The Sean Bell Verdict and the American Dilemma

Excellent post I have been looking all morning for a piece of refined black racism and now I found it. The more I read your support of Rev. Sharpton the more sure I am.

Keep up the whining over Sean Bell. As long as blacks deny responsibility of their own actions they will continue to be "victims" of the criminal justice system and the police.

Ya'll got a tip jar? Maybe I'll give you a dollar. LOL.

1.There is no shockwave through the Black Community of NYC on this matter.

2.Few showed up for any protest arranged by Sharpton. This is a fact, anyone can learn of the total disinterest of the Black Community in NYC of this ruling. Few are up in arms or angry, there is no visible protest anywhere.

3.The ONLY reason this article is here on site is this person "Lyn" who responded first and demanded this website to mention the case. That is a fact anyone can verify, confirm, and check. Hence this very website was not moved to address this matter. Total fact anyone can verify.

4. People are trying to connect Sean Bell to all sorts of issues and other cases. NOT THE CASE.

5. Can we move on? There is too much to do with those who are personally responsible than to give a rat's ass about some irresponsible guys, alcohol, strip clubs, dirty cops, and an Al Sharpton movement.

Lyn, no one cares. I live in Harlem. It's clear no one cares. There is no protest and its ridiculous to suggest Sean Bell's unfortunate matter is relevant to anyone. I AM NOT SEAN BELL. I don't hang out til dawn drinking at strip clubs the night before my Wedding. No, I am a bit more responsible than that. Why? I know sh*t goes down at strip clubs so I tend to not visit them, especially the night before I am getting married.

Please don't wrap this unfortante matter in saying Sean Bell had a right to place himself in a high risk environment and be safe. There are lots of White communities where a Black person can be beat up for walking through at 2am in the morning, despite it being their right. We're talking about common sense here.

Lyn, if you are a woman, yes, you have the right to wear a micro miniskirt right up to your ass with your tits hanging out at 4am in the morning around a bunch of drunk men and not be touched. I defend your right to indeed do that if that's your choice. However if something jumps off.....is it really a shock? Sean Bell was irresponsible to himself, his fiance,and his child, enough said. Move on.

Lenora Fulani comments, "....we will not open up the dialogues that can take us forward to a common ground."

Beneficial dialogue must be based upon reality and based upon equality.

This Sean Bell case is a true moral dilemma. There are no easy answers but people can quickly and easily point to inequalities. I am not one of those who walks the easy path. I am one of those who chooses to walk the hard road of reality.

Two of the three police officers who fired shots, are black. How can this be a racist issue? To make this a racist issue we must paint white, those two black police officers. This is wrongful behavior.

Only one of the police officers fired what most of us would consider an excessive number of rounds. Nonetheless, all three stand trial. Two of the three effected an appropriate response to threat yet are treated as criminals. This is wrongful behavior.

Circumstances are darkness of early morning hours, a bad neighborhood, drunkenness on the part of Bell and friends, a heated fight of sorts, an officer report of suspects in possession of a handgun and an attack on police officers through use of a motor vehicle. Those officers were rightfully in fear for their lives. Denial of their right to experience fear is wrongful behavior.

At worst, the officer who fired excessive rounds should be retrained, or better, simply dismissed from the police force. Two of the three officers responded appropriately. They should not suffer because of their defending their lives. One fired excessive rounds but did so with fear for his life. Nonetheless, this officer who fired too many shots did display a lack of trained restraint. He is certainly a liability and a danger to all.

In keeping with reality, Al Sharpton responded with a terrorist threat. Sharpton made a clear threat to “shut down” New York city. This is a threat of terrorism against all citizens of New York city and against all citizens of America. Why is Al Sharpton not arrested and charged with making terrorist threats? Al Sharpton threatened to punish, threatened to inflict harm upon all American citizens. This is terrorism.

In this sense, Al Sharpton is threatening all of America with harm unless our Justice System dispenses his personal brand of justice. Al Sharpton is subverting our Criminal Justice System. This is wrongful behavior.

There is distinct difference between calling for protest, calling for an organized march, calling for a lawful and peaceful demonstration, there is a distinct difference between exercising our right to Freedom of Speech and threatening to inflict harm upon American citizens.

Al Sharpton is a terrorist who enjoys impunity through racially based fear and intimidation.

Should not the police officer who fired excessive shots be placed on trial, alone, and should not Al Sharpton be placed on trial for terrorism? This is equality in justice. Anything less is wrongful behavior.

If beneficial dialogue is to be engaged, reality dictates all must be treated with equality.

Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation

I'm not sure why we're wasting our time discussing this issue. Just like in previous situations, the black community will yell a bit, walk down the street with signs, maybe even congregate in front of a court building. Then, after a few weeks, when nothing has been accomplished, black people will forget all about Sean Bell and return to the daily grind.

