Recently, the Omaha Police Officers Association posted a shocking and disturbing video on their website. In the video, teenagers can be heard taunting and cursing at an African American infant boy. The teenagers in video pressure the poor child to spew obscenities and profanities.
On Omaha Police Officers Association's page entitled Heartbreaking Video Show "Thug Cycle" Continuing, the Omaha Police Department states that:
You are literally watching “the cycle” of violence continue right in front of your eyes.They claim that they posted the video because they "have an obligation to share it to continue to educate the law abiding public about the terrible cycle of violence and thuggery that some young innocent children find themselves helplessly trapped in." On their website, the Omaha Police acknowledge that "they didn’t see anything in this video that is blatantly 'illegal'."
A powerful cycle that must be broken if we ever hope to get a handle on violence in Omaha.
A powerful cycle that the police alone cannot stop.
By posting the video, Omaha Police created a firestorm of racial controversy. Many voices have rightly condemned the family for corrupting a child. Some people have defended the Omaha police against charges of racism, not me.
Today, it is no longer acceptable for white people to make overtly racist statements. To circumvent that obstacle, the corporate media rents House Negroes to serve as mouthpieces for white supremacy. Those pseudo intellectual black prostitutes specialize in peddling the gospel of black pathology. They constantly utilize that distorted gospel to justify white racism and to soothe white guilt. While their white puppet masters hide behind the curtains, those black puppets entertain and misinform the audience by promoting racist propaganda. The House Negro is a huge threat to the black community because she legitimizes white racist attitudes and policies.
Crystal Wright is the quintessential Negro Negro. In her Washington Times article, she defends the use of the video asserting that the video is not "an anomaly" and that "the face of thug life is black, not white."
I adamantly reject Ms. Wright's assertions. The police are supposed to enforce the law and provide public safety. Instead of imitating World Star Hip Hop, the police should be using their website to protect and serve. The police website should not be used to humiliate and discriminate. Posting that despicable minstrel video does not make the community any safer.
It merely promotes racist stereotypes. Although the overwhelming majority of black people do not raise their children to be gangsters and hooligans, that video creates the erroneous perception that we do. That video reinforces the false notion black men are innate criminals and thugs. The police department's video fosters distrust and erodes public support for police in the black community. Such distrust makes communities less safe. In light of the Omaha Police Department's troubling track record, they definitely should not post racist videos on their website.
The Omaha Police Department has a history of racism. It routinely engages in racial profiling. As reported on Omaha.com,
One of every four drivers pulled over by Omaha police officers last year was black, a new state report shows.
According to the report, the Omaha Police Department not only stopped black drivers and arrested black drivers at rates higher than their proportion of the population in 2009. The department also stopped a disproportionate number of black drivers without issuing them a traffic ticket. The drivers were given verbal or written warnings or no action was taken at all.
A prime example of such racial profiling and police misconduct is the Octavius Johnson case. On January 6, 2014, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the Omaha Police Department. The complaint describes how the Omaha police unjustly assaulted and battered a black family. That is true thuggery. As reported in the Huffington Post,
In March, 32 officers flooded an Omaha, Neb., home in an attempt to recover video evidence of police misconduct and brutality, a new lawsuit claims.Instead of posting deplorable videos stereotyping black people, the Omaha Police need to focus on ending their discriminatory and abusive practices. Sadly, you will never hear people like Crystal Wright condemn those racist police practices. They prefer to bash their own black brothers and sisters for a buck or attention.
The suit filed Monday by the American Civil Liberties Union seeks damages suffered during the incident, which allegedly started over a parking ticket.
From an ACLU press release:
On Mar. 21, 2013, two officers responded to a request from a tow-truck driver who was removing unregistered vehicles. The lawsuit alleges that when Octavius Johnson walked up to try to determine what was happening to the family's cars, Octavius was placed in a chokehold, thrown to the ground and beaten. In the video, it appears as if the officer who struck Octavius looks around to ensure he is alone and then begins to hit Octavius.
Brothers Juaquez and Demetrius Johnson filmed the altercation. More than 20 officers arrived, including a commanding officer, and "chased Juaquez into his home and conducted a search without a warrant," the release said.
"Inside the home, Sharon Johnson, aunt to the Johnson brothers, was thrown from her wheelchair while Juaquez was thrown to the floor and repeatedly struck," the release said. "Officers did not help Sharon back into her wheelchair and instead placed her in handcuffs."
The footage recorded by the Johnson brothers was never returned after police seized it, but a neighbor filming from across the street did capture the scene outside the home. The video was posted to YouTube and four officers were fired once the incident received press coverage.
All charges against the Johnson family were dropped.
Officer James Kinsella was charged with tampering with evidence and Sgt. Aaron Von Behren was accused of organizing a cover-up, according to the Omaha World Herald. Their cases are still pending.
The ACLU lawsuit is filed against Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer and the 32 officers who were at the scene.
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