Five Things We Know Now Because of Ferguson - Chris "Preach" Smith

Photo Credit: BBC

It has been a little over three weeks since young
Mike Brown was senselessly shot down in cold
blood and left under a hot August sun on the
street in Ferguson, Missouri. The young man’s
death occured at the hands of Ferguson police
officer Darrell Wilson, who to this point has not
been seen or heard from and is currently on paid
leave. The justifiable outrage has mobilized the
residents of Ferguson to rise up in protest and
in turn has spurred the police department to
retailate with military grade tear gas, body armor
and vehicles. The scenes coming from this
outlying suburb of St. Louis have brought back
memories of long, hot summers in the 1960’s
where Black people were out in force fighting
for their civil rights. There is now a seething
discussion that will not go away anytime soon,
that conversation on race and class long overdue
that is now in front of every American citizen
whether they choose to partake or not. While it
is hard to look at Mike Brown’s murder and what
Ferguson represents on a whole, there are five
things we must consider going into any discussion.

Photo Credit: The Root

1)This is a galvanizing moment for activism in the community.

There is no question that Mike Brown’s death has gotten
the attention it has due in part to the consistent and
insistent coverage on social media. Twitter and Facebook
usage has been vital to getting people aware and outraged,
and then mobilized. Prime examples are the #NMOS14
protests held nationwide and on a slightly smaller global
scale, along with #BlackLivesMatter and a recent summit
of protesters and organizers that convened in Ferguson
this past Labor Day weekend. From the first days of the
protests, folks have driven down and flown in to the town
to add their voices to the struggle for justice. What’s striking
is the combined front of activist voices. Reverend Al Sharpton
and the older guard. The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement.
Anonymous making their web presence known. The Nation
Of Islam. You even had Tibetan monks visit and show their
solidarity along with Palestinians sending instructions to
Ferguson protesters on how to treat tear gas victims. The
fact that one of the founders of Twitter actually took part
in the protest alone is huge. Who can forget Hedy Epstein,
the 90-year old Holocaust survivor, being arrested in the
early days of the protests? And one cannot overlook the
absolute courage and fierceness of the people of Ferguson
throughout all of this including Mike Brown’s parents. It has
been, for lack of a better word, moving to the core. Have there
been bumps in the road and some conflict? Sure. 

Photo Credit: voices.ajaa.org

2)Black women have reaffirmed their roles as leaders in the crisis.

It has to be said and repeated at length: Black women have been
staunch leaders throughout this crisis. This is not a knock on other
women of color who have lent their support during this time as 
well. But the sisters have stepped to the forefront. From those on
the ground initially in Ferguson like @Awkward_Duck and @netaaaa
to @FeministaJones who organized #NMOS14 and numerous others,
they are the vanguard for keeping the pressure on officials. They’ve
gotten a great deal of support but they have also been shamelessly
and woefully mistreated and defamed. Partly from other brothers
who have chosen to speak out of pocket for whatever gains can be
put in their pocket. The fact is, it has not deterred them. And as 
this fight for justice continues, one hopes they get more of the 
support that they need from brothers and everyone else. Because
they too have been victims of police brutality and aggresive fear
from white attackers(see Renisha McBride). I know a couple of 
women who have been highly vocal and present during this struggle
(shoutout to @gelle6 and @KittyKahlo) and so this particular point
hits home for me.

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

3)There’s a more pronounced range of division in white people on Ferguson.

