Calvon Reid - official police press release

(Emailed from Coconut Creek Police Dept.)

March 5, 2015...Coconut Creek, Fla....Subject: Incident at 1702 Andros Isle on February 22, 2015
Contact: Sergeant Henry Cabrera, hcabrera@coconutcreek.net

Good afternoon. Thank you for coming. My name is Michael Mann, Chief of Police for the City of Coconut Creek. I will provide a statement regarding a recent incident that took place in the Wynmoor community.

On February 22nd at 1:08 am, the Margate-Coconut Creek Fire Department responded to a 911 call at 1702 Andros Isle in the Wynmoor Community for a medical incident in the parking lot. On arrival, the paramedics encountered a male who was later identified as Calvon Reid. Mr. Reid was observed to be in an agitated, combative state, and incoherent. He had numerous cuts on his arms, hands, and chest, and his clothing was torn and bloodstained. Mr. Reid became more aggressive on the scene which caused safety concerns for the paramedics who were attempting to help him. This resulted in a request from paramedics for the Coconut Creek Police Department to expedite their response to the scene.

Upon arrival of the officers, the on-scene paramedics relayed their concerns about Mr. Reid’s observed condition and aggressive behavior. As the officers approached Mr. Reid to offer him assistance, he became even more agitated. Given Mr. Reid’s appearance and behavior, the officers were unsure if they were dealing with a victim of a crime, the suspect of a crime, or a potential Baker Act subject. The officers attempted to detain Mr. Reid to determine what happened.

As officers approached Mr. Reid, he exhibited threatening behavior and appeared to be hallucinating. Mr. Reid was repeatedly advised to stop resisting by the uniformed officers, but he refused to comply. Mr. Reid continued to escalate his violent behavior to the extent that TASER use became necessary for the officers safety as well as for Mr. Reid’s own safety. Mr. Reid was subsequently transported to Northwest Medical Center.

His family was notified later that day by law enforcement officers about what had occurred. Unfortunately, Mr. Reid passed away two days later on February 24th. There is an ongoing internal affairs investigation as well as an ongoing criminal investigation. Once the criminal investigation is concluded, it will be turned over to the State Attorney’s Office. No further information will be released or questions answered until those investigations are concluded. We appreciate your cooperation and continued patience during this process.

Here are questions I posed in an email to the Coconut Creek Police Department concerning the death of Calvon Reid, but these questions remain unanswered.

1. Why were the paramedics called?

---medical incident

2. What ailment was afflicting Mr. Reid -  what was he suffering from?

???

3. Did he ingest any substance that caused him to resist aid?

???

4. If paramedics were on scene, why wasn't a sedative given in order to calm him down, or was a sedative administered?
???
5. How many times should a person be tasered, especially if they are under the influence of illicit or legal drug?
???

Calvon Reid's parents still grieving over son's death; Redacted incident report leaves questions unanswered

Calvon A. Reid

Talking to Calvin and Mamie Reid is hard on three accounts. I've known them personally for over 40 years; I have two sons of my own; and we all want justice for Calvon.

"Today is better than yesterday," Ms. Reid told me over the telephone. "I just finished listening to Andre's last voicemails. That's all that I have left."

Reid says she's living off prayers. She still believes racism played a major role in her son's death. She said he was treated like an animal.  "He had done nothing wrong. He was in perfect health," she said despite information released by the Coconut Grove Police in their press conference. Reid is reported to have died in a Margate, Fla. hospital, approximately 212 miles from Sanford, Fla. where Trayvon Martin was killed.

In an open records request, Wingcom Watchdog received an incident report from the Coconut Creek Police Department. Half of the report was redacted, and there was no narrative attached. The Department said it would not be answering any more questions until an internal investigation was completed. Officers  D. Rush and F. Fuentes were listed on the report along with Supervisor D. Freeman. There were no signatures on the report, no mention of the officers involved in the incident, or whether they had been disciplined.

Reid said her attorney will be reviewing the details tomorrow. She lives in an area where Civil Rights Activist Jesse Jackson, Sr. grew up and may be calling him to address the community. Reid wants to get Eric Holder and the U.S. Department of Justice involved.

"They didn't have to kill my son like that," said Reid who is a retired counselor. It is reported that Calvon Reid died at the scene after being blasted by three Taser shots but was pronounced dead two days later at a nearby hospital.

It is unclear whether a person needing medical attention should be tasered.  The incident report identifies " Sick Person - Baker Act" which refers to the Florida Mental Health Act of 1971 which requires up to 72 hours of observation.

Here is more information on Andre:

Calvon A. Reid was a graduate of Woodmont High School. Andre enjoyed sports, fishing, music, and his mom's cooking.  He was a fantastic salesman with successes throughout the Southern and Eastern regions of the United States.

Andre had a special way with people. He never met a stranger and possessed a charismatic personality that drew others to him.

Andre had two sons, a mom, a dad, and a sister. Many other loving relatives are in his extended family.

Calvon Andreleus Reid dead at 39 near Margate, Fla.

Reid was an articulate man from a religious family. (Photo of Reid speaking at his grandmother's 85th birthday celebration, Shady Grove Baptist Church, Pelzer, S. C.)

Another young Black man is dead, and it has hit too close to home - my own extended family.

Calvon Andreleus Reid was allegedly being pursued by police who claim they couldn't subdue him because of his size. Police first told the family that Reid was running away when he ran into a car, hit his head, and went into a coma. Reid was transported to Northwest Medical Center in Margate, Fla. where he died. He lived near Miami.

Reid was in the hospital for two days before his parents were notified. Mamie Reid, the man's mother, told family members, "When I saw my son lying there, I said I was glad that God had taken him out of this world. After I accepted the fact that he was gone, then I got angry." Reid is survived by two young sons, one who is 11 years old.

Additional information just released said Reid was tased three times by four policemen before his death. -  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-creek-police-tasering-20150227-story.html
and
http://www.local10.com/news/coconut-creek-inmate-dies-in-police-custody/31526866
and
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2015/02/27/man-dies-while-in-custody-in-coconut-creek/

This may be another case of police brutality or excessive force being used in Florida, but questions surrounding the circumstances remain unanswered. The family is waiting for the police report to provide further details. A cursory search for arrest records for Reid were not found online.

After an autopsy, the body will be flown to Greenville, S.C. for services on Monday. This story is still developing.

Reid's obituary is now posted at http://www.obitsforlife.com/obituary/1059852/Reid-Calvon.php
Funeral Services will be held on Monday, March 2, 2015 at 12 p.m. at Shady Grove Baptist Church,
140 Shady Grove Road, Pelzer, S.C.

Watkins and Garrett Funeral Home is in charge of the service - 1011 Augusta Street, Greenville, S.C.  (864-242-1144)

If you are confronted with a similar situation, the family should not go to the police asking for answers because the situation could turn volatile. Always take representatives of the NAACP, the SCLC, the NAN, or a group of knowledgeable and calm church members to request a report as soon as possible.

According to KILLED BY POLICE -
At least 175 people have been killed by U.S. police since January 1, 2015.
At least 1,101 were killed in 2014.
At least 2,040 have been killed since May 1, 2013.
http://killedbypolice.net/
Another Black man was tasered to death in Atlanta in 2004. Read the story at: http://www.wingcomltd.com/Articles/taser.htm

Calvon Reid killing update: press conference scheduled for March 5

Calvon A. Reid, 39, was a son and father of two boys.

After contacting the Coconut Creek police department concerning information on Calvon Reid, I received the following email:

"The City of Coconut Creek will be holding a press conference tomorrow, March 5^th at 3:00 PM in reference to Calvon Reid.  The press conference will take place in front of the Police Department in the Government Center, 4800 West Copans Road, Coconut Creek.

Thank you.

Yvonne Lopez

Community Relations Director

City of Coconut Creek

Butterfly Capital of the World®

Two openings for police chiefs...

According to eyewitnesses, Calvon A. Reid (above) was tasered by as many as five Coconut
Creek police officers managed by Chief Michael Mann who resigned today.

Two places where young, unarmed Black men were killed are looking to hire new police chiefs.

The chief of the Coconut Creek Police Department, Michael J. Mann, has resigned after controversy surrounding the Taser death of Calvon A. Reid in Florida. Also, Ferguson, Mo. Police Chief Thomas Jackson stepped down today over how the Michael Brown incident was handled.

