 |
| University of Missouri Demands (via thedemands.org) |
National Mobilization of College Campuses
This month has been an electrifying time for student
activism on college campuses across the country. Following the well-publicized
University of Missouri protests that led to the resignation of Mizzou president
Timothy W. Wolfe, media coverage has shined light on the countless student
movements that were already building nationwide. According to thedemands.org, students of color from at least 65 different colleges and
universities have put forth a list of demands. The website goes even further to
link student demands to the national demands of Black Lives Matter protesters.
Many student organizers, fed-up with the structural racism perpetuated by
institutions of higher education, have called for the resignation of chief
administrators. Ithaca College students most notably have called for the
resignation of President Tom Rochon, and through the Student Government have
officially placed a no-confidence vote.
 |
| Jennifer Laude |
U.S Marine Guilty for the Murder of A Filipino Trans Woman
On December 1st, U.S marine Joseph Pemberton was found
guilty of homicide by the Olongapo City
Regional Trial Court for the 2014 killing of Filipino transgender woman Jennifer
Laude. Pemberton was on a break in October 2014 after participating in a United
States colonial military operation in the Philippines. Laude and Pemberton met
at a disco in Olngapo City and the U.S marine strangled Laude in a hotel room
after discovering that she was a transgender woman. The Olongapo City Regional
Trial Court has sentenced Pemberton to 6-12 years and a forced payment of 4.5
million pesos (130,000 U.S$) to the Laude family. The court has also ordered
he pay 50,000 pesos for civil indemnity, 155,255 as reimbursement for the wake
and burial, 50,000 for moral damages, and 30,000 for exemplary damages.
The Philippine government has also served five subpoenas to
the U.S. Embassy. The situation has strained the relationship between the two countries
and many Philippine transgender rights activist have called for the
cancellation of the Philippines-United States Visiting Forces Agreement. Protesters have railed against the special
treatment of Pemberton, who is currently been held at a U.S facility instead of
a Filipino jail. The Philippines, which was formally colonized by the United
States, is occupied by thousands of U.S marines who come to train on Philippine
soil each year.
Daniel Holtzclaw Trial: #BlackWomenMatter
Former Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw has
been charged with raping 13 Black women and is currently on trial. Holtzclaw
used his position on the force to do background checks on numerous women, stalk
them, and ultimately coerce them into sex. Holtzclaw was fired from the force
in January of 2015. In the first proceedings of the trial defense attorney
Scott Adams made numerous racist attempts to discredit the testimonies of the
affected women by focusing heavily on incriminating them. Irrelevant questions about
their drug use were also pursued as if this some how justified the disgusting
actions of Holtzclaw. The trial was before an all-white jury in a justice
system that has historically failed to protect woman of color from sexual abuse
and white supremacist patriarchy. The trial also failed to get the proper media
attention that it should. In early November the courtroom was nearly empty and
the large scale support enjoyed by men of color who are victims of policing
violence was absent for the women in this case. Two more woman came forward to
testify against Holtzclaw in late November. On December 10th in a wonderful
turn of events, Holtzclaw was found guilty of 16 of the 36 charges brought
against him and will be facing time in prison. Sentencing will be set for
January 21st.
Freddie Gray Trial Begins In Baltimore
The trial of Baltimore police officer William G. Porter for
the extrajudicial murder of Freddie Gray began December 2nd. Porter, who is
Black, is the first of six Baltimore City police officers to stand trial for
Gray's death. Porter has pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary
manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment, and misconduct in office. On
April 12th, 2014 Freddie Gray suffered a fatal spinal cord injury at the hands
of Baltimore police officers which incited a series BLM protests. Prosecutors
say that Porter failed to seek out medical attention for Gray and neglected to
seat-belt him in the transport van when it was clear that he had serious spinal
injuries. Prosecutors are trying Porter first because he can serve as a
material witness against the other officers in the case.
Muslim Taxi Driver Shot in Pittsburgh
In Pittsburgh a Muslim taxi driver was shot in the
back Thanksgiving day by an anti-Muslim passenger. The 38-year-old man, who
chooses to remain unidentified, had picked up the passenger in what seemed to
be a normal car ride. The passenger began ranting about ISIS and asked where
the taxi driver was from. He replied that he is against ISIS and that he is
from Morocco. The driver then proceeded to talk about The Prophet Muhammad.
Once the taxi reached its destination in Pittsburgh's Hazelwood
area, the passenger asked the taxi to wait while he retrieve his wallet in the
house. The passenger returned with a loaded rifle and shot at the back of the
car as the diver took off. The taxi driver is in stable condition with a bullet
wound between his shoulder blades. The council on American-Islamic Relations
has called for the Justice Department to investigate the incident as a hate crime.
Anti-Muslim sentiments have been increasingly violent especially with the Paris
attacks and the rejection of Syrian refugees.
White Supremacist Terror In Minneapolis
The November 23rd attacks on Black Lives Matter protesters
outside of the Forth Precinct have left five Black males injured.
#Justice4Jamar #4thPrecintShutdown protest had remain non-violent when four
white men infiltrated the crowd with ski masks and kevlar vests. When the men
began shouting racial slurs they were asked to leave by protesters and escorted
to their car. Once at their vehicle the men opened fire. Police officers
intentionally delayed their response, taunting protesters and telling concerned
activist that "they had asked for this." They proceeded to pepper
spray protesters waiting for the ambulance and continued to break up the
encampment. 26-year-old Daniel Macey, 27 year-old
Joseph Backman, 21-year-old Nathan Gustavsson, and 23-year-old Allen Scarsella
have all been accused of the shooting. All face various counts of riot and assault
with a dangerous weapon. They are due in court in January.
THE DECOLONIZER
December 2015
Read the full newsletter here »
No comments:
Post a Comment