Listen. The image above illustrates it best; it’s taken from the now
infamous broadcast on CNN International where anchor Roesmary
Church asks why police didn’t choose to use water cannons on the
protesters in Ferguson. Which got that classic side-eye from her
co-anchor Errol Barnett. There’s been a good deal of support and 
outrage from white American citizens over Mike Brown’s murder.
But perhaps just as disturbing is the more vivid support of Officer
Darrell Wilson, most visibly in a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe
that has peaked at $430,000. This situation has ripped off the
obsolete bandage that is the word ‘post-racial’ forever off of the
cancerous wound that is American systemic racism. When you
have North Korea and other nations condemn your internal racism,
and you are summarily deemed as a violator of human rights by
Amnesty International(which occured after their own watchdog
committee was forcibly ejected from Ferguson at GUNPOINT by
officers), the elephant in the room is no longer still but is now
effectively taking a dump all over you, as the comedian Paul
Mooney would say. Part of the problem lies in privilege, and the
unwillingness to confront it or even acknowledge it in full. There
is of course the matter of the political partisanship as well with a
Black president that adds a different shade to matters. And you 
can’t help but note that there are those splinter anarchist groups
who have done more harm than help like those ejected from the
protests by Alderman Antonio French and others during the second
week of protests. And please note: Officer Wilson was part of a
police force that is currently 95% white. And was given time to
be a fugitive from justice by his peers. We’re seeing historical
instances being repeated here. Bad ones. And the progressive
voices need to be louder and clearer in support of those already
mobilized on behalf of Mike Brown and Ferguson. Not at the front.
Alongside, and in amplification of those already there.

Photo Credit: IB Times

4)Distractions and cynicism in the movement are being dealt swift blows.

From the hapahazard presence of Missouri State Highway Patrol
Captain Ron Johnson three days into the protest to a rogue member of
Anonymous causing havoc with the release of the wrong person’s
info on Twitter, distractions have been struck down quickly. One
example was the Reverend Jesse Jackson being run out of Ferguson
after apparently asking for donations to his church. There has been
an outcry for more celebrities, especially in hip-hop to stand up
and speak out. Where people wanted Beyonce and Jay-Z to speak.
But more appreciated the efforts of J.Cole and Talib Kweli who went
down personally to Ferguson to aid the people. People are now
vigilant in pointing out then rebuking those who are seen looking
to de-legitimize efforts or make a profit on them, most recently a
known author on ‘macking’ who has gone out of his way to attack
the sisters of the struggle. There’s even been those who have
made derogatory comments on people heavily tweeting and sharing
articles and info on Ferguson and the protests. Those who have been
doing so have done their part in making this issue gain notice by a
news media who didn’t really even pick up the story until a WEEK
LATER by some accounts. And even then, the people had to fight 
against a narrative that would seek to dehumanize Mike Brown for
their aims of ratings and profits. And they still are fighting against
that narrative. There is a marked change here. One that serves the
fight for justice better.

Photo Credit: WVTR

5)The whole world is indeed, watching the police. As they should.

The Ferguson Police Department is now under an intense
microscope, and other police departments across the nation
face that same scrutiny. Its something that’s long overdue
and is necessary with the alarming amount of deaths that
have happened on their watch. Consider this: Mike Brown’s
shooting, while he was unarmed, is the fourth major death
in the past month of August. Three Black men and a teenager
on his way to college. This doesn’t even take into account the
rise in cases like Victor White in Louisiana where someone
‘commits suicide’ while handcuffed. As I stated earlier, we’re
seeing history repeat itself. Such instances weren’t uncommon
in apartheid South Africa in the 1970’s and early 1980’s. 
There’s been a call for demilitarization of the police force and
more dash cams and body cameras to be used. The Ferguson
cops have recently recieved body cams donated by a mobile
video surveillance company. But will it be enough? Can it be
enough to overcome fears that these officers will just turn
them off? We’ve seen how lawless these ‘lawmen’ were in
the past two weeks. The truth is, constant watching with
vigilance is what’s needed. And the events in Ferguson have
gotten the world’s attention. It’s highly probable that such
attention won’t cease. It’s not just the Ferguson Police 
Department. The NYPD is still under scrutiny due to the
death of Eric Garner as well as the LAPD and the death of
Ezell Ford. More people are using smartphones to capture
incidents of aggression and brutality by officers. The streets
are watching. And saying something. 

Stress: The Extinction Agenda Twenty Years Later - Chris 'Preach' Smith

Photo Credit: RBMA

“It is your understanding that I seek — and not your emnity!!”

- Galactus, Thor Vol.1 #168, ‘Galactus Found’ 1969


It’s September 1994. I’m out on Linden Boulevard, by the 
corner store on 231st Street. I remember it now for two reasons:
we always associated it with Junior, a stubby Latino cat who held
court from behind the plexiglass shelving assembled like a
child’s Lego fortress and the fact that the store is no more,
having gone through two failed lives as a pizzeria and a medical
facility. I was building with one cat, Antoine. He and I would
always regularly have heavy conversations about hip-hop,
and there were moments he’d hip me to something entirely
different. So it didn’t fully surprise me when he got at me 
this night about a new album that dropped a week or so 
before. “Yo Chris!! Maaaaan…tell me you heard that new 
Organized Konfusion!!” ‘Toine said with a grin. “You know 
what, I just copped it. I haven’t listened to it fully yet.” I 
said. After building for a little bit more, I went home and 
popped the tape into the deck. And for the next 45 minutes,
I was transported into another dimension. I felt a lot like 
one of the heroes in my comic books I devoured around that
time, Icon. Years later, I’d come to realize how impactful
Stress: The Extinction Agenda was. And is.

Let’s break it down to brass tacks. When Organized Konfusion
dropped this second album on Hollywood BASIC on August
16, 1994, heads knew they were from Southside Jamaica,
Queens first and foremost. They had stepped on the scene
three years before with their first self-titled album. Most of
you will remember that solely for the slick and rhythmic 
boom-bap of ‘Fudge Pudge’ featuring another solid MC, O.C.
who was distinct in that he was the only guest artist on that
album & went on to be a member of the Diggin’ In The Crates
Crew after. The first album got lost in the sauce for many - 
but it proved that Organized were standouts for their intense
and profound lyricism that was thought-provoking and issued
with signature deliveries. I mean…check ‘Who Stole My Last
Piece Of Chicken”. Nostalgic rap building off a hook with a 
Richard Pryor sample with the video shot right there in the
South Jamaica houses AND Baisley Park? It was a merging 
of worlds, not unlike the Rainbow Bridge from Asgard to this
world found in Marvel’s Thor. It’s more appropriate when you
find that Paul C, the producer who helped them with their
demo that led to their contract, was murdered in 1989 which
had a distinct effect as both MC’s attest to up until today. (A
side note: Paul C was murdered in Rosedale, a nearby nabe.
The case wound up on America’s Most Wanted, which was a
staple in my house on Saturday nights. It still gets spoken of
around there faintly.) Plus, the label wasn’t entirely embracing
their artistic direction. Organized bucked the norm by producing
their album on their own and didn’t rely on other MC’s to boost
visibility. That led to conflict. Also, Pharoahe Monch’s father had
passed around the time of recording this album, and was 
dealing with serious asthma. Prince Po was enduring hard times
as well then. So when Stress: The Extinction Agenda was released, 
the energy was destined to be electric. Because Organized Konfusion
illustrated who we were as people out on the block in a way that
was layered and dextrous but not daunting to the listener.

The album art ALONE told you. Recently the artist, the late
Matt Reid aka Matt Doo, was covered in a poignant tribute
article. I had only heard of him in passing, but finding out
he and his brother grew up in the same neighborhood I did?
Earth-shattering. Matt Doo’s artwork is without question one
of the greatest pieces of album art ever. Not just in hip-hop,
EVER. Sounds grandiose, but when you consider that many
labels were relying more on photography for effect, it’s striking 
to see such a piece be your cover. To this day I recall the 
poster up on the wall in Hot Waxx and the clothing spot next
door on Jamaica Avenue, Mr. Kim’s. Pharoahe and Po stride
forth from the chaos of the scarred and stressful landscape
of the streets as cosmic figures bringing clarity, but not
without some heft and pain of their own. You also need to
take into account that this is originally a 30x30 painting.
Matt Doo made this the perfect blend of hip-hop flavor and 
artistry with flecks of Jack Kirby & Jean Michel Basquiat. It
didn’t surprise me about how comic books and hip-hop had
prominent places in the late artist’s life. There’s an old saying,
‘coming out the house late’. When you have hard-working 
parents and latchkey children, you get a set of ground rules.
Some parents wouldn’t let their kids go outside for nothin’.
I dealt with that a little growing up. In that space normally
filled with playing on the block or other adventures, comic
books and hip-hop were first a vessel of escape, then a vessel
of definition. These were the touchstones that brought cats
together. Even the biggest hardrock out on the streets was
up on the X-Men, Batman or other comics. Comics and 
music was always the meeting points for the young cats
like me and others and the tougher, older heads. 

