Abuse of Power

Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S: FRUITVALE STATION: Post Film Impression

Akan Bosemann

I went to see this film with a fellow film buff friend of mine after not having been to the theater damn near all Summer. With the Zimmerman murder trial quickly being forgotten and swept into the recesses of immediate consciousness of the people, here is a film that is yet another reminder and living testimony that speaks to the continual injustices levied upon Black Men in America today.

I thought I knew the story of Fruitvale but confused it with another shooting death in Florida of you guessed it another black youth. I vaguely recalled seeing the media coverage of the incident involving cops on the BART transit system of San Francisco where Oscar Grant III was murdered on the platform of Fruitvale Station by a police officer back in 2009.

This is a film I recommend everyone go and see. See it with your kids, with your family, with your loved ones, and with your friends. Words can’t fully express what I felt watching the struggle shown in the life of this 22 year old black man trying to do right. Trying to turn his life around and take care of his family and responsibilities. It seems like every time that happens a brother gets taken out.

By the end of the film my friend and I sat stuck in our seats watching the credits roll even after the other moviegoers had gotten up and left. This film spoke to my soul. I’m not ashamed to admit tears ran down both sides of my face seeing what took place with eyewitnesses and video recordings of the incident then knowing that the officer who murdered Oscar Grant got a grand total of 11 months for his killing.

Get your minds around that. Michael Vick received 2 years and the loss of an over $100 million dollar contract with the Falcons for “dogfighting”. A human being is murdered in front of many witnesses including fellow police officers by a police officer (who is supposed to serve and protect) and gets 11 months!!!!

Any suprises here? Trial moved, no black person on the jury, impossibly lenient sentence for outright murder because the murderer wore a uniform, badge, nightstick, taser, cuffs and handgun. He claims he mistakenly drew his gun thinking it was his taser. Give me a break!!! He drew his weapon for what purpose? The man was already handcuffed subdued and going nowhere and back up was right there.

Who forgets what side of their waist their gun is on? Trained officer doesn’t know he has a gun in his hand when he squeezes the trigger. Fuck that lying S.O.B and his mother. Anger, frustration, and hatred filled my chest like a overflowing pitcher for an unjust justice system that frees the murderers of black people as if it were a public service. Knowing that this actually happened makes it worse.

I feel alot of times people want to shield their eyes, ears, minds, and hearts from reality because it’s too much for them to face. It’s easier to tell oneself, it’s fiction and didn’t really happen or didn’t happen the way “they” say it did.

I as a black man know all to well that for me this is part of my existence every day that I’m alive and walk this earth. What are we to do when our lives are viewed and treated with so little regard? Why are our lives valued as less than that of dogs? Why are our victims of violence and outright murder blamed for their deaths and all consideration given to their murderers?

With every acquittal, or reduced sentence or “slap on the wrist” for the killers of black people in America I wonder how many more will it take before there is a mass violent uprising against the perpetrators? How many more innocent black lives have to be lost before we say enough?

If we aren’t safe and secure in our own persons walking the street or riding the subway then no one is safe. Everyone held a collective breath following the verdict of the Zimmerman trial fearing the worst. Much to the delight of the mainstream media and many Zimmerman supporters nothing happened.

Lip service, half hearted condolences and cliche’s tossed about like appetizers at a party while glossing over of the loss of life of another black youth was what we got. How in God’s name even with video showing the incident can a cop get off with 11 months for outright murder?

I bet if any of these black victims were white and/or the officers black we’d be talking about the death penalty for the officers not 11 months. This film should be up for best picture come award season. Oscar Grant III’s story was told in a poignant, truthful, factual and powerful way.

Fruitvale is an immediate must have for my film library once it’s out of the theaters.

Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S: Being Black in America (Chad Johnson headed to Jail)

Written by Akan Bosemann

Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson, found out today what being a Black Male let alone Celebrity can expect to encounter in the judicial system. Prejudice and Racism are alive and well and always donning various outfits. Some of them old, some of them new, some with face lifts to present time tested tried and true practices.

For those of you who haven’t heard about this by now. Here is the crux of the situation. Chad Johnson former NFL pro bowl wide receiver had a domestic violence case stemming from an incident he had last summer with his newly wed wife, a reality show actress.

He was put on probation and missed a meeting with his P.O. and so he had a court date today to address that. The plea deal reached would allow that he wouldn’t have any jail time and was all set until an ego-maniacally acting judge revoked the deal because, as she stated she didn’t believe he was taking the court case seriously by patting his attorney on the ass and saying good job.

Now before you leap to the conclusion he deserved what he got one has to understand the context of what was unfolding right before our eyes. First off, an agreement had already been reached. The judge was satisfied with the deal. Chad was then asked if he was happy with the services and representation his attorney provided to him by the judge.

This is important because the judge asked him the question. She went on to tell him that he should be very happy with his attorney and that she knows he’s a good attorney and does good work. Chad tells her his attorney’s awesome and he is happy with his representation. It is at that moment that he lightly pats his attorney as most athletes do to one another on the ass.

The sheriffs along with some other people present in the courtroom then laugh openly in response. He did what came natural to him as an athlete in response to the judge’s prodding him almost imploring him to demonstrate physically how grateful he should have been to have this plea agreement come out good for him.

Then suddenly, she snaps and says she’s not accepting the agreement and asks if Chad thinks there’s something funny about the days events. Chad never smiled or laughed and says he doesn’t find anything funny. He even looked behind him at the people who were laughing. She yells the whole court room was laughing and she isn’t accepting the plea deal.

If you view the video footage of the black sheriffs who laughed they suddenly stop laughing when they realize their laughter just got Chad Johnson a fellow black person sent to jail for thirty days. Yet Chad gets the blame from Stephen A Smith and Skip Bayless. It doesn’t matter that they believe he was stupid.

The judge simply over reacted and took her emotions out on him for what others were doing. If anything the judge should have realized he (Chad) has no control over the actions of other people. In addition it was the sheriffs who were unprofessional in their response by laughing out loud.

TMZ’s Harvey Levin spoke to all these points and I was surprised to say the least, to see and hear him in defense of Chad Johnson. That woman needs to be in jail for thirty days for her gross over reaction. Even the attorney whose ass was patted said he didn’t believe it was in any way meant as a sign of disrespect to the court.

America take a good look at yourself in the face and dare cry about how black people are always complaining about injustice. Here we have another example of it on video. The evidence is indisputable if you’re a reasonable and rational thinking person.

If not God bless you that some day your mind will be lifted out of your ass. At the end of the day what I took away from what I saw was a white female judge satisfying herself and her ego by arbitrarily sending a Black Man to jail as if she had just undergone a rite of passage. Sick to my stomach!!