Meanwhile, it'll still be okay to shoot an unarmed young black man because "black men are usually criminals." And young black men will continue to die because they've not been educated on how to behave when they are approached by police officers.

Young black men will continue to die because their parents have not told them that it's NOT A GOOD THING to simulate prison culture or to idolize and emulate "gangsters" or to disprespect your elders or to be homophobic or to be misogynistic or to worship material things or embrace a culture of anti-academics. Whether or not "white people do these things too" is irrelevant. What's relevant is how the aping of the dominant culture's pathology is DESTROYING THE BLACK COMMUNITY!

So no, I don't want to hear any more about useless protest. I want to hear about how you are making sure your children are going to school every day and how you've prevented them from getting caught up with the wrong crowds and how they don't sell drugs and how they don't use drugs and how they are creative thinkers and how they give up their seats on the bus/train to the elderly or pregnant.

And no, it's not easy raising a black child in a racist society. That's not rocket science. But this is what life is: HARD! If you don't wish to put in the work, than damn it THINK, and don't have children!

If you're unable to tell me any of these things, if you are unable to tell me that Sean Bell did not die in vain because your sons and daughters are going to just turn around and make some ill-informed move that's going to cost them their lives, then stay the hell away from me because I am so, so very tired of the excuses for constant and consistent failure.

BLACK PEOPLE: STAND UP and STOP WAITING FOR SOMEONE ELSE (READ: WHITE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT) TO GIVE YOU YOUR LIFE. DO YOUR HUMAN WORK, DAMN IT! BE MEN AND WOMEN DESPITE THE OBSTACLES!

I shouldn't be surprised by the first comments. It's the reason why incidents like Sean Bell and Amadou Diallo bring such anger and sadness in the Black and forward thinking communities.

First I want to speak about Rev. Al Sharpton. As a middle-aged Black man, born and raised in NYC, I've watched Sharpton from the Tawana Brawley days to the present. I have not been a strong supporter of Sharpton, but his transformation from Brawley to now has been incredible. Unfortunately, too many are unable to move past the Brawley days. Rev. Sharpton's leadership has been exemplary throughout the Bell incident. Some were calling for a more physical response when it happened; Sharpton gave us a way to vent through marches and rallies. He called for calm and to await the DA's investigation. The most inflammatory comment he made was he didn't understand why the investigation was taking so long. After the verdict his call for civil disobedience was again a responsible action allowing a truly shocked and angry populace to vent without physical confrontations that could have easily happened.

Anyone who criticizes Sharpton's actions during this episode have no understanding of the civil rights movement. What do you think The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be doing right now? He would be every bit as angry and shocked. The difference would be Rev. King's call to demonstration would be nationwide. Is Rev. King also a terrorist?

Further, the criticisms of the first posts were from the perspective that Sean Bell and his friends were in the wrong. However, even Justice Cooperman in his written comments said no crime had been committed by Bell and friends. The officers' testimony was not about the car. An officer saw Guzman's hand move and he imagined he was going for a gun. He yelled "Gun!" and started shooting. Officer 31-shot saw that officer start shooting so he started shooting. It was a cascade effect. That Bell sought to escape from someone approaching his car carrying a gun had nothing to do with anyone being in "fear for their life." No crime was in progress. In fact, since they were leaving the scene there was absolutely no reason to intervene. In fact, the officers inside the bar saw someone else in a White Sox cap whom they thought had a gun. They lost sight of him when they "overheard" the argument between Bell and the other group. They should have gone back to find the original person. The perception that these officers were somehow "just doing their job" is a false one. In fact, the judge had to ignore "carelessness and incompetence" to reach the verdict as well as the widely shifting testimonies of the officers involved.

Finally, any talk that Blacks are not angry, shocked, saddened, disheartened by these events is made purely out of ignorance. In fact, the first three posts were all out of ignorance. They neither knew the testimonies regarding the shooting, the behavior of Rev. Sharpton or the attitudes of Blacks in general. Unfortunately, it is just that sort of ignorance that is such fertile ground for misunderstandings at best and bigotry at worst. They spew the common invective meant only to incite. Then, most dishearteningly someone from the Choctaw Nation tries to put it into the fallacy of seeking dialog and understanding.

Our anger is true but so is our non-violent struggle for acceptance and equality in every aspect of life and being.

First of all, Lenora Fulani does not represent thousands of anybody's...despite their race. She is delustional, racist, and has been removed from the Independent Party due to her racism as well as her 'great non profit programs' to understand racism. It is because of black women like Fulani and her arrogant, delusional behavior that I for one, can't bother to listen to anything Sharpton or any other black person has to complain about.

To jezebel: It isn't "because of black women like Fulani" that you can't bother "to listen to anything . . . any . . . black person has to complain about." It's simple and plain prejudice. Don't try to reason it. Your first sentence says Fulani doesn't represent everyone. Then why would anything she says keep you from caring about the feelings, beliefs of other Blacks? You don't care because you don't like us because of our skin and nothing else.

