REMEMBERING: Islan Nettles

Two and a half years ago I attempted to write a blog post regarding the murder of a transgender Human Being that I knew. I could not because it was so raw. The backlash of violence against young people of color over the past five years has demanded a revisit from me. because although the police were not involved directly, their lack of response was equivalent to covert abuse.

The original, intended post:

I knew Islan Nettles. She was a intelligent, articulate and accomplished young woman. She had her whole Life waiting for her and a career in the clothing design industry. Insead, she was beaten to the point of Death.

I am sick to my stomach because what the NYS media monsters failed to mention, in ALL of the articles I'd seen for an etire week, is that the incident happened RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE 148th Street POLICE STATION! If it was a citizen considered to be 'White' or Caucasian', they would have been there johnny-on-the-spot; all over the 'perps': feet on necks, knees on backs and gun barrels pushed up against temples and/or throats! The entire neighborhood put on lock-down until a perp was found.  The police materialize, it seems out of thin air, when they want to Stop and Frisk you for handing a friend $5 standing in front of your own dwelling (SIDE-NOTE: I thank DeBlasio for being serious about cracking down on this and not just using it as a campaign nibblet - yet, the police are hard nuts and are no giving it up easily). The people crying about NYC turning into the Wild, Wild West or some 'Mega-City' straight out of a Judge Dredd strip obviously don't live in the communities where this protocol is being abused at every level of policing.

The precinct I'm referring to, located on Frederick Douglass Blvd (8th Ave) between 147th & 148th streets, has a history of harassment & detention of young Latino and Black males. Question: tell me how a beating of that level, right in front of the precinct with cameras upon the roof, NOT catch at least ONE officer's attention? In addition to the ones installed on top of the traffic light poles at the intersections of 147th and 148th streets?  Answer: because, the police are worthless when it comes to doing anything that resembles real, sincere support in this community. A neighbor told me that they overheard a officer say, "If we hadn't of responded as quickyl as we did, it woulda been worse..." Excuse me but, last time I checkd: Death is about as bad as you can get. Ummm, maybe I'm wrong, eh?! What's really funny? The day after the tradgedy, I was on my way back home from a walk at around 9:00pm that evening. As I  passed the precinct, I noticed that there was a cop on patrol out front, casing the block. LOL!!!!!! I had  to find the irony; the humor, to keep myself from wringing that man's neck. It's the first time I've ever seen that in the 10 years I've lived here (on 8th Ave -- only a few blocks from the station). The lives of Black folks don't mean much in the US - esp. young males, women and those of alternative gender orientation...the levels of racism, sexism, gender bias and class snobbery in this country is sick, insane and detestable.

NEWS ARTICLE
http://tinyurl.com/m6cpb7l

Imhotep the African: Architect of the Cosmos with Robert Bauval

YOUNG ONES: KNOW YOUR TRUE ANCESTRY!!


In this ground-breaking book, Egyptologist Robert Bauval and astrophysicist Thomas Brophy uncover the mystery of Imhotep, and ancient Egyptian superstar, pharaonic Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, and Newton all rolled into one. Based on their research at the Step Pyramid Complex at Saqqara, Bauval and Brophy delve into observational astronomy to 'decode' the alignments and other design features of the Step Pyramid Complex, to uncover the true origins and genius of Imhotep. Like a whodunit detective story they follow the clues that take them on an exhilarating magical mystery tour starting at Saqqara, leading them to temples in Upper Egypt and to the stones of Nabta Playa and the black African stargazers who placed them there.

Imhotep: the African, describes how Imhotep was the ancient link to the birth of modern civilization, restoring him to his proper place at the center of the birthing of Egyptian, AND WORLD, civilization.

~The Occult Network on You Tube

MR. UNTOUCHABLE? The Nicky Barnes Documentary

The production was decent yet the interviews were stereotypical, one-sided and lacked depth for both the Law Enforcement and former gang members. Cops/DEA: good guys; Barnes, et al: bad guys. Basically following the timeline of the Barnes operation, from its beginnings in the streets of NYC to his incarceration, with no new information was presented. The interviews should have been an opportunity to flesh out the individuals more thoroughly, instead of relying on the sensational Thug-Life aspects, such as expounding upon the reasons why a young Harlem boy would say that Mr Barnes was his hero as opposed to the World Series winner Mr. Jackson. In fact, Mr. Barnes DID have other business AND community interests besides drugs in NYC - Harlem in particular. He was instrumental in getting the Apollo Theater renovated, he opened clubs and grocery stores (providing jobs to local residents), provided funds to after school, breakfast and lunch programs for children and the homeless. He was known to furnish the apartment of many families following a fire or other tragedy and/or providing one for those who lost them. Every year during his tenure a truck would pull up in neighborhoods around Harlem during Thanksgiving filled with Turkeys and TVs, furnishings, clothing, etc. for Christmas. He could also be found walking around Harlem handing out money to children and the indigent. In addition there was no mention, by the law enforcement interviewees, of the complicity by thousands of police officers - even entire precincts - that took pay offs from Mr. Barns and his crew for a variety of services, including hits. The implementation of the Rockefeller Drug laws, now a pock mark upon the history of inner cities in this country destroying communities in Harlem, the Bronx and Brooklyn much more than Barnes or his ilk ever could, was glossed over like a sound bite. There are many missed opportunities for a more balanced and compelling documentary here, yet I would suggest folks watch it for an interesting look at the products of a soul less culture, regarding a country that produces the kind of desperation and greed surrounding drugs and its trade.

THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION

"On June 8, 2011 the following unfortunate arrest took place in Canton, OH. Notifying the policy when you have a firearm is required by Ohio Law, but when this individual with a thirty-day old license tries to do that he is repeatedly ordered to look away, shut up, or interrupted and "forced" to change what he is speaking about by the actions of an aggressive cop who maintains verbal control of the situation." ~Excerpt of video submission by  'Ohio', http://www.facebook.com/thugmidget
 
POLICE OFFICER (OverSeer) speaking to the driver: 

"I tell you what I shoulda done? As soon as I saw your gun I should taken two steps back, pulled my Glock 40, and just put ten bullets in your ass and let you drop."


Yes, this is for real. Unfortunately...what happened in this video can be found repeated in every 'hood of the USA; whether it's a trailer park, rez, inner city or, these days, a suburb, the Fear and lasting trauma suffered at the hand of those who swore to 'protect and serve' is a travesty. (click on 'Police Brutality' to see Video)

'This Type Of Police Brutality Needs To Stop: Ohio Officer Makes Death Threats & Goes Ape Sh*t!'

 

 

18 Mind Blowing Uses For Aloe Vera – You Will Never Buy Expensive Products Again - Healthy Food House

18 Mind Blowing Uses For Aloe Vera – You Will Never Buy Expensive Products Again - Healthy Food House

Tilda Swinton and Henry Rollins on "Only Lovers Left Alive"

 
A very interesting interview with Ms. Swinton, if you can get passed Mr. Rollins' flippant attitude and occasionally superficial questions,that reveals a humorous side to the actress.

I truly appreciated her reply to Mr. Rollins regarding Tangiers (from 1:00 - 2:10). 

She's straight up; no chaser throughout the entire tete a tete. A woman after mine own Heart. LoL!!