Dick Gregory Was Right

Dick Gregory was right. You cannot reform a cop.

How do you reform someone who shoots and kills a child playing in a playground? How you do you reform someone who beats a homeless man to death as he screams? How do you reform someone who shoots a little girl sleeping on her couch and blames her elderly grandmother? How do you reform someone who feeds a homeless person feces?

You can't. No amount of sensitivity training is going to fix that. You're not fixing that with community outreach programs. You can't appeal to the morality of someone who would do such things. You can't train someone not to hate. That's not reality and despite what people say we all know it.

You don't reform police. You give them something to lose. You force them to make a choice. Do you hate Black people more than you love your freedom? Do you hate Black people more than you love feeding your family? Do you hate Black people more than you love losing your livelihood and the things closest to you?

Without something to lose racist and corrupt officers have zero incentive to modify their behaviors. Take away qualified immunity. Require officers to be insured. Prosecute corrupt police and send them to prison. Give them something to lose.

That's the only way you'll see change

To Whom It May Concern...

To Whom It May Concern, 

I do not write this in a threatening or intimidating fashion. This isn't tough talk or aggressive posturing or any of that. It is simply a point of fact. 

Black people are watching. Closely. We are aware and we are tired. Please believe that those of us who are concerned about the current climate are preparing. We will have no intentions of being victims and we have no intentions of revisiting days gone that some of you consider to be great. 

I think I speak for many of my kinfolk when I say we will respect everyone. But let me be clear: We will take care of the homefront. We will protect ourselves and our families. We will not suffer dehumanization or disrespect. At all. 

I say this with no anger, malice, or hatred. Black people will do what we must. We always have. We always will. Please make a note of it.

I'm Tired...

I'm tired of it.

Literally all we want is for police to stop shooting and killing unarmed and innocent Black people. That's it. That's literally all we asked for. For agents of the state to stop shooting and murdering unarmed Black civilians. 

Instead we get an unarmed brother shot in the back seven times. We get a sister shot dead in her home as she slept. We get a sister shot dead through a window as police crept through her yard. We get a child shot dead sleeping on the couch. We get a child shot dead playing in the playground. 

On top of that we get gaslighted and told that the shooting and/or killing of our unarmed kinfolk was justified. We watch as these murderers go unpunished. We are expected to accept it as we grieve the loss of our loved ones. 

And you wonder why there is civil unrest. You wonder why people are in the streets.  You wonder why there is protest. You wonder why buildings are on fire. It's because people are tired. 

Enough is enough

Stop It. You Are Not "Pro-Life"

Greetings Sisters, brothers, and kinfolk

Today I want to send a very clear and very direct message to those who feel compelled to defend the draconian, regressive, and barbaric abortion laws that were recently passed in Alabama and Georgia. I want them to know how I feel in no uncertain terms.

You are not "pro-life". Nothing about your position is "pro-life". Nothing you say or do suggests "pro-life". You seek to not only rob women of their autonomy but to ultimately rob people of their civil rights. I have a theory as to why you want this but I'll save that for another post. Suffice to say right now that your position is not about protecting life. It's not about protecting innocent unborn children. It's not about any of that bullshit. All of that is a lie. You are not pro-life. You know it. I know it.

I know it because I know that you're completely unwilling to do anything to aid that "innocent child". Nothing. You are not willing to contribute one cent to the prenatal care of the mother of that "innocent child". You are not willing to contribute one cent to make sure that child has even the most basic of needs. You don't even want your tax dollars, which you must pay regardless, going toward helping that child. You aren't willing to help that child eat. You aren't willing to help make sure that child has decent healthcare. You aren't even willing to help make sure that child has simple things like diapers or blankets. You have zero desire to assist in any way or contribute one shiny nickel toward that child's needs. You have zero desire to aid in that child's LIFE. You couldn't care less about the quality of that child's LIFE.

It goes even further beyond that. Because you're not even willing to invest time or emotional energy into that "innocent child". You're not going to mentor that innocent child. You're not going to help teach that child about love and community. You're not going to take time out to speak to that child. To share your life experiences and wisdom so that innocent child doesn't make poor choices. You're not going to embrace that child and help guide them in the right direction. Things that cost you nothing, save for time and compassion. But you're not even going to that. You don't give a shit about the trajectory of that child's LIFE. You have no interest in preparing that innocent child for LIFE in our society.

