The City Council’s Black, Latino & Asian Caucus (BLAC) yesterday condemned police violence and extended their deepest condolences to the family of Alton Sterling, who was tragically killed two days ago by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
However, the ink was barely dry on their written words, when in Minnesota a woman streamed live the aftermath of another fatal police officer shooting of another black man, Philando Castile, whose car was pulled over for a broken taillight.
“Our national landscape is peppered with the bodies of countless unarmed people of color who are being routinely killed by police simply for “looking suspicious” or for engaging in everyday behavior that would otherwise not warrant such extreme and lethal responses by police,” said BLAC in a joint statement.
“As members of our respective communities, many of us easily forget that police violence and misconduct are not unique to specific localities. Rather, it is undeniably clear that the use of excessive force by police is a systemic issue across our nation, and we cannot allow this to continue happening anywhere, because injustice in one community threatens justice in all communities. We stand in solidarity with the people of Baton Rouge during this difficult time, and pledge to continue fighting against all forms of police violence whenever and wherever they occur.”
Following the Castile death, BLAC Chair City Council Member Robert Cornegy Jr. (Bed-Stuy, Northern Crown Heights), who has six children, said this in a Facebook post this morning (cleaned for grammar):
“The tension in my collective community is at an all time high. This morning alone I have heard from pastors, business owners, elected officials, frustrated mothers and my own children and its only 10 a.m.! My parents, God rest their respective souls, believed that the great equalizer in this country was education. Well I currently hold a masters degree and so does my wife, but I don’t feel any safer. What do I tell my kids, to get PhD’s!”
Meanwhile, Public Advocate Letitia James said her thoughts and prayers are with the families of both Alton Sterling and Philando Castile during this difficult time.
“Like millions of Americans, I am deeply troubled by the disturbing videos of two recent incidents between police officers and black men, one in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and the other outside Minneapolis, Minnesota. While we still do not have all the details of the events that transpired, what we do know is that two men are dead, families are grieving, and we need answers. I am confident that the Department of Justice will conduct thorough investigations of both incidents and that justice will be served,” said James.
Among the few that sent press releases expressing views on the issue to KCP was Kate Cucco, the white Democratic insurgent candidate for the 46th Assembly District seat against freshman Assembly member Pam Harris, who is black. The district covers Coney Island and Bay Ridge.
“Let me start by saying I am well-aware that I am a white woman. And therefore I can only speak from my life experiences as a white woman. I would never pretend to know what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes. What I can tell you is when I watched the Alton Sterling and Philando Castile footage I was overcome with overwhelming feelings of sadness, anger and outrage, all while thinking to myself: ‘here we go again,’” said Cucco.
“As someone who is very active with my local police precincts, serving as Vice President of the 68th Precinct Community Council, I support and have the utmost respect for the brave men and women in law enforcement who put their lives on the line each and every day to protect and serve our communities. But, at the same time, no one is above the law and you would have to be living on another planet if you didn’t think people of color in America get treated differently by law enforcement than white people do. People of color are often instinctively met with aggression and force while white people get treated with courtesy and restraint.
“122 Black persons have been killed by U.S. law enforcement this year alone. The status quo is not working. Our criminal justice system is beyond broken. Communities of color believe they are unfairly targeted and treated differently simply because of the color of their skin while white people get treated in a much more respectful manner. The reality is that policing methods need to change and I am not afraid to speak out and advocate for changes that will allow law enforcement to do their jobs properly and safely while getting the support back from the communities they serve.”