Lenora, being an English professor, I am compelled to comment on your "multi-racialism" usage. You need to exercise great care with your words. Our word "racialism" is a synonym for "racism." I know you are not promoting racism just as I know you inadvertently selected a wrong word. Danger here is there are those who will rip you apart for usage of that expression. You are a famous women, you need to select your words with great care; I am not the only to take notice of your wording.

I will add commentary, Lenora, I disagree with your extreme leftist viewpoint America needs to become a pseudo-socialist society free of cultural identity. I agree we all need to work together but disagree the majority culture should not have the majority say. Our democracy is based upon majority rule although a bit of ironic injustice with our government being a true minority rule. My presumption is your viewpoint is "White America" in the majority culture.

Democracy demands majority rule. Democracy does not demand bigotry, racism nor injustice. A vast majority of Americans, who happen to be white, are honest and fair peoples who treat all equally and treat all with equal justice. Almost all Americans take pride in our country and almost all Americans make decisions, by vote or otherwise, which benefit all Americans. You are proposing turning upside down our democracy by imposing a brand of pseudo minority rule. This would render our society a socialist form of government. This will never happen.

Majority rule, this is the way of our democratic society. All Americans must adhere to this principle or our country will fall apart, as is happening today. We have problems today because a minority is in charge; right wing evangelists headed by Bush and Cheney. We can place Black America in charge and our country will fall apart. We can place my Red America in charge and our country will fall apart. Our country must be guided by majority rule. We cannot give minorities an equal power to the majority. Doing so is not democratic. We must work together as a collective majority, this is, majority and minority making decisions as one society composed of many different cultures.

To close, I adamantly oppose your suggestion we render our America a socialist society.

Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation

Anonymous makes an important point,

"There are lots of White communities where a Black person can be beat up for walking through at 2am in the morning, despite it being their right. We're talking about common sense here."

Now that is what I am talking about! Good old fashion common sense.

White people should not walk through the projects of Harlem. This is dangerous. Black people should not walk through the Aryan nation, this is dangerous. No people should walk through Tijuana, Mexico, this is dangerous for all with no regard to skin color.

Common sense informs us to not place ourselves into dangerous situations. This is exactly what Bell and friends did, likely with naive innocence.

A story. My husband and I are from rural southeast Oklahoma. We began life as poor farmers. We identify with this culture, basically a cowboy culture.

Years later, we are visiting friends in Del Rio, Texas, about as white cowboy of a town as can be. My husband, as my request, has hair down to his butt. He is a long haired cowboy. I always tie up his hair then plop a cowboy hat on his head when we visit places like Del Rio, "You are to keep your hat on no matter what." He knows why.

We are over at a honky-tonk bar, downtown Del Rio. Cowboys and cowgirls, everywhere you look. All is well, we are drinking, dancing, hooting and hollering, having a great time. I introduce my husband to a girlfriend. He quickly removes his cowboy hat to show respect for my lady friend. His long hair comes flowing out and tickles his butt. I swear an instant hush fell over the entire bar. Cowboys look, “He ain’t no cowboy, he is a long haired hippy.” My husband is truly more of a cowboy than any of the boys in that bar.

Within minutes, he is challenged. A fist fight is about to be, a barroom brawl is about to break out. One minute, he is cowboy, next minute, he is hippy. All which changed is the length of his hair. My old man is a wounded combat Vietnam vet and an amateur boxer. We both know he cannot fight an entire bar full of cowboys although he would take out his fair share.

Being a girl, I am a bit quicker thinking than boys. I jerk off my top then begin jiggling my bare breasts at all the boys, while I whoop and holler and carry on like the wild savage Indian I am. Cowboys love dark skinned half naked squaws. My husband knows this is a diversion and he quietly slips out the front door, knowing I will not be long behind him. He is not a coward, he is making use of good common sense just as I am doing by jiggling my bare breasts for those cowboys.

Ok, I will talk some black versus white versus red common sense here. I challenge any reader here at The Daily Voice, regardless of skin color, male for this example, I challenge any man around here to slip on a fine three piece tailored suit, slip on a real Rolex, a big glittering diamond ring and fancy polished Italian shoes. You strut around the Harlem projects acting all rich, flashing how much money you have. Walk around Skid Row, Los Angeles, walk around the ghettos of Rio down in Brazil, walk around Calcutta, I don’t care. What will happen to you?

You know what will happen. You will be robbed and dead in a matter of minutes. Nobody cares diddly-squat about your skin color; they only see green money.

This Bell tragedy, the police were wrong, Bell and his friends were wrong, Sharpton is wrong. This has nothing to do with racism. This has everything to do with a lack of old fashion common sense. This was a preventable tragedy. Bell and his friends should have had common sense enough to not place themselves in a dangerous situation, just as the police should have used common sense, just as Sharpton should have used common sense.

Anonymous up there is absolutely right, "We're talking about common sense here."

Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation