[Vision2020] FW: Solidarity with Ferguson

Mon Aug 25 12:40:06 PDT 2014

Paul wrote:

“While I'm in a condemning mood, I would also like to condemn the people involved in the looting that has occurred.”

Me as well.  Two (or more) wrongs don’t make a right, but again, I think there’s a world of difference between a handful of thugs acting badly and State agents acting really, really badly.

And, I’ll just add a bit.  I realize that I’m just as privileged as everyone else who was fortunate enough to be born white in this country with the protection of the US Constitution.  That said, there is something soul-changing -- at least there was for my daughter and me and many, many others on our train -- that happens when encountering a militarized police presence on domestic soil.  There is something terrifyingly soul-changing when one – even in a crowd -- is surrounded and held captive by a militarized police presence with assault rifles trained on the crowd, bellowed threats for doing nothing wrong, surrounded by big military vehicles, and helicopters swirling overhead.

While watching live coverage of the protests, I was reminded – again – that our Constitutional rights don’t matter one bit in the face of militarized police forces (and other instances of LE abuse of power).

And, I was incredibly sad that many of those hundreds and hundreds of protestors who did absolutely nothing wrong have now had that soul-changing experience.

Finally, as the survivor of a violent crime, I can tell you that my first-person experience that really terrible things do, indeed, happen to good people at the hands of criminals pales in comparison to the soul-changing experience of being surrounded and held captive by a militarized police force.

Saundra

Moscow, ID

The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them.   That's the essence of inhumanity.

~  George Bernard Shaw

From: Paul Rumelhart [mailto:paul.rumelhart at gmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2014 10:48 AM
To: Saundra Lund
Cc: Moscow Vision 2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] FW: Solidarity with Ferguson

I did not realize that this event was to protest the way the police had handled the protests in Ferguson.  I had assumed that the event was to protest the killing of Michael Brown, which is what I was talking about when I said I didn't have enough information to know whether or not to be enraged over this.  That was my mistake.  My apologies for not reading the entire message.

I wholeheartedly think the cops in Ferguson went overboard in how they handled this entire event, from the first press conferences to the curfews to the way they have handled the crowds and journalists.  The way they have handled journalists is exceptionally bad and at complete odds with the First Amendment.  Even third-world countries are smart enough not to do that.

While I'm in a condemning mood, I would also like to condemn the people involved in the looting that has occurred.  

Paul

On Mon, Aug 25, 2014 at 10:32 AM, Saundra Lund <v2020 at ssl1.fastmail.fm <mailto:v2020 at ssl1.fastmail.fm> > wrote:

Are you saying, then, that the domestic militarization of police in this country is OK in some places/situations but not in others?  Did I completely misunderstand your previous posts about police militarization?  “I really think the militarization of the police is a bad idea.”

You do understand, don’t you, that with respect to Ferguson, the topic of police militarization refers to the LE response to unarmed non-violent protestors exercising their Constitutional rights & journalists covering the police response and not to Darren Wilson’s shooting of unarmed Mike Brown, Jr., right?

What facts are you waiting for before you decide whether those actions are OK with you?  Did not scene after scene after scene of LE pointing assault rifles at unarmed and non-violent citizens reinforce the position you’ve taken about the militarization of police being a bad idea?  Did it not concern you that journalists and civilians were ordered to stop filming LE response over and over and over again?  Did not the targeted deployment of tear gas canisters and concussion grenades at a news crew with no protestors nearby concern you?  There’s the now infamous incident of that unhinged St. Ann cop who pointed a loaded semi-automatic assault weapon at unarmed protestors, some of whom had their hands up, and journalists and announced, “I’ll f*cking kill you,” but that’s certainly not the only unhinged cop I saw or heard during the protests.

Just Curious,

Saundra

Moscow, ID

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

From: Paul Rumelhart [mailto:paul.rumelhart at gmail.com <mailto:paul.rumelhart at gmail.com> ] 
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2014 7:51 AM
To: Saundra Lund
Cc: Moscow Vision 2020

Subject: Re: [Vision2020] FW: Solidarity with Ferguson

Paul's waiting for  more actual facts before he gets enraged over this.

Paul

On Sun, Aug 24, 2014 at 4:10 PM, Saundra Lund <v2020 at ssl1.fastmail.fm <mailto:v2020 at ssl1.fastmail.fm> > wrote:

Glad to see you're sticking to type, Scott, with your predictable denial that race has anything to do with anything.  I put that in the same category as the idiotic comment you made that felons don't have problems finding jobs & housing.  Just plain ignorant and living in some imaginary World According to Scott that has no connection to reality.

For me, there are lots of things that concern me about Ferguson, and yes, race is one of the things, although not necessarily with respect to the actual killing of Mike Brown Jr.  That's a question I don't think will ever be answered.

But, the fact of the matter -- for me -- is I think anyone who isn't concerned when police shoot & kill unarmed people is an idiot.  That concern doesn't necessarily mean that the killing was dirty, but to not concerned?  Idiotic.  I actually think gun-wielding agents of the State have a higher duty to preserve life than do thugs.  Go figure.

