Are cops on the front line of American racism?

[Cyrano]

Yesterday, many, many cops turned their backs on NY Mayor de Blasio at the funeral for slain NYPD Officer Wenjian Liu. (And many other cops didn’t.) The police were specifically asked to respect the day as a funeral, not an opportunity to protest. Yet the answer of far too many of them was a gigantic “Fuck You.”

It seems that their complaint is that they’re “not being supported.” And those who supposedly are “not supporting” them include NY Mayor de Blasio who has a black son, Erik Holder, the head of the DOJ, President Obama, and Rev. Al Sharpton, to name a few. Hmmm, seems to be a common thread there.

And what is it that’s “not being supported?” I guess it’s a series of killings of black people that are being publicly protested by blacks, whites and many others, countrywide. The protests are due to no apparent police accountability, and the fact that no grand jury has seen fit to bring forward indictments.

As an aside, down here in Palm Beach County, FL, a crowd of retired cops came together the other day in the town of Wellington to “Support the police.” It was covered in The Palm Beach Post and although they didn’t say exactly what it was they were "supporting,” you can draw your own conclusion.

IMO, the underlying theme of this entire police “moment of discontent” is blatant, thinly disguised racism. They may not be members of the KKK, but it sure as hell seems to me that they want the general public, and the powers that be, to condone the practice of killing people who are guilty of breathing while black. And yes, they do have a dangerous job. But no one’s forcing them to keep it and most would rather be cops than anything else. (It should also be noted that many cops turned their backs because of peer pressure. It takes real courage to stand alone amid a tsunami of bigotry.)

So what do you think? Police racism, or just a police union tactic to get “support” (whatever the hell “support” means)?

[BlueCaliDem]

1. Yes. Those insubordinate cops were supporting blatant racism.

And I'm certain that many cops who had turned their backs on the DULY ELECTED MAYOR of New York, didn't really want to, but you know how that goes in the clique of "boys in blue": get our backs or, when you're in a dicey situation, we won't have yours (ask Serpico).

New Yorkers *should be OUTRAGED that they hijacked a funeral for one of their own to make a political statement. Why is there silence?

*Edited to correct spelling.

[el_bryanto]

2. Police privilege?

I think this might play into it - basically police are used to having a special and unquestioned place in society - particularly white police. They see that challenged by the recent suggestions that they are should be held to account for their actions.

That said, we hear stories about good cops and even good police departments - it's not across the board.

Bryant

[Cyrano]

3. Yeah, well,

in Staten Island, where Eric Garner can be seen on video being strangled to death while gasping, "I can't breath," a grand jury saw no reason to indict the cop for using an illegal strangle hold. (Garner was guilty of selling single, unpackaged cigarettes. And I guess he was also guilty of selling them while black.)

There's "Police privilege," and then there's the murder of a human being on video. I guess if you live in "Copland," (Staten Island in NYC), murder is just having a "special and unquestioned place in society."

And I agree that there are many good cops. So when are they going to band together and fight the disgraceful inhumanity we (and they) see happening on virtually a daily basis?

[el_bryanto]

4. Well I agree that in order for any progress to be made

you are going to have to get it out of the local law enforcement purview - the cops have shown themselves unable to police themselves.

As for why they don't band together, i think there are two issues making that hard.

1) - They are isolated or feel isolated in their departments - and they need the job. They need to be able to trust that the cop next to them is going to have their back. If they speak out against racism, well they might not have that.

2) - there's also cultural biases playing into this - I know that my tendency on reading a story involving a cop is to assume that the cop is in the wrong - that's a gut reaction - but it probably isn't always true. There are times when the police acted correctly when all the information comes out. The flip side is that if you are a cop your bias is to believe other cops.

Bryant

[YarnAddict]

44. Just to clarify--

--Eric Garner was not "strangled to death." His died in the ambulance of an apparent heart attack.

The chokehold was excessive, and there should have been a charge of negligent homicide (IMHO) but there is a huge difference between what actually happened and saying he was "strangled to death."

Hyperbole is unnecessary, and does our side no favors.

[Ino]

62. Who said he died of a heart attack?

... and why do you call it an "apparent" heart attack? Is that someone's guess?

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/second-tape-of-nypd-chokehold-raises-new-questions-in-eric-garner-case/
A medical examiner called Garner's death a homicide and said he died from the chokehold and "the compression of his chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police."

[YarnAddict]

64. Lots of sources

Washington Post article from December 4th by Radley Balko. (For some reason my laptop won't let me paste an excerpt or a link.)

There are other sources. I just Googled "eric garner heart attack."

Don't know why I used the word "apparent," just habit, I guess.

Obviously the chokehold contributed to the heart attack, it was excessive and unnecessary, and there certainly should have been charges of some kind filed against the cop. But Eric Garner was not "strangled to death."

[Ino]

65. One should always check who is stating "facts"

Last edited Tue Jan 6, 2015, 07:58 PM - Edit history (1)

The Washington Post article you reference says...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/12/04/some-thoughts-on-eric-garner/

Yesterday, a New York City officials announced that a grand jury had cleared the police officer captured on video putting Staten Island resident Eric Garner in a choke hold. Garner later died of a heart attack.

I guess that means that "New York City officials" said he died of a heart attack? It's unclear where that "fact" came from.

I find lots of articles that state "police said" or nameless "officials said" he died of a heart attack. One that cited the Police Benevolent Association (union).

But here's what the medical examiner said... the official medical autopsy. No mention of a heart attack.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/eric-garner-death-ruled-homicide-medical-examiner-article-1.1888808

Eric Garner, the Staten Island dad who complained that he couldn’t breathe as he was subdued by cops, died from compression of the neck, the medical examiner said Friday. The autopsy also found that compressions to the chest and “prone positioning during physical restraint by police” killed Garner. The manner of death, according to the medical examiner, was homicide.

And here are a couple of doctors explaining the autopsy in detail. No mention of heart attack.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/experts-explain-garners-autopsy-report/vp-BBgpgW6

Of course the Police Benevolent Association objects to the medical opinion because cops do no wrong, and ummm... heart attack!

[TorchTheWitch]

5. sixty percent of the NYPD are racial minorities

What does that tell you? Their grievance with the mayor has nothing to do with racism, and it's ridiculous to believe that it is. There are proportionately just as many black officers as white that are upset with him for the same reasons, and if you think that police officers of any race believe that black people are being shot by police for no reason all the time, guess again. Anyone with an ounce of sense would have long since noticed all those photos and videos of officers with their backs turned to de Blasio were a multi-racial crowd.

The grievance with the mayor of every race of the NYPD is about what they consider to be lack of POLICE support - not white police support - and you can agree or disagree with whether or they have a legitimate grievance, but to make up some absurd connection to racism is just plain asinine.

This whining about the NYPD and their grievance with the mayor is just partisan and cop hate nonsense.

[MrScorpio]

8. A person doesn't have to be white in order to be anti-black...

In a white supremacist society such as ours, anti-black racism can be internalized by anyone of any race. Not only do we see this with white and non-white cops like, we see the same in both mostly conservatives and some liberals.

There are levels of likelihood to consider, but it doesn't mean that anti-blackness is exclusive.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

9. "White supremacist society"

geesh

So we've gone from a white privileged society to a white supremacist society?

[MrScorpio]

14. A society where whiteness is normalized and standardized...

To the point where all other races are judged against that normalization and standardization, is in fact a white supremacist society.

Under such a system, whites derive certain privileges that are then extended to them for merely being born white.

White privilege comes from somewhere, right? It comes from our white supremacist system.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

18. And "white supremacist" carries no negative connotations

just like the word "thug" carries no negative connotations.

Got it.

[gollygee]

20. It doesn't matter whether the truth carries negative connotations

it's still the truth.

[MrScorpio]

24. "White supremacy" has more than one definition...

http://www.sociologyinfocus.com/2013/04/08/white-supremacy-not-just-neo-nazis/

White Supremacy: Not us For Neo-Nazis

White supremacy is often mischaracterized as only a person or group of people (e.g. Neo Nazis & the KKK), but thinking of white supremacy in this way hides too many people who are affected by it. In this post Nathan Palmer will push us to think about white supremacy as an ideology and explore how each of us may personally believe it.

