far as Mr. Gardner. Police frenzy in its finest. There needs to be an overhaul of the penal code concerning” use of force”.

The second fold problem is proper police training, metal evaluations, and accountability of those officers that are to protect and serve. The stigma of police abusing or not being able to judge how much force is necessary to detain a person is a big issue. A growing fear among many who may be arrested not to resist arrest due to the likely hood that excessive use of force will occur.

The protect and serve mantra was lacking in this case and did not have to escalate to loss of life. A senseless loss of life for a tax dollar on cigarettes. Where was the due care and humanity of it. This case really is sickening.

Sickening and disheartening are the words that come to mind.
I do feel that resisting arrest in not a good idea, but this case has little to do with resisting arrest.

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ORIGINAL: GoddessManko

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ORIGINAL: ThePrincessKali

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ORIGINAL: kdsub

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I'm actually thinking about moving overseas. Maybe England. It's a lengthy process so I want to start it now. I know if I ever have kids I don't want them to grow up in a country where they are told that their lives are not worth the same as every other person or have to experience so much racism.

Good idea...because we all know there is no racism in the UK.

Butch

Never said there wasn't. But it's not nearly as bad as it is here.

Honestly I'm hoping there will be consensus and compromise on this issue. There seems to be resentment building up and it's even making me uncomfortable so I can imagine for others who can actually relate to the issue. I love living here, traveled everywhere, have a home overseas and still choose to reside here mostly for the diversity. I grew up in a place with puritan like conservatism and where most people were pretty uniform in style of dress, beliefs, musical tastes, food, everything you can imagine. I'm hoping you stay! It is terrible to be so jaded about a place that is supposed to be home. I'm sorry those people didn't know any better and ruined your enjoyment of diversity. For me diversity is like "OH, SHINY!" So new and exciting and full of perpetual discovery.
California is amazing if you have never been. The people in Ventura county are WONDERFUL and very Bohemian in San Fran. I only saw millionaires with holes in their shirts in Cali, just great people, unususally friendly. Even within a given state the people, beliefs, landscape changes drastically so you were just in a bad spot which probably doesn't attest to majority of people. East Birmingham is nicer than Long Island (NY) in my opinion. Gorgeous homes, landscaping and again, unusually friendly people, My tiem there was great.
I'll be honest though, the racially fueled news hasn't been great for me as a black woman, my race is the last thing that defines me. Maybe an educational program about diversity, not just black and white but asian, native American, and did you know there are more irish people in Boston than Ireland? That's what's so cool about this place. We'll see what happens but if you decide to travel I'll say go for it and see what's out there, try Monaco and Ibiza, but make a plan and travel safely. If you want to crash in different places for a week or two at a time you can check out couchsurfers. Sometimes we need that time out to regain composure. I have been thinking about and planning on moving myself and more open to international travel so I can relate. I think all what's been going on and the media coverage for ratings is quite sad though. Death and hate shouldn't be trivialized.Being American also allows other countries to open up their borders to you much more easily. Immigration standards are more lax. So you have options but no rash/emotional decisions is my best advice. Love travel and you're young so live ya life!

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ORIGINAL: ThePrincessKali

...the fact that there are still those out there who feel that my life is worth less than someone who's 100% white is heartbreaking.

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ORIGINAL: Sanity

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ORIGINAL: ThePrincessKali

...the fact that there are still those out there who feel that my life is worth less than someone who's 100% white is heartbreaking.

Thats something of a racist comment

As if whites are the only ones on the planet who are capable of racist thoughts