How do I know you're not going to do any of that shit? Because I hear you. Because I see you. I hear you when you whine about how your tax dollars are going to "lazy poor people". I see you when you look the other way when our "innocent children" fall victims to the many predators in our society. I see you when you ignore the needs of young people then blame them for what ails society. Again nothing you say or do suggests you give a damn about the LIFE of those innocent children you pretend to champion.

So stop it. Please. Stop saying you are pro-life. Call yourselves something else. Because you're not pro-life. You know it. I know it. We all know it. Stop the bullshit. Please and thank you.

Follow your big brother on Twitter @DocSinn. Support The Pavement by donating to https://patron.podbean.com/pavementmedia and follow the podcast once we get it crackin https://pavementmedia.podbean.com

Stop Appealing To Racist Sociopaths

Sisters. Brothers. Kinfolk.

This morning I watched a disturbing and horrific video where an officer executed a Black woman in cold blood. Yes, I said executed. This woman was lying on the ground screaming "I'm pregnant" when the officer shot her five times at point blank range. The video is as disturbing as it is infuriating. Every time I see these incidents, which happen all to often, it reminds me of the world we live in.

What disturbs me even more is when I saw the video it was posted by a white woman with a caption making excuses for the officer. It brought me almost to my breaking point. Please understand: I will not suffer gas lighting white folks (or apologetic Black folks) who have zero empathy for Black life. I will not appeal to the morality and sense of decency of people who lack a moral center. I will not try to explain that police make a conscious choice to discharge their weapons to those who would exonerate murderers no matter what I say. I've BEEN done with you. You are my enemy. I will address you as such. I will treat you as such. You are sociopaths. I will address you as such. I will treat you as such.

Already there are people trying to justify this public execution by saying she grabbed his taser. I ask why was he struggling with her to begin with? Why did he grab her to begin with? The story is supposedly that he was on a routine patrol and he saw her, knew her, and thought she might have a warrant out for her arrest. If that's the case, there are several ways he could've handled it besides getting into a struggle with her and firing five shots at point blank range while she layed on the ground screaming "I'm pregnant!".

As I said though, I'm long past the point of arguing, explaining, or even discussing this with those who believe shooting a pregnant woman lying on the ground, who may have had mental issues, is justified. I'm past the point of trying to open eyes. I'm past the point of trying to make people understand. If you think it's justified to execute an unarmed woman in the street to hell with you. If you think it's OK to run into a yard and shoot children to hell with you. If you think it's OK to run into someone's home and shoot a little girl sleeping on the couch in the head to hell with you.

I have nothing for you gas lighting sociopaths. Because you have nothing for me. No empathy. No respect. And certainly no love. Discussions have ended. We have now reached a point where we as Black people must come together as a community and decide how we proceed. We are surrounded by tyrannical, corrupt, racist law enforcement. We are surrounded by gas lighting bigots. We are surrounded by boot licking apologists. It's clear, at least to me, that human decency will not win the day. If we are going to stop the assassination of our mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, and kinfolk we're going to have to resist them. Because they have proven time and again that they care absolutely nothing for Black life. Arguing or engaging in discussion with sociopaths who couch their racial bias and hated with support for corrupt law enforcement is a waste of time and energy.

Thank you for reading. Follow @DocSinn. Support The Pavement https://www.patron.podbean.com/pavementmedia  Support the podcast when it drops https://pavementmedia.podbean.com

There Are No Lone Wolves

Good afternoon Sisters, Brothers, and Kinfolk,

I want to build on something that has been bothering me for quite some time.  As you may already know a white supremacist in California opened fire in a synagogue killing one and injuring several others. Authorities believe that the young man was a "lone wolf" and that he acted alone. Reports that I have read indicate that the young man left a manifesto filled with typical hateful, bigoted, and racist language.

What's bothering me, aside from the fact that there has been yet ANOTHER domestic terror attack committed by a white supremacist, is this constant desire by the media and law enforcement to label these pieces of trash "lone wolves". I don't know how or when that got started but it's past time for that shit to end. There are no lone wolves and it's time we stop pretending there are. These people are connected and these incidents are connected and I want people to stop pretending they're not.