Every year we had a “multi-cultural day” at my elementary school. Usually in January (around Martin Luther King Day) or in February (to “celebrate” Black History Month). We’d eat foods from other cultures (there was always baklava), watch a movie about Dr. Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement, and learn about how racism used to be a problem in the United States. The overall message was clear to all of us kids, “racism is something mean people used to do and if you do anything racist today, you’re a big meanie”.

I can still remember the befuddled look on my teacher’s face when I walked up to her and asked, “If today is multicultural day, then what are the rest of the days?” Her face scrunched together, she folded her arms, and told me, “Oh, just go back to your seat this instant!”

I was thinking about my multicultural day experience recently because last week was the 45th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martine Luther King. The message I learned at these multicultural days (that racism is only a problem at the individual level) I think is largely still present in our society. But in many ways the issue of racism is as much about acts of discrimination as it is about the ideas and ideologies that support prejudice.

The Ideology of White Supremacy
To fully understand white supremacy we have to separate it from the people who identify as white. White supremacy is not a person or group of people, it’s an ideology. Ideology is fancy-sociology-speak for a collection of ideas that work together to affect how we see and understand the world around us. As an ideology, white supremacy encourages us to value white people, white culture, and everything associated with whiteness above the people, culture, and everything associated with people of color. We can encapsulate all of that by using the common white supremacist tagline, “white is right.”


We also have to separate white supremacy from white supremacists. Too often when we hear the word white supremacy we immediately think of men in white pointy hats standing around a burning cross. There’s no argument that the Kl Klux Klan and Neo Nazis subscribe to the white supremacist ideology, but they’re not the only ones. Anyone and everyone can adopt the ideology and white supremacy is reinforced by a wide variety of actions both big/small and intentional/unintentional.

Everyday White Supremacy

Everyday people of color are the targets of discrimination and stereotypes in ways that are overt and intentional, but this is only half the story. Microaggressions, which we’ve discussed here at SIF a number of times, are subtle and unconscious affirmations of white supremacy. For example, a Hispanic American woman is told, “you’re daughter is so beautiful for a Mexican baby.” Or a woman clutches her purse when a Black man enters an elevator. Everyday there are countless examples of people who say and do things that reflect and reinforce white supremacy. The point here is that any of us can reaffirm white supremacy even if we are unaware that we are doing so.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

25. And so does the word "thug"

nt

[MrScorpio]

28. I've been very clear about what definition that I've been applying for white supremacy...

If you're not willing to consider that and merely poison the well by intentionally misconstruing the conversation because you really don't have an adequate reply, that's all on you.

Throwing the "thug" straw man out there isn't helping your point, merely because you're refusing to even elaborate on what point you're making.

Are you you referring to the classic "thug" reference, based on the historical Thuggee Cult of India, or are you merely applying the modern American iteration, which seems to be mostly applied to black men in a negative context?

[wellst0nev0ter]

10. Actually, It's 49 percent

http://nypost.com/2014/09/08/nypd-is-as-diverse-as-new-york-city-itself

But facts are stupid things.

[Hutzpa]

11. Nonsense

who benefits the most from police support within the ranks?

[TorchTheWitch]

13. the rank and file - whatever their color /nt

[Hutzpa]

16. Okay, but what percentage are we talking about here?

nt

[branford]

23. NYPD Demographics per Wiki:

As of the end of 2010, 53% of the entire 34,526-member police force were white and 47% were members of minority groups. Of 22,199 officers on patrol, 53% (11,717) were black, Latino (of any race), or Asian or Asian-American, and 47% (10,482) were non-Hispanic white. Of 5,177 detectives, 57% (2,953) were white and 43% (2,224) were people of color. Of 4,639 sergeants, 61% (2,841) were white and 39% (1,798) were minorities. Of 1,742 lieutenants, 76% (1,323) were white and 24% (419) were people of color. Of 432 captains, 82% (356) were white and 18% (76) were minorities. Of 10 chiefs, 7 were white and 3 were people of color. In 2002, whites accounted for 60% of members in the rank of police officer. Between 2002 and 2010, the number of minorities in top-tier positions in the force increased by about 4.5%.[15]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Police_Department

[Hutzpa]

30. There in lies our answer

please show this to the OP above.

[Cyrano]

31. The OP has just read it. And your point is ...?

[Hutzpa]

33. You're not the OP of the post

are you? You are the OP of the thread just so there is no misunderstanding.

