Photo from Getty Images

by: Joseph "Jazz" Hayden

May 17, 2015 - The decision not to indict the white police officer by the first black District attorney of Wisconsin raises the question of the importance of skin color over “the content of character” and “Token” representation in  our political leadership.

In Ferguson we saw the results, some say, of the lack of “black” representation in the political process, where blacks represented 67% of the general population, for the failure to gain indictments for police murders.

In Baltimore there existed the exact opposite. Blacks are fully represented in the political process from police commissioner, City Council, Mayor, State Attorney, state legislature, and Congress of the United States.  The Black states attorney indicted 6 police officers for the death of a Blackman and the Mayor called in the U.S. Attorney General to investigate the police policy and practice.

The Black District Attorney of Wisconsin chose not to indict a white police officer for the killing of an unarmed black man after invading his home and shooting him seven times.

Does the color of the skin of public officials matter?  How are these three examples informative?

Virtually no Black political representation in Ferguson, full representation in Baltimore, and token representation in Wisconsin provided the context for outcomes. The outcomes in Ferguson and Wisconsin were the same, Baltimore was different (and swiftly so). All of these outcomes have one thing in common, they were political. Each catalytic event was followed by broad demonstrations and press coverage and, all were decided by elected officials that responded to their constituents. Politics?  It seems indisputable. Ferguson showed us the result of massive demonstration with no political representation. Wisconsin showed us peaceful demonstration with Token Black political representation. And, Baltimore showed us what massive and disruptive demonstrations with full political representation could accomplish. All three examples had demonstrations in common but only one had dominant political representation. Ferguson and Wisconsin were trying to clap with one hand (demonstration)and Baltimore clapped with two hands, demonstrations and politics, and were heard.

Conclusion : (1)until we control the politics of our communities we will continue having the negative outcomes of Ferguson and Wisconsin, and (2)until we elect politicians based on the content of their character instead of just the color of their skin we will continue to have the ineffective and token representation that they have in Wisconsin. 

Joseph Jazz Hayden is also the Founder of the, The Campaign to End the New Jim Crow (CENJC). CENJC is about to launch a local, citywide, statewide , and national campaign to empower poor communities of color to assert their interest in the political process by organizing their communities to speak in a unified political voice for their communities interest. We welcome all our friends and allies to join us in this endeavor. We will need media, grassroots organizers, politicians, faith based communities, unions, prisoners, service providers, entertainers, community stakeholders, funders, and all who can contribute in any way.]

December 15, 2014

While New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio hosted a holiday party at his Gracie Mansion home, protestors gathered outside as part of a demonstration called, #Mansionshutdown.  The Protest was Organized by Justice League NYC as a continued response to the police misconduct and recent killings going on in our communities. 

First is a video of Rapper and activist Immortal Technique who was a part of the protest and spoke to the crowd about the broad issues at hand. He also recited one of his pieces.

In this next video, a protestor discusses the hypocrisy of Mayor Bill De Blasio an and his policing policy of, Broken Windows.  She compares the policy to stop and frisk and policies we have seen in the past.

Justice League's call to action for the protest read as follows, "On Tuesday, December 9th, Justice League NYC sent a letter to Mayor De Blasio to meet with us to discuss our demands. As of today, we have not received a response from anyone in his administration. But tonight he's having a party and Justice League NYC want you to join us-with bells on!"

Click to read more ...

It's been almost 4 years since Israel's last major acts of military agression against Palestinian's in Gaza. This was All Things Harlem coverage of New Yorkers reaction to this military campaign 4 years ago.  What has changed?

Photos: from Rally/March to Israeli Consulate - 01/03/2009

Photos from Rally/March to Israeli Consulate 01/03/2009 from All Things Harlem on Vimeo.

Video: Rally Against Israeli Aggression in Gaza - Harlem State Office Building 01-10-2009

Rally Against Israeli Aggression in Gaza - Harlem State Office Building 01-10-2009 from All Things Harlem on Vimeo.

Video: Answer Coalition on Gaza - 01-09-09

Answer Coalition on Gaza - 01-09-09 from All Things Harlem on Vimeo.

After halting his execution in a last minute reprieve on Wednesday night, the Supreme Court of the United States refused to consider Troy Davis's request for a stay of execution.

He was murdered by the state of Georgia, a little after 11 pm, Wednesday night.

Hundreds turned out in Harlem on Wednesday before the final decision came in. We vowed that we would rally tomorrow in Union Square at 5.

For everyone who is heart-broken...
For everyone who is outraged...
For everyone who has been touched by Troy's case...

Please come.

Troy may be lost but his fight goes on. FORWARD THIS MESSAGE, and don't let his state-sanctioned murder pass in silence.

"We Are All Troy Davis"

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Join the Campaign to End the Death Penalty, New York, on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=107530109270596

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A letter from Troy Davis:

To All:

I want to thank all of you for your efforts and dedication to Human Rights and Human Kindness, in the past year I have experienced such emotion, joy, sadness and never ending faith. It is because of all of you that I am alive today, as I look at my sister Martina I am marveled by the love she has for me and of course I worry about her and her health, but as she tells me she is the eldest and she will not back down from this fight to save my life and prove to the world that I am innocent of this terrible crime.

As I look at my mail from across the globe, from places I have never ever dreamed I would know about and people speaking languages and expressing cultures and religions I could only hope to one day see first hand. I am humbled by the emotion that fills my heart with overwhelming, overflowing Joy. I can’t even explain the insurgence of emotion I feel when I try to express the strength I draw from you all, it compounds my faith and it shows me yet again that this is not a case about the death penalty, this is not a case about Troy Davis, this is a case about Justice and the Human Spirit to see Justice prevail.

I cannot answer all of your letters but I do read them all, I cannot see you all but I can imagine your faces, I cannot hear you speak but your letters take me to the far reaches of the world, I cannot touch you physically but I feel your warmth everyday I exist.

So Thank you and remember I am in a place where execution can only destroy your physical form but because of my faith in God, my family and all of you I have been spiritually free for some time and no matter what happens in the days, weeks to come, this Movement to end the death penalty, to seek true justice, to expose a system that fails to protect the innocent must be accelerated. There are so many more Troy Davis’. This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe. We need to dismantle this Unjust system city by city, state by state and country by country.

I can’t wait to Stand with you, no matter if that is in physical or spiritual form, I will one day be announcing,

“I AM TROY DAVIS, and I AM FREE!”

Never Stop Fighting for Justice and We will Win!