End Police Brutality - O22
Thread started by
md2 at 10.4.10 - 10:03 am
"Unite to Fight"
Website:
O22 March 2010: Unite to Fight
October 22nd is the annual nation wide march to end police brutality. This will be a 3-day march, but the primary march starting on October 22nd, where you can listen to families speak. Please keep in mind -- this is about the families. This is their time to be heard. When the news cycle ends, their struggle is largely forgotten. This is our opportunity to support those that have had their children or other loved ones murdered by the police.
Some recent incident that made the headlines:
Oscar Grant (Oakland)
Manuel Jimanes (McArthur Park, Los Angeles)
Aiyanna Jones (Detroit)
I've been discussing / working with the organizers about getting the bike community to attend primarily to support this cause, but also due to our own recent, though less minor incidents of police brutality.
The organizers are hoping the bike community gets involved (some are and have been in the past -- e.g. Food Not Bombs), and there a few immediate ways to start.
1. Think about organizing a ride to the March.
--Once the route / permit is officially signed off, I will coordinate ride for that Friday.
--Students: organize a group ride from your high school
--Ridazz: setup a ride to attend the march
I'll will confirm route details soon, but the March will end at McArthur park.
2. This Friday, October 8th, there will be a fundraiser at the Blue Monkey bar (Hollywood).
$5 donation at the door.
10% of bar/drink profits will be given to O22 after the first $1000 is earned.
--Maybe the this Friday's ride can make detour and stop by the bar and donate a dollar or so from various ridazz. Just a suggestion.
3. CicLAvia
I'm coordinating some details for members to attend CicLAvia, so please try to visit a table, buy a shirt, grab a flier, or donate. Tentatively, I think we'll have a table at McArthur Park, Hollenbeck Park, and others riding around handing out fliers.
--Anyone interested in helping?
4. Donate to help fund the march. I believe we're only about $1500 or so away from having the minimum needed to secure some items: sound, flat bed truck, fliers, t-shirts.
http://ow.ly/2LZC8
or
Go to paypal.com. Go to send money, and enter october22nd.donations@gmail.com
or
Make check out to: IFCO/October 22, and mail to: October 22, PO Box 2627, New York, NY 10009
5. There will be other fundraisers at open mics, etc. I can update accordingly, but I'd rather focus on what we can do as a bike community.
Feel free to discuss. I will follow up with more info soon.
Thanks
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anyhow, I know the fund raiser isn't directly bike related, but if there is any interest here, then these are some ways to build momentum to support the local community and getting some rides to the march.
Some have been asking, so I'm posting what I think is relevant so far.
peace
md210.4.10 - 11:37 am
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dope dope me and the homies from ovarian psycos have been speaking of a ride against the police keep us posted...or come ride wednesday with us and speak up
resist62610.4.10 - 1:58 pm
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You mean the Police can't just beat and kill suspects as they see fit ?
Dedicated81810.4.10 - 4:27 pm
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finally something worth replying to! I'm sick of being harassed by the police and being escorted on large rides like some ass face fuckn chicken with its head cut off and shopping cart wheels stapled to my body cause some LAPD motorcycle ran over my chicken legs and burnt my wings with a tazer.
rustyshackleford10.4.10 - 5:05 pm
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yes sir one of many reasons why anyjew yall should ride huevo wednesdays and chat with some of us
resist626 responding to a
comment by rustyshackleford
10.4.10 - 5:20 pm
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I would like to encourage holding back at the "fuck the police" responses, but I'm not interested in censoring anyone either. There are many anti-police sentiments throughout our city, and you may find others within the march/ rides that oppose a police force, period.
Let me be clear that I am not trying to promote anti-police philosophy here (maybe elsewhere), but a more specific cause against police-BRUTALITY.
There are other facets to the demonstration, the cause, and it's history, but I can't emphasize enough that there is a far more significant group of people that deserve your focus & attention -- the families who have been victims of unjust police actions.
The disparities that exist between sentencing police officers versus the public is real. The lack of accountability in the LAPD is very disturbing. The untold (i.e. unreported in the media) accounts of unjust shootings, killings, beatings, etc., are very real for numerous people.
Many of us may be outraged at the reports, but we must always remind ourselves that we take a back seat to those who are actual victims. We may be mad and co-sign their stories as unjust and unacceptable, but the people are real, and we should first look to support their chance to be heard, rather than our sound bites about hating the LAPD, etc. (but if thats what you want to do, then I won't stop you).
Thanks for the interest so far...
What would anyone of you like to do to help?
Can you organize a ride from your area?
Make signs?
Im pushing for listening first, and hoping that our own recent outrage via LACM, can extend to families who are victims of police brutality at another level. If kicking a cyclist at LACM made you mad, how do you feel about these other crimes?
md2 responding to a
comment by resist626
10.4.10 - 5:47 pm
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Thanks for asking; I was about to update this today.
The march is now really only 1-day the 22nd. Technically they will have a march on the 23rd, but i would suggest NOT going.
022 Website
The march will occur from Pershing Square to McArthur Park
Gather 2pm
March 3pm
Rally 5pm
Vigil 7pm
peace.
md210.19.10 - 2:09 pm
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Try to attend tomorrow.
There are a few aspects to the gathering that may fit your schedules.
March
Rally
Vigil
You can attend and still make it in time for RWNN.
Though this can come across as a sensitive issue concerning the very strange situation of LAPD on this forum, it is also something I felt comfortable posting because of the recent issues.
The march and Rally is local, and it would be great to see some cyclist attending.
Just to note and clarify, so it doesnt seem like Im try to start some anti-police propaganda. My interest (outside of the cause itself) in O22 this year, because it is a national event, has been twofold:
1) To hopefully (here) bring the larger issues of police brutality to ridazz' (how do you pluralize ridazz?) attention, ever since ridazz have been grappling with the issue as of late. March wise, there has been some interest.
2) As part of an interest to spread bike transportation / culture as a real and viable means for residents, I'm hoping to start figuring out ways for events as such to bypass the "need" and "use" of vehicles to host the events. I suppose there are two other sub aspects to this:
a) In the increasing interest of creating a bike friendly Los Angeles, could our very diverse and very DIY community aid such events? An event which could be mimicked throughout the nation.
b) what would such an image -- of the bike community not only showing support in attendance, but facilitating the transportation of particular items for the event -- demonstrate to local families about bike culture? Would we begin to gain a larger support merely through our facilitation?
In short, I helped out with the event in certain ways, but I made a note of showing in the process that, for example, riding a bike to pick up boxes of fliers is not only something we can do -- but it's not a pain in the ass to do it.
In my mind it's about small things to change the public perception of who these "bike people" are, and what we're capable of doing. We don't just want people to see our rights as cyclist, but our utility as cyclist. The various things I did via bike, Im sure change the way the main organizer perceives the next bike issues brought to their attention. But it also may change how "bike people" are able to help in broader ways than previously thought.
Outside of that, there are many here who share a common interest in a non-hierarchical society, and removing repressive methods, subordination or institutions that create and perpetuate the dichotomy of those suppressed versus the powerful & wealthy. Los Angeles is racially diverse, but the reality is that you yourself can travel these street as see for yourself the disparities that the economic and governmental structures encourage, coincidentally along racial lines (or skin color if you will).
May bike culture continue spread and never fall victim to catering to one group more than another, as many other institutions have.
Anyhow... thats my thought/ post for the day. Enjoy the loss of rain.
md210.21.10 - 11:12 am
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