Both these men, as well as other government officials who resigned in the wake of these incidents, did so before they could be fired under a shadow of mismanagement.

Calvin and Mamie Reid, parents of Calvon "Andre" Reid who was reportedly tasered to death by Coconut Creek police officers in late February, were notified by the family attorney, Jarrett Blakeley of Fort Lauderdale, and Sun Sentinel Reporter Lisa Huriash that the chief of police "has stepped down."

"Maybe they are taking this thing seriously now," said Calvin Reid in a telephone interview. "All officers that were involved in that incident, we want them suspended. We want their names, and we want them suspended.

"The eyewitnesses said there were five officers down there on Andre," referring to his son Calvon. "Isn't that something! I believe after this thing opens up, there may be some more eyewitnesses to come forward. I got a gut feeling," Reid said.

Reid said he and his wife were just interviewed by Fox 21 News in Greenville, S.C., and their story will be aired at 4p.m. and 10p.m., and more information will be on the television website.

"We're looking for justice. Those officers that did this... they don't need to be on the police department. If they could do it to Andre, they can do it to another. That's what frightens me. They should not be allowed to practice law enforcement if they're found guilty. The more it's brought to their attention and put in the public eye, it will help this country as a whole."

"It's unreal, really, what is happening in our country," Reid said.

For information on this developing story, go to: http://miami.cbslocal.com/2015/03/11/coconut-creek-police-chief-resigns-after-in-custody-death/
AND
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-taser-death-chief-resigns-20150311-story.html
AND
http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/28397482/parents-son-yelled-theyre-going-to-kill-me-before-dying-during-police-encounter

Calvon Reid update: finally a little justice for taser victim's family

The case of Calvon Reid has been settled out of court. An alert was sent out by Killed by Police:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-sb-calvon-reid-settlement-20170525-story.html

More info at: https://www.facebook.com/KilledByPolice/posts/997125990315538?comment_id=1639823069379157

Police brutality, excessive force major issues for community groups

Nicholas Thomas vigil attendee wears slave ship on back.

 Why the surge of police attacks on black people?

Where do we go from here?

 

Cobb County, Ga...Cobb United for Change Coalition will hold a community meeting April 21, 5pm - 8:30pm at the Cobb County Central Library, 266 Roswell Street, Marietta, Ga. 30060.

 

Issues to be addressed include:

           -     Racial profiling in Cobb County in general and at police check-points

-    Cobb County police refusal to address white criminal activity

-    Police refusal to respond to 911 calls in Powder Springs area

-    How to file a binding and legal complaint against the police department

-    Human Rights for all races

-    Police related deaths and beatings:

Uploaded by Theo's Little Bot. (WP:NFCC#4) Facebook photo

     1. murder of Walter Scott, New Charleston, S.C., April 4, 2015

     2. choke hold death of Eric Garner in NYC, NY, July 17, 2014

     3. gun death of Tamir Rice in Cleveland, Ohio, November 22, 2014

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2014/nov/26/cleveland-video-tamir-rice-shooting-police

     4. brutal deaths of seven young African-American men in Missouri since 2014

     5. shooting of naked Kevin Davis in Atlanta two weeks ago

     6. shooting death of Jason Harrison, Dallas, Texas,  June 14, 2014

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/18/us/dallas-police-fatal-shooting-mentally-ill-man-video/

     7. murder of Aiyana Stanley-Jones, Detroit, May 16, 2010

From Sincere Ignorance blog - http://sincereignorance.com/2015/02/03/4-years-later-after-the-botched-raid-which-lead-to-aiyana-stanley-joness-death/

    8. beating of Martese Johnson, Charlottesville, Virginia, March 18, 2015

    9. killing of Nicholas Thomas, Smyrna, Ga., March 24, 2015

 

   10. Taser death of Calvon Reid,  Coconut Creek, Florida, February 22/24, 2015

http://wingcomwatchdog.blogspot.com/search?q=Calvon+Reid

 

For more information on this event, contact Helen Riley (770-423-2040) or Rich Pellegrino (404-573-1199).

Running from danger is flight, not fight response

Did Sandra Bland kill herself with a trash bag?

When it comes to survival, what are your chances of staying alive during a police encounter - running from danger or standing your ground?
Unfortunately, we have recent examples that lead us to believe if you get bad cops or pseudo law enforcement with power issues taking control of a situation, you can wind up dead, no matter if you run or stand firm.

I guess it depends on the circumstances, karma, or fate...or maybe on race or perceived danger.

Strong-willed Sandra Bland did not run when stopped by an officer who appeared smaller in stature and charged her with assault. Maybe she wasn't afraid and didn't set off on foot which saved her life, but she was later found hanging from a trash bag in her holding cell.

Sandra Bland was suppose to start a new job two days after her death at her Alma Mater, Prairie View A&M University, an HBCU. President George Wright communicated his thoughts on the increase in brutality against African Americans. "I spoke at the Memorial service, along with her Mother, here on campus, and I also spoke at her funeral last Saturday.  The University is very concerned about this tragedy from a number of different perspectives," was his response.

Is it better to fight or flee if you meet up with police?
Three black men who are now dead ran or tried to drive away from police when an altercation seemed apparent. Michael Brown, Walter Scott, and Sam DuBose. Another two that I knew through their families tried to run  - Nicholas Thomas in Smyrna, Ga. and Calvon Reid, killed in Florida.

Walter Scott ran in North Charleston, S.C. and was shot in the back. The officer who killed him filed a misleading report and would have gotten away with murder if not for a citizen courageously turning in a video of the incident. The trial is still pending.

Freddie Gray in Baltimore ran at first, but was caught and thrown into a police wagon. After a rough ride, he was unconscious and had a significant spinal column break which contributed to his paralysis and death.

What has refocused our attention on our security problems probably started with Trayvon Martin, an unarmed young black man who was killed in Florida by a neighborhood watchman who was training to be a policeman. Trayvon ran at first, then allegedly fought Mark Zimmerman who killed him with a gun.

There are hundreds and perhaps thousands of U.S. citizens that have been killed by police or pseudo police that have not been reported, but now that we have more dash cams, body cams and cell phone videos, we have proof that we have a problem with lethal force being used for non-violent offenses and minor traffic or registration violations.

Should you invest in good running shoes to make a clean getaway from danger? You can't outrun a bullet!

Sam DuBose tried to get away from a university cop in his vehicle, but his face was blown off as he tried to turn on his car. He was trying to flee from what he perceived a major threat - a white policeman with a gun. Nicholas Thomas tried to drive away from police who were chasing him with German police dogs. He was shot through the back. Calvon Reid tried to get away from four officers who tasered him to death, and was reported by witnesses to have said, "Baby, they're trying to kill me."

Those who run are using defense mechanisms.
"True fight or flight responses are physiological, involuntary, hormonal responses to danger, as in a person taking away his hand from a hot flame," said Dr. Michael Wilson, a practicing podiatrist who said he would not considered flight a proper response when dealing with law enforcement.

But even sheep use defense mechanism when they perceive danger. Citizens ARE afraid of the police who carry guns and are trained to kill. Even sheep move toward those they trust and away from perceived enemies. According to the Illinois Extension Service, "Just like humans, sheep like to maintain a distance, or safe zone, between themselves and others. Flight distance is defined as the space between themselves and others the sheep will tolerate before moving." (http://livestocktrail.illinois.edu/sheepnet/paperDisplay.cfm?ContentID=1)

Trained police should know this and not try to escalate an arrest situation by trying to grab an alleged law breaker closer or pull them from or into vehicles.

Move forward when danger presents itself.
In the case of the shooting death of Tamar Rice in Cleveland, the police were not fearful because they drove right up to the boy and fired a deathblow in two seconds. In some martial arts classes, students are instructed to move forward, not away from danger. Students are trained to defend when being attacked and deal with the consequences later.

What would you do, run or stand your ground when confronted by danger?

We've seen too many people funeralized after being shot when they couldn't run. (From C. Pinckney funeral)

Another community grieves over losing Nicholas Thomas, a "person of value" - action, not talk, needed

 

To donate towards funeral expenses, go to: http://www.gofundme.com/q3g7kg

Cobb County, Ga...The vigil held in memory of Nicholas Taft Thomas at Smyrna City Hall tonight left one depressed and bewildered. How could this be happening in our community, a young black man shot while he was at work, killed by police for no good reason?  Is the message "Black lives don't matter?" Is genocide the cause of this latest tragedy, leaving another black family in shambles?