[Cyrano]

35. Umm, yeah, I'm pretty sure I am. And

I'd like to add an ameliorating factor to my charge of racism.

"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it." Upton Sinclair -- US novelist & socialist politician (1878 - 1968)

I wonder how many of us, of any color or belief, has the courage to risk his/her job in order to stand up for our beliefs and values.

[Hutzpa]

37. Look, I'm not sure what your argument is

but I was referring to this post; http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6043703
therefore my answer was in response to said poster.

[Cyrano]

39. OP means original post, Aside from that, no problem.

[BronxBoy]

49. And that is supposed to mean what exactly?????

This country is close to being majority non-white yet it hasn't prevented some of the most conservative reactionary politicians from being elected and advancing their policies. How many of those non-whites occupy the management structure of the MYPD?

[branford]

63. The poster inquired about NYPD demographics,

I simply provided a wikipedia link and excerpt. I was offering no commentary or opinion, only providing a courtesy to other posters to engage in their own discussion withing a correct factual framework.

Moreover, the excerpts include the racial divisions among the different authorities within the NYPD, at least as of 2010. As indicated therein, minorities represent a smaller percentage of positions as rank-and-file authority increases, and 30% (3 out of 10) of the chiefs. The data also indicates that the number of minorities in all positions have been steadily rising, even while Bloomberg was mayor. Many of the upper tier positions such as police commissioner are additionally appointed by and answer to the mayor, essentially political, and do not have the discretion and labor protections of the rank-and-file.

[BronxBoy]

50. Bullshit....

Obviously you haven't seen the articles about Black cops who when off duty, have many of the same fears that us ordinary Black citizens have when encountering the poice.

[Neon Gods]

12. 'Ridiculous' to believe this is racial?

Patrick Lynch, head of the PBA (police union): "Those that incited violence on the street in the guise of protest, that tried to tear down what New York City police officers did every day. We tried to warn it must not go on, it shouldn't be tolerated. That blood on the hands starts at the steps of City Hall in the office of the mayor."

It seems clear to me Lynch is pitting the protesters - who have the constitutional right to express their displeasure of the way police treat minorities - against the police and blaming the mayor for daring(!) to meet with his constituents whom Lynch does not agree with. To me, Lynch's statement says people Lynch and his union don't agree with (largely African Americans) don't have the right to protest if any violent acts are committed in conjunction with their peaceful protests.

You my not see it the same way I do - and you've carefully explained why you don't, but please don't characterize my interpretation, based on available facts, "ridiculous." And I take strong umbrage at you characterizing my "whining" as cop hate!

[Cyrano]

19. Well said. And welcome back.

[TorchTheWitch]

34. no, he specifically stated those people that incited violence

in the GUISE of protest - those assholes using a crowd of protesters to make mayhem. The very language he used specifically ruled out anyone peacefully protesting even going so far as to write off anyone behaving in such as way as not being protesters at all even if some were. Cripes, it's right there in the quote you used as clear as can be yet you assigned all sorts of other meaning to what he said!

No one has a constitutional right to protest in any way that is violent, causes damage to people or property or otherwise restricts people from freely going about their business... they have a right to PEACEABLY protest which the vast majority have managed to do just fine. Lynch SPECIFICALLY stated what sort of people he was talking about... "those that incited violence on the street in the guise of protest" (and they ARE) - and that SPECIFICALLY ruled out protesters peaceful or otherwise.

And what the hell that has to do with race is anyone's guess.

And yes, if de Blasio was a Repub nobody here would be chastising the police for their grievances or their manner of showing it, and if any cop hater did there would be cries of "why are you supporting a Repuke???"

The very idea that the NYPD that is 60% minority are turning their backs on the mayor because of racism when officers of ALL RACES share the same grievance and officers of ALL RACES turned their backs to him is plain nutty. Geez, not even the media is being that absurd. Of course I don't see it the same way you do because I'm dealing with reality and the actual words Lynch said and you are clearly not, nor do I have a cop hating agenda or fawn at the feet of any politician regardless of what they do. Come on, you just used a quote from Lynch that was clear as could be that he was not talking about protesters and certainly not about peaceful ones. And anyone - protester or not - SHOULD be flamed for behaving in any kind of destructive and/or violent manner... something I've yet to see here except for trying to blame any of it as police "agent provocateurs". It's pretty damn insane for DU to erupt about police officers turning their backs on a mayor yet have nothing at all to say about any of the burning, looting, shootings, throwing of Molotov cocktails, bricks and rocks, beatings of officers, etc.