“The fight for freedom needs no more martyrs — it needs victory — it needs no more
atrocities to stir our blood — it is stirred!”

- T’Challa aka Black Panther, Vol 2.#2 ‘For Duty, For Honor, For Country(1988)’

Stress:The Extinction Agenda is a succinct but poetically 
dense album that speaks to all of the stresses and tough
times one endures as a person of color in New York City,
but that message is really universal. From ‘Intro’, you’re
already advised that the MC’s will be taking you into their
soul-scapes. The next track, ‘Stress’ is the most widely 
known track chart-wise. It tripped us out seeing the duo
in the video out in California in a snowy expanse and The
Bay at first. But it made sense in a metaphorical way.
Two Black men trying to sort through the nonsensical systemic
racism in their own way, spitting compelling rhymes. 
It was like Prince Po was the Silver Surfer and Pharoahe
Monch was Galactus with the way both verses perfectly
fit, even with the skit detailing the two’s frustration with
trying to get a cab back to Queens. The other standout
track, ‘Stray Bullet’? I’m quite certain that when more 
full-fledged academic courses on hip-hop are created at
Harvard and other places, Pharoahe’s verse will demand
that higher level of study. Just marvel at these first lines:

“Let the trigger finger put the pressure to the mechanism
Which gives a response, for the automatic *bang*
Clip to release projectiles in single
File forcing me to ignite then travel
Through the barrel, headed for the light
At the end of a tunnel, with no specific target in sight”

The track had gotten buzz for the verbal dexterity in 
a good and bad light. There were some mainstream 
media critics who felt this was more glorification of 
violence in music. Thankfully, they were outweighed by
those who viewed it rightfully as a different take on 
gun violence that made people pause. The fact that
it hits you hard in the gut 20 years later is proof
of its power. For me, ‘Maintain’ is one of the tracks 
I put on when I need to just breathe. Something 
that as I grow older I need to be more mindful. It 
ends the album as it should with a seemingly mournful
framing thanks to the Five Stairsteps and James 
Brown samples, but it proves to be motivation to
rise above. Listening it to this week made it all the
more profound given the uprising in Ferguson, Missouri
against police brutality, the deaths of Michael Brown,
Eric Garner, Ezell Ford and John Crawford. When you
add depression to the mix, even more so. Matt Doo’s
own life and art wasn’t exempt from these themes.
And I’ve grown to accept that they’re not exempt from 
my own life, either. Seriously though, the album in 
its entirety is magnetic, as evidenced in a breakdown
the duo had here.

But what I ultimately find in listening to and appreciating
Stress: The Extinction Agenda twenty years later is
a perspective born out of being both matter-of-fact
about the realities of the streets, but possessing the
drive to rise and become anew from the struggle. 
The album was in effect that bridge for hip-hop to
further enunciate its voice and wipe away certain
borders that were there. This album laid groundwork
for other artists like Boogiemonsters and Company
Flow to flourish on the East Coast while having a parallel
relationship with the Freestyle Fellowship and Jurassic
Five on the West Coast as examples. It was and still
is a hallmark of true lyricism in hip-hop. It summed 
us up and showed that we can embody the fantastic
much like what we saw in our rap heroes and comic
book heroes to not only make sense of things but to
survive and even thrive. And that those who help us
to do so may not always see their impact but to be
thankful and mindful for the ones that do.  

 

Another Silly Fight In The Club - Chris "Preach" Smith

Photo Credit: so-feminine.UK

Yes, I heard about the renewal of the ‘beef’ between
Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim. I heard about it and yawned.
Yes, yawned. Not only because it was about 10 in
the morning when I got wind of it, but because to
me it really amounts to nothing more than another
one of those silly fights you see up in the club. You
know the ones; fights where’s a little bit too much
Ciroc in a makeshift VIP area that’s really two tables
in the corner roped off. Sometimes they can get very
serious and dangerous. But most of the time, it becomes
a spectacle and something folks just laugh at and
shake their heads. Much like this situation. 