These killers are linked to each other in a number of ways. They inspire each other. They are often motivated by each other's actions. They empower each other. They are often moved by the manifestos left by other white supremacists. They congregate with each other. Social media has made it easier for them to link up and share their hateful ideology. We hear authorities and the media talking about lone wolves but when you take a closer look it's easy to see that these beasts run in a pack.

The media in particular seems to be in love with this narrative that these white supremacists are social misfits who were radicalized by movies, video games, or some other nonsense. They often paint them as outcasts who lashed out at a society who didn't understand them(I happen to hate this shit btw). The truth though is that many of these people become radicalized by mainstream news outlets who continually push bigoted and racist narratives(but that's a topic for another post).

If we are truly going to be honest we are going to have to admit that these "lone wolves" are just furthering the bloody racist legacy of America. These "lone wolves" are the terrible children of the bigoted, hateful racists that built this country on a foundation of white supremacy. These "social misfits" are just doing what they learned from their fathers, grandfathers, and great grandfathers. These "outcasts" are motivated by a system that continues to promote racial bias and continues to perpetuate fearmongering.

So if it's all the same to y'all, I move that we retire the term "lone wolf". There are no lone wolves. There never were. These killers are bound to each other and born of a society that taught them that whiteness is superior to all things. Calling them lone wolves is a feeble attempt to wash one's hands clean and avoid taking responsibility. These wolves are your pups America. Own them.

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Establishment Democrats Are Still Afraid of Trump

Good Afternoon Sisters, Brothers, and Kinfolk

Over the weekend I read an article from the Washington Post stating how democrats should be wary of impeaching Donald Trump. The article implied that impeachment could likely do more harm than good. It stated how impeachment was basically DOA once it reached the senate and talked about how impeaching Trump could rally and energize his base. The article also floated the idea of formal censure as an alternative. Needless to say, with respect to the author, I found this article ridiculous (not to mention typical). The article did everything to reinforce the narrative that democrats are weak and will always back down in the face of opposition. It also reinforced the narrative that democrats, particularly establishment democrats, by and large are still afraid of Donald Trump.

I mean let's start with the idea of formal censure. I tweeted "Who believes that President Twitter Fingers is going to be moved an inch by formal censure?" Why would he even care? Censure is a weak, hollow, pointless gesture that would accomplish little beyond showing Trump that you're not going to do anything and showing your base that you lack the fortitude to hold him accountable. Now some would ask "Isn't impeachment also pointless because it's dead once it reaches the senate?". The answer is no. Impeachment would show Trump in no uncertain terms that democrats are willing to get up in him and fight him. It would show the base that they are not at all afraid and are willing to use every option at their disposal to defeat him. It would place the onus on Republicans to do their jobs and hold their president accountable.

Then there is the even more ridiculous notion that impeachment would rally and energize his base and encourage those who may be on the fence to get behind him. That is a bad joke. Anyone who votes for Donald Trump, knowing who he is, seeing how he has behaved, and knowing full well what he's done over the past 3 years, was going to vote for him anyway. Trump's base is already motivated and energized. They're already eager to vote for him again. Trump remains a habitual liar. Trump remains morally bankrupt. Trump remains a bigoted narcissist. His base and supporters know exactly who and what he is. It's WHY they are voting for him. What establishment democrats should be thinking about is how they can energize their OWN base. Showing you are willing to impeach an unqualified, lawless president would go a long way to garnering some confidence from those who you're counting on in 2020.

In my opinion fear of impeachment and this fear of Trump is rooted in the foolish notion that the path for victory for democrats is down the center. Establishment democrats still believe that they can "win over" independents who voted for Trump and moderate Republicans. This silly idea has been has been perpetuated by many prominent democrats and democratic presidential hopefuls. They are afraid to rile up Trump because they foolishly believe they can peel some of his supporters away. This is nonsense and will do nothing beyond taking the air out of their own base and ensuring another four years of Donald Trump fuckery. Establishment democrats have a long history of shooting themselves in the foot.

If democrats truly want to make a difference in 2020 they are going to have to let go of this irrational fear of Donald Trump and show some backbone. I mean let's be honest. If this were Barack Obama impeachment proceedings would've began months ago. Right now the image of democrats is still one of flaccid weakness and spineless ineptitude and this fear of impeachment is just another highlight. It's past time they take stock and start finding the strength to aggressively challenge Trump. Stop giving the bully your lunch money.

Thank you for reading.

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