[Cyrano]

36. "... beatings of officers"? "Molotov cocktails"?

Well, maybe there were a few fire bombs thrown, but it's a big country. I don't specifically recall any beatings of officers, but then I don't read everything.

Dear TTW, you're inclinations and preferences are showing and they don't seem to be those of what used to be called a liberal Dem.

[Neon Gods]

40. OK. We disagree

But, fergawdsakes, there are somethings that really don't have to be said, and one of them is that those who use the peaceful protest as a backdrop or excuse for violence are wrong, are assholes, are violating the law and should be arrested and punished. I've not seen anyone commenting otherwise but maybe you have, but this seems like a given to everyone I know.

Also, you seem convinced that anyone and everyone who criticizes the police has a cop-hating agenda. You're wrong, and because of that you lose a lot of credibility among thoughtful people who are able to discern that one can protest cop misconduct and yet still respect the police in general.

[BronxBoy]

46. How come COPS are never assholes in your world????

How come you are not ragging on the COPS that are obviously causing [problems in the neighborhoods they police never seem to bear your wrath??? Just curious

[brush]

42. The whining about the NYPD is that a cop choked . . .

someone to death on camera and nothing was done about it.

Go on all you want about it not being about racism but most here don't agree with you.

Answer this: Do you think the choke cop should be held accountable for killing Eric Garner?

And how would you know what black cops feel about it when there was a recent story with quotes from black cops who say they feel threatened by white cops when stopped while "driving while black" and off duty?

[JustAnotherGen]

57. Here you go - black cops in NYC feel threatened!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/118710682
Case closed - they are insiders and know more than a few folks down in TX who have probably never even been in Manhattan.

Those cops get the final say - not people who have not spent one thin red cent in NYC in the past month.

[brush]

58. Thanks for the back-up, JustAnotherGen. nt

[JustAnotherGen]

60. Glad to Provide

It! They just want it their way all the time and want us to go fiddle dee and eat barbecue. Smack my god damn head!

[BronxBoy]

45. Please post a link to your claim that 60% of the NYPD is non-white......

I guess thousands of people just woke up one day and decided that the NYPD is full of shit.

There's an obvious problem with policing in NYC, especially racial policing and calling those who object to it whiners and cop haters just shows your true agenda.

I'm Black, from NY and have been racially profiled and stopped and frisked. Have You?

[JustAnotherGen]

61. I know it's the post but survey says that poster is wrong

54% of NYPD is white.

http://nypost.com/2014/09/08/nypd-is-as-diverse-as-new-york-city-itself/

ETA : more data fom The Post

The study, based on Census data and 2007 federal figures for police diversity, shows that:
Whites make up 33 percent of New York City’s population and 54 percent of the NYPD.
Blacks represent 23 percent of the city’s population and 16 percent of the NYPD.
Hispanics make up 28 percent of the city’s population and 24 percent of the NYPD.
Asians represent 13 percent of the population and 4 percent of the NYPD.
The NYPD’s own most-recent numbers show that, as of June 2014, the department has become even more diverse since 2007.


Whites are still over represented on the police force.

The only group that shows as close to the population as possible is Hispanics.

[bettyellen]

53. and 95% of those cops turning there backs were white. How did you miss that?

[MrScorpio]

6. The problem is that people who are outwardly anti-black won't think that they're being racist

They believe that their anti-blackness is completely justified.

[JustAnotherGen]

17. I wouldn't try and reason with her Mr. S

I'm in the camp where I'm just going to start writing what I'm thinking and damn me to hell for it . . .

I've never ONCE seen her have any empathy or understanding for anyone other than herself. She's broke, down on her luck, and it's made her resentful of everyone and everything.

Don't take it personally.

Hurt angry people - hurt other people with their anger. :-- That's an angry person - don't waste your beautiful mind and words on that!

