Monday, June 8, 2020

A tale of two Texas Cities: Part II

People wonder why I'm so pissed off, why I support the concept of #BlackLivesMatter (but not the website).  Why I say things like "The riots need to continue." and "Minneapolis deserves to burn."

Of course right now the death of George Floyd is in the news, and people might think that I'm just caught up in the hype.

People would be wrong.  To quote Ice-T: "When someone says All lives matter in response to black lives matter, you're diluting the issue, you're falling for a bait and switch."

It's been almost two years since I posted A tale of two Texas Cities, it seems not much has changed.

I'm not going to talk much about George Floyd.  Everyone's talking about George Floyd, and people seem to think it's an isolated incident, the bait and switch has already begun, the autopsy report says Big George had fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system, and people around me are saying "Well obviously he was a criminal, cops sometimes have to kill criminals in the line of duty." to that I say "Go watch the Video." Watch George Floyd beg for his life with a knee on his neck saying "I can't breathe, I'll get in the car" and the officer with his knee on his neck taunt back "Well, get up and get in the car then.".  It reminded me of a schoolyard bully saying "Stop hitting yourself.".

If watching a man die while someone taunts him doesn't make your blood boil with anger keep reading, maybe I can help get you there.


A tale of two Texas cities, two years later.
Same two cities, Dallas and Fort Worth.  Situations even more similar than last time, very different results.

In Fort Worth, The Tarrant County District Attorney's Office confirmed murder indictment against the former officer, Aaron Dean, 35, in the shooting death of Atatiana Jefferson, a 28-year-old pre-med graduate student.

In Dallas, Tony Timpa.  The gist of the story is that Tony calls the 911 he tells the dispatcher that he suffers from schizophrenia and depression and that he is off his meds, he says he's afraid and needs help.  By the time the police get there private security has handcuffed Tony.

Cue bodycam footage.  I'll let you read the article and watch for yourself.  I can't, I'm already too pissed off, in case you can't either, here's an excerpt from the article describing the incident:

He never threatens to hurt or kill the police.
The footage also shows the officers mocking Timpa as he struggled to live. Shortly after one officer ridicules Timpa’s repeated cries for help, an officer notes that he appears to be “out cold.”
They joke that he’s merely asleep and try to wake him: “It’s time for school. Wake up!”
One officer mimics a teen saying: “I don’t want to go to school! Five more minutes, Mom!”
They joke about buying him new shoes for the first day of school and making him a special breakfast, laughing loudly.

By the way, Tony is white.  That really shouldn't make a difference, but just in case you're of the opinion that the campaign should be #AllLivesMatter, how 'bout if we just keep that information to ourselves and say:

Instead of getting off the topic of certain police departments allowing cops 3rd degree murder (at least) with immunity let's just go with this one, the one in the headlines NOW and demand that congress write a law requiring a federal manslaughter investigation EVERY TIME someone dies in police custody NOW, THIS TIME, before someone else dies needlessly.

 Fort Worth did the right thing, and by the way, so far it's the largest city in the United States that hasn't had rioting.  I'm proud of that.  The Men and Women of the FWPD should be proud of that, it appears they're doing a good job and should be applauded.  Yeah, I can Back the Blue in MY hometown, can you say the same for yours?

No Lives Matter







No Lives Matter
It's unfortunate that we even have to say 'Black Lives Matter'
I mean, if you go through history nobody ever gave a fuck
I mean, you can kill black people in the street
Nobody goes to jail, nobody goes to prison
But when I say 'Black Lives Matter' and you say 'All Lives Matter'
That's like if I was to say 'Gay Lives Matter'
And you say 'All Lives Matter'
If I said, 'Women's Lives Matter' and you say 'All Lives Matter'
You're diluting what I'm saying
You're diluting the issue
The issue isn't about everybody, it's about black lives, at the moment
But the truth of the matter is, they don't really give a fuck about anybody
If you break this shit all the way down to the low fucking dirty-ass truth
We say that 'Black Lives Matter'
Well truthfully they really never have
No one ever really gave a fuck
Just read your bullshit history books
But honestly it ain't just black
It's yellow, it's brown, it's red
It's anyone who ain't got cash
Poor whites that they call trash
They can't, fuck with us
Once they realise we're all on the same side
They can't, split us up
And let them prosper off the divide
They can't, fuck with us
Once they realize we're all on the same side
They can't, split us up
And let them prosper off the divide
Don't fall for the bait and switch
Racism is real, but not it
They fuck whoever can't fight back
But now we gotta change all that
The people have had enough
Right now, it's them against us
This shit is ugly to the core
When it comes to the poor
No lives matter
America's always been
A place that judge my skin
And racism is real as fuck
Ain't no way to play that off
And in the eyes of the law
Black skin has always stood for poor
This is basic shit
They know who they fucking with
They can't, fuck with us
Once they realise we're all on the same side
They can't, split us up
And let them prosper off the divide
They can't, fuck with us
Once they realize we're all on the same side
They can't, split us up
And let them prosper off the divide
Don't fall for the bait and switch
Racism is real, but not it
They fuck whoever can't fight back
But now we gotta change all that
The people have had enough
Right now, it's them against us
This shit is ugly to the core
When it comes to the poor
No lives matter
You never see them pulling rich people out of their cars
In their neighborhoods because they know they got lawyers
They know they'll sue their ass
They can tell who to fuck with
Unfortunately, black or brown skin has always meant poor
They're profiling you kid
They know you can't fight back, but we about to
Investigators say they are reviewing body camera
And dashcam video of Tuesday's shooting
Police say that Keith Lamont Scott did have a gun
In his hand when an officer shot him
But a new picture of the scene shows something at Scott's feet
A source tells our Charlotte affiliate it may be a gun
But people in the neighbourhood say the
Father of four was holding a book instead
Officer Vinson was in plain clothes when the shooting happened
He was not wearing a body worn camera
But we are told that three other officers wore theirs
The department is under increasing pressure
To release police videos from the shooting
But the police chief says he will not do that right now
Because of the investigation
Don't fall for the bait and switch
Racism is real, but not it
They fuck whoever can't fight back
But now we gotta change all that
The people have had enough
Right now, it's them against us
This shit is ugly to the core
When it comes to the poor
No lives matter
This shit is ugly to the core
When it comes to the poor
No lives matter
This shit is ugly to the core
When it comes to the poor
No lives matter
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Tracy Lauren Marrow / Vince Dennis / Will Dorsey Jr. / William Putney
No Lives Matter lyrics © Royalty Network, Reach Music Publishing