Photo credit: ABCNews

Lil Kim basically has charged Nicki Minaj with being
a ‘biter’ once again with her latest single, ‘Identity
Theft’. The single dropped as Minaj was enjoying the
buzz off of her verse on Beyonce’s ‘Flawless’ remix &
getting people ready for Anaconda, her next release.
Does Kim have a point? Yes, she does to a degree.
Nicki followed the Lil Kim blueprint step by step,
right down to the iconic poster pose Kim made famous
that hung up on damn near every dude I knew in
college’s dorm room wall back in 1996. It’s been 
obvious right down to the various shades of hair
changes. Lil Kim has gone at Nicki with serious
intent, none more evident than the Black Friday
mixtape where she’s seen decapitating Nicki in a
drawing. But the biggest problem is and has been
that Lil Kim’s music is dated compared to what
Nicki has put out. Even when Kim declared she’s
putting out a mixtape on 9/11, you could hear
crickets. I don’t even listen to either rapper like 
that truthfully, but when you get down to brass
tacks, Nicki’s doing more as the next evolutionary
step of this kind of woman rapper. Kim’s stance 
isn’t new in hip-hop either in terms of paying
respect. But what she forgets is, sometimes
rappers only get to the top by taking out other
rappers. Much like 50 Cent did to Ja Rule by making
fun of him for being a rap crooner even though
50 made millions with G-Unit tracks where he
did a little singing hook style himself. There’s also
another layer to this situation as well.

That layer? Iggy Azalea. Because both rappers are
now in a position of taking up the rear to the Aussie
rapper on T.I.’s label. A white rapper who in essence
has successfully swagger-jacked both Nicki and Kim
with a Southern twang. And has done so to make
hit songs and snag a role in The Fast and Furious 7
with other projects in the works. There lies the real drama:
Nicki is doing all she can to stay in the limelight of
the contemporary rap scene and Lil Kim has to fight
to remain noticed. With the addition of recently freed
Remy Ma looking to make up for lost time, it’s even
more pressing. But truthfully, all this ‘beef’ is boils
down to two people in the club having a prolonged
disagreement. We’ll laugh at it and wait for the next
‘spat’ to take place while radio stations get their hype
machines warmed up with it. Let me know when they’re
going to have a head-to-head battle. If that’s even a
possibility. 

When Gold Turns To Lead - Chris "Preach" Smith

Photo credit: BET

This past weekend, two names from the world
of contemporary rap were at the forefront of a 
lot of discussion. And ironically, they touched upon
something that’s been bugging me and a lot of
others who love hip-hop with their respective
situations. First, French Montana was quoted in an
interview as saying, “All lyrical rappers I know are
broke… I just feel like you gotta make people enjoy
the music.” Then we got news from Mr. Molly himself,
Trinidad James, that he was dropped from his record
label, Def Jam. In his words via Twitter,  ‘My album is
now free. If u hear ur beat or verse on it. I hope u want
dap cuz i got no money.’ In regards to French’s remarks,
the Detroit MC Danny Brown challenged those words
strongly and continued to make fun of the sentiment
on Twitter. And James’ revelation got met with a
treasure trove of jokes. The core issue however is this:
can we really laugh at dudes who have made their
bread dumbing down the culture? Or are we laughing
to avoid the fact that we’ve been complicit in helping
them do it?