[BronxBoy]

47. And of course...

In her world...COPS never whine

[Neon Gods]

7. Who are they sending a message to?

That's what I'm trying to figure out.

Those who turned their back are a minority of all the cops who attended, right? Surely they know that the NYC residents they are hired to serve voted overwhelmingly for the mayor they turned their back on. They must surely know that turning their back on de Blasio is sending a message to the Black community that they don;t respect any Black authority figure who speaks out about race, so this will only make the NYPD's job harder in some neighborhoods. Are these cops showing solidarity to white cops and whites around the country who believe every black male is a "thug"? I don't know.

Maybe they are just stupid, immature cops who never grew up and who pout and throw tantrums whenever they don't get their way (a trait of the extreme right).

[Hutzpa]

15. ^^ THIS ^^

just like the police officers that were spotted wearing 'I can breath' t-shirts. I will like to see them defend such
derogatory action.

[Cyrano]

27. I missed those t-shirts, but

I've seen similar ones.

The fact that someone was not ashamed to wear that t-shirt, -- the fact that it mocks a man who was choked to death, -- the fact that that the dead man was black. -- The wearer of the t-shirt tells us much about himself/herself and those who "support" him/her.

[Starry Messenger]

22. +1

Lynch has also been making a tour of right-wing cable news--the PBA website links to interviews he's had on Cavuto and Hannity.

So that's part of the audience for the message.

[Hutzpa]

26. And I bet some loves him just for his name alone.

nt.

[Baitball Blogger]

29. The brutal police force is a symptom of institutional racism.

[MrScorpio]

32. Bingo! nt

[madokie]

38. I'd say the short answer to your question is a resounding YES

religion has a lot to do with it too. or I have to say the people who I know personally that are the most racist are the same people who are religious.
I know a few atheist like myself and a few agnostics and for the most part none of them are racist
I was raised color blind and will always be that way. I remember when I first came here I was against the people coming here from south America but my rub was I thought they were the problem with our wages but having spent some time here I realize that the problem lies in them being undocumented therefore having to work under the table and the people who hire them are the ones who are against them being given citizenship because they want that cheap labor pool. It took me a while to get that through my few brain cells but I did get it.

i guess i didn't have a short answer after all

[4139]

41. No racism, no bigotry... Just hard nosed union+nypd v. Mayor politics

New York is different... Years ago there was a campaign in nyc to get the media to stop using the term 'mafia' as it a slur to all Italians ... . The campaign was successful. That campaign of course was run by the major crime families in the city, Joe Columbo et al. 😛

New York is different

[brush]

43. I'm a New Yorker also, a black New Yorker

I vehemently disagree. There is plenty of racism emanating from these police show of disrespect at the Mayor calling for reform. Reform which is so glaringly needed as shown by a white cop CHOKING A BLACK MAN TO DEATH WITH AN BANNED CHOKE HOLD who is then not held accountable.

And the Mayor just happens to have a black wife and kids.

No racism?

Yeah, right.

I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you if you believe there is no racism involved.

[BronxBoy]

48. It's unbelieveable isn't it?????

I'm Black and grew up in in the city and to say that the NYPD does not have racist tendencies is the uttering of blind,deaf and dumb person

[4139]

54. That was not the question, the question was/is...

...are the cops rude turning their back on de blazio driven by racism because his son in black? No

[BronxBoy]

55. Well aren't you special...

I wasn't talking to you

[bettyellen]

56. no, the fact his family include POC is just bonus racism for them- they want to profile and they

want no oversight so they can continue to abuse the people they profile. There's tons of racism in their motives. Not enough for you though?

[brush]

59. Yep, the old saying . . .

"Stevie Wonder can see the racism there" applies to 4139's blindness to obvious racist motives.

The cops want no reform and want to be supported in a choke hold killing of a black man and turn their back on the Mayor who calls for the much needed reform (a man killed on tape), yet 4139 claims no racial bias involved.

Unbelievable is right.

[jdenver_2624]

51. It sure seems like it these days

After all, they seem to have a penchant for locking up young black men for years on petty charges. Let's not forget the recent killing in Ferguson. Though I may be generalizing.

[gwheezie]

52. If a PoC says its racist it is

Here we have black folks who live in NYC saying its racism and since I am neither black nor a resident of nyc I'll take their word for it.