I also think Ferguson gave the whole country -- at least those not living under rocks --  a good picture of the real life consequences of the militarization of the police.  Paul, I think, has posted on that topic a few times, so it's . . . curious to me he didn't bring up the topic with such a great real world example.

There are several other significant concerns, but I really don't see much reason to engage in discussion with you since you predictably want to boil everything down to "race baiting."

Saundra

On Sun, Aug 24, 2014, at 01:50 PM, Scott Dredge wrote:

I'd guess they will show up in droves. Race baiting and anti-establishment sentiment are effective in mobilizing young people who are more driven by peer pressure and emotion in jumping to conclusions rather than rationally waiting for all for the facts surrounding this tragic event to emerge and coming to an informed opinion.

As for me, I'll keep an open mind that this could be 'racist cop shoots and kills black kid minding his own business', but until I'm convinced beyond a reasonable doubt I won't be rendering a verdict.

-Scott

On Aug 24, 2014, at 3:12 PM, "Saundra Lund" <v2020 at ssl1.fastmail.fm <mailto:v2020 at ssl1.fastmail.fm> > wrote:

Here’s hoping our local college students make me proud  :)  I’ve given my hubby a head’s up to be aware & hopeful that some of his students walk out tomorrow morning and to not take it personally  :)

I’m curious:  is anyone here planning on going to Spokane Tuesday to participate in the rally?

Saundra

From: Amnesty International USA [mailto:alerts at takeaction.amnestyusa.org] 
Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2014 9:59 AM
To: 
Subject: Solidarity with Ferguson

  <https://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/action.retrievefile.do?ea.client.id=1839&ea_filename=etem-top_mobile_01.gif> 

 <http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=273186&ea.campaigner.email=BAD5ZdktWlKbKzOfDY5p9fmkGi65H1302t8RM2eLScw=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0> 

  <https://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/action.retrievefile.do?ea.client.id=1839&ea_filename=etem-top03.gif> 

Solidarity with Ferguson, Missouri

  <https://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/action.retrievefile.do?ea.client.id=1839&ea_filename=etem-getinvolved2.jpg> 
 <http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=273187&ea.campaigner.email=BAD5ZdktWlKbKzOfDY5p9fmkGi65H1302t8RM2eLScw=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0> 

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

A police officer in Ferguson, Missouri fatally shot unarmed teenager Michael Brown on August 9.

This week, the Ferguson community is asking us to take to the streets.

Dear Saundra & Bill,

On August 9, Mike Brown, an unarmed 18-year old, was shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. It’s moments like this that draw us in, and that demand solidarity, because all lives matter and human rights are at stake. 

You have taken action online. Now, the Ferguson community is asking for us to take to the streets: 

*	On Monday, August 25, Mike Brown's family is laying him to rest. Ferguson community members are asking college students to walk out of their classes at 1pm EST/10am PST <http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=273188&ea.campaigner.email=BAD5ZdktWlKbKzOfDY5p9fmkGi65H1302t8RM2eLScw=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0>  and assemble in solidarity with victims and survivors of police brutality. Will you join them? <http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=273189&ea.campaigner.email=BAD5ZdktWlKbKzOfDY5p9fmkGi65H1302t8RM2eLScw=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0> 
*	For the rest of the week, people around the world are rallying at U.S. federal buildings and U.S. embassies to call on the Department of Justice to create policies that respect human rights. We'll be joining, and we want you to stand with us and with the people of Ferguson in your own communities. Find a rally here! <http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=273190&ea.campaigner.email=BAD5ZdktWlKbKzOfDY5p9fmkGi65H1302t8RM2eLScw=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0> 

Since arriving in Ferguson, we have witnessed hundreds of people take to the streets daily to demand human rights. We have also seen law enforcement use tear gas in the crowd, and arrest protestors. There have been blockades on West Florissant Street for days; journalists have been cleared from the area, and we’ve been kept from full access to protestors at times. Throughout all of this, we’ve been in awe of the power and resilience of community organizers on the ground who have refused to have their fundamental human rights restricted, and have dedicated themselves to sharing Mike Brown’s story and to demanding change. 

Now is the time for us to join in raising concerns about race and policing, and the impact of militarization on the fundamental right to peacefully assemble. Now is the time to bring together your community to participate in the movement to bring human rights home. 

In Solidarity,

Kalaya'an Mendoza, Senior Organizer
Noor Mir, Associate Field Organizer
Amnesty International USA Delegates in Ferguson, MO 

 <http://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/broadcast.response.do?ea.url.id=273191&ea.campaigner.email=BAD5ZdktWlKbKzOfDY5p9fmkGi65H1302t8RM2eLScw=&ea_broadcast_target_id=0> 

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© 2014 Amnesty International USA | 5 Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10001 | 212.807.8400 <tel:212.807.8400>  

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