Let’s face facts. A good deal of stuff that we as fans of 
the culture are witnessing here and now is stuff that we
have helped get a more solid footing. It’s been that way
for YEARS. That’s a major reason why you don’t see too
many outside of Danny Brown taking French Montana to
task for such a ridiculous statement. Even if French made
that comment in the context of NYC rappers complaining
about the current environment they’re in and gave Jay-Z
props as an example of a more developed talent, it’s still
an ignorant comment to make overall. Especially if it’s 
coming from someone whose own lyrical capacity is slim
to none and has been since Max B’s Air Force Ones were
still walking the asphalt uptown. Seriously, there’s not a 
whole lot of people out there who can recite and remember
a French verse save for a couple of hooks. For someone
with such limited lyrical skills to say that lyrical rappers
don’t appeal to the masses is essentially slapping you in
the face with money, a la Ted ‘Million Dollar Man’ Dibiase
style. And he’s getting repaid by a slew of these wannabe
cat-in-the-hat ass rappers who will be running up on you
with their CD’s imitating him in the hopes of getting put on
along with constant rotation on the corporate radio airwaves.

Photo credit: WordOnTheStreet.com

But his words SHOULD ring hollow. Especially in light of
what befell Trinidad James. Those of you who’ve read
my earlier piece on him can guess that I wasn’t a fan
from the beginning. James’ skyrocketing success thanks
to one single, ‘All Gold Everything’ has finally run out. 
That fateful evening in Brooklyn at the Converse Rubber
Tracks concert last year where he poked fun at NYC-based
rappers worked its karma. Not that it really had to,
because ultimately Trindad James being dropped by Def
Jam said something loud and clear: they felt he didn’t
have enough in him as an artist for them to commit
heavy money. And now, he’s essentially saying he doesn’t
have a dime to his name. It’s not necessarily over for him;
marginal talent seems to stretch their fifteen minutes out
with the skill of an extreme coupon-user these days. But
it goes to show once again that you NEED to be lyrical
to last. In some form or fashion. Lyricism equals longevity.
It’s a truth that as much as it has been pushed aside,
CANNOT be denied. French knows this. Having no real
lyrical talent, he’s gotten his success through hustle. 
And even now, despite being in the position of being on 
par with video vixens who attempt to flex their rap muscles
when their posterior muscles no longer qualify as a
calling card with his relationship with Khloe Kardashian,
French will more than likely still be in the limelight. But
he should be wary. Trinidad James may be that canary in
the coal mine for wack rappers. Claiming that lyrical rappers
are broke is essentially saying you don’t really care about
or even know your hip-hop history. We’re at a point where
data scientists are working to compile charts and infographics
to measure various MCs’ vast vocabulary. To ignore that is to
feed the already gluttonous machine that makes a large
part of contemporary rap less palatable to people with
sense. French Montana should learn as Trinidad James
just did from the lesson of King Midas, who wanted everything
he touched to become gold and died of starvation as a result.
Gold can become as worthless as lead if you’re not mindful.

Searching For Air Amidst Anguish - Chris 'Preach' Smith

Photo Credit: SIlive.com

You get to a point, where you find that the most 
horrible of tragedies can give you a multitude of
superlatives and adjectives. And that they can
all be struck down by a word that stands in as a
question.

Why?

It has been a week since the murder, yes, murder
of Eric Garner at the hands of NYPD officers. Primarily
Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who applied the chokehold
and initiated the takedown of Garner in front of his
friend, Ramsey Orta. All over Garner being suspected
of selling ‘loosies’, or loose cigarettes. I’m not going
to mince words here in what Pantaleo did. Especially
since Garner can be distinctly heard ELEVEN TIMES
saying, ‘I can’t breathe’ as he was practically being
suffocated on the ground. It’s been a week, and I
haven’t had the emotional strength to write this until
now. Because of that aforementioned question.

Photo Credit: Gothamist


There’s kind of a game going around Facebook right
now, a game centered in nostalgia. It begins with only
two words. ‘I’m so…’ I haven’t joined in. But I find 
myself compelled to say, ‘I’m so NYC that I still can
remember Eleanor Bumpurs.’ Harsh? Perhaps. But 
it cannot compare to the anguish that Garner’s widow
has endured and will endure to this point. Anguish at
the fact that your husband’s life was taken by gung-ho
cops on a hot summer sidewalk. Anguish that he 
basically was choked to death. Anguish multiplied, no
doubt, by the crass and racist filth spewed by some of
those same officers hiding behind blank avatars and
jumbled usernames on police affiliated websites detailing
the incident. Even worse are the recently reported facts
that the particular police district where this takes place
ranks high in the city in the number of civil complaints
about bad police behavior and that Officer Pantaleo has
had two complaints against him for misconduct. One of
those cases cost the city thirty thousand dollars. Yet he
was allowed to continue his duties. Why?

The NYPD response is, as expected, mixed. Commissioner
Bill Bratton has publicly condemned the incident leading 
to Garner’s death, stating that there will be re-training
throughout the force. As mentioned before, some officers
have stated opinions ranging from asking for benefit of 
the doubt to outright racist vitriol. You can be sure that 
Pat Lynch will step up and make another string of veiled
racist comments. You can bet that Stop And Frisk will be
bandied about as a red herring. But one has to ask, how 
was an NYPD officer allowed to get away with using a 
chokehold? A manuever declared illegal by the NYPD? And
to those who’ll claim it’s an isolated incident, why was it 
used on someone on a subway platform by an officer three
days earlier in East Harlem? Take a step back and examine
what a chokehold is. It’s a takedown move that is designed
specifically to make someone submit before their oxygen
is cut off. Pantaleo willingly used this given Garner’s size
(6”3 and 250) and then can be seen putting pressure on
Garner’s head after he’s down on the ground. At that point,
you’re not trying to subdue anyone. You’re out to send a 
message. I’ve seen this before. For all we know, Pantaleo
may be one of those police recruits sought after because 
of their aggressive behavior. Those types fit right in with the
old-guard vein of cops who still hold onto certain beliefs 
entrenched since the days of the Knapp Commission and 
Serpico. He had to have known what applying that hold 
would do in combination to putting a knee on this man’s 
head. Why?

Police brutality is not uncommon. Even as I type those 
words, I find myself slightly alarmed by them. But it’s the
truth. There has been a slew of lives, mostly Black and 
Latino/a that have been affected by it. Yet we’ve gotten
numb to it. Numb and wary. We juggle those feelings 
to the point that it has become second nature. It is, when
you are of color in this country. Eric Garner is now in the
process of being dehumanized. The media machine will 
in some parts play up his criminal background. They’ll 
point to his weight, and his asthmatic condition as a 
possible culprit in his death. Yet four EMS workers have 
been suspended for failing to reach the scene promptly
and when they did arrive, not even making attempts to
assist Garner. The NYPD initial report doesn’t even mention
that a chokehold took place.  Business as usual. Again, why?


The question of why is all one truly has in the face of 
such a senseless crime. And yes, it is a crime. Yet another
that will be added to the list. It is damning and ironic that
a few weeks ago, Spike Lee’s iconic film Do The Right Thing
celebrated its 25th anniversary. And a key part of that
film involved the death of Radio Raheem due to a chokehold
placed on him by NYPD officers. Garner’s death compelled
the filmmaker to create a composite clip wedding the two
scenes together to illustrate that it is too often art that
can imitate life. Eric Garner’s death also brings up another
tragedy from 20 years ago when Anthony Baez lost his life
due to NYPD bad behavior. And in some ways, Garner and
Radio Raheem are eerily similar. Both were brothers just
living life, trying to thrive. Both were seen as pinions of
cheer and love in their communities. The fact is, Garner’s
senseless death is another chapter in a book filled with the
atrocities only systemic racism can write. For those in NYC,
you see it firsthand in different forms, more recently the
‘gentrification wave’ sweeping now through Brooklyn. Such
things have made this city divided to a degree. Even with a
populist mayor such as Bill De Blasio, the fact that this can
happen speaks more to the rotten parts still ingrained in
this city. Police brutality is just another arm of oppression.
We all know this. We all know this article will be one of many
to detail it. But it still compels us to ask questions. It SHOULD
compel us to ask and take action. Even as the shockwaves
will fade from this case. Because if it’s not police officers across
the nation acting in paramilitary aggression, it’s half-crazed
militias. It’s scared men who shoot lost travelers looking for
help. It’s wannabe policemen looking to gun down teens. Why?
We know why. And we are now in the raw place, the hurting
place that falls under another question: what next?