Touching photo of black male and mother during vigil -
two valuable persons in our community

Thomas' only sibling, Triston, said the officer who killed his brother was wrong. "It's outrageous that Nicholas is dead." Triston said he had Officer Kenneth Owens' picture hanging on his bedroom wall. "I want justice for Nick."

A member of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement said police and security personnel have been militarized, and cops have morphed into armed vigilantes.

Derrick Boazman (l) gave live broadcast from vigil site.

Radio Personality Derrick Boazman said, "We are here because Nicholas lived...

Kenneth Owens killed something that was valuable to us... He was a son, a brother, a father, a nephew, a friend...Where are the good police? Why aren't they standing here beside us?"

Local NAACP President, Deane Bonner, said, "All is not well in Cobb County."  She said she shares the family's grief. "We stand for a swift, independent investigation."



Cobb County NAACP President Deane Bonner said members are willing
to give the Thomas family any assistance they need.

Local SCLC President Ben Williams asked attendees to launch an economic boycott of Cumberland Mall until an independent investigation is done. He said the police had gunned down "a strong tree in the forest."

Another spokesman said that,"Cobb County's jail motto to black men is C.O.B.B. - Come on Back Boys."

A poem was read by a young black woman. "We're here again, ya'll, angry...the issue is here, right on our front porch. When is the time when enough is enough? Today we morn. Tomorrow we fight."

Attendees were wondering which shirt to wear now, the Trayvon Martin shirt, the Eric Garner shirt, the Michael Brown shirt, or the Calvon Reid shirt.

 

Messages displaying outrage were wore by vigil attendees.

"I got a parking ticket yesterday because I didn't put enough money in the meter," said DJ Ryan Cameron. "I better pay that ticket because I might end up dead. We've got to vote. Stop this at the ballot box."

"Where will they kill us next?" he said. "At the bus stop? Inside the classroom? It's gonna have to stop today. How in hell can you close the case before you close the casket?"





Hands up. Don't shoot!

"We need an outside agency to investigate because Cobb police can't police their buddies."

Leon Ford from Pittsburgh said, "Being here is very hard for me. I was shot four times and paralyzed by police. I was unjustly shot. This family is going through the same thing my family went through. I'm tired of saying, 'No justice, no peace' and seeing signs."

 

Attendees were bid, "Don't sleep tonight. Advocate for other families across the country."





Thomas' parents, coming through the crowd, have not been able to bury their son yet.
Nicholas Thomas was killed one week ago today.

The sister of Kevin Davis, killed by police on December 29 in metro Atlanta, said, "They kept him from us until he died alone at Grady Hospital. I'm tired of seeing them kill our black men like dogs in the street."

A cry went out to indict and convict the policeman who killed Thomas. "There are a lot of unstable police out there," another speaker announced. "Eric Holder is leaving the Justice Department and Lynch is going in. Ferguson is not unique. The feds need to check all the police departments in the country, including our local department."

Some signs looked like they had been used before.

After the event, Thomas Carter of the Black Political Action Group said he was concerned that the organizers did not have a plan or petition, and they were basically "just talking....Also, why wasn't there any crowd control in case something happened?" he said.

Update: The Thomas' attorney informed us that, "The family just received word they could get his body yesterday afternoon, and they are hoping the GBI will accept the body to do a second autopsy, being that the Cobb county medical examiner is a part of the same agency that committed the shooting."



People discuss what to do next in their action plan.

Atlanta protests and demands against police brutality moving forward...

Rise Up Georgia has announced #RestInPower: A Memorial For Black Lives protest activities which will begin this Saturday, May 2, starting at 11 am with a processional at the Rise Up Georgia office, 1292-B Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., Atlanta, Ga.

Attendees are asked to dress in funeral or mourning attire.

The event is in response to the killing of Anthony Hill, Kevin Davis, Nicholas Thomas, Troy Davis, Kendrick Johnson, Ervin Jefferson, Calvon Reid, Kathryn Johnston, and many more.

The processional will proceed to a 1 p.m. Memorial Service held at Oakburst Baptist Church, 222 East Lake Drive in Decatur, Ga. Dinner will be served after the service. 

For more information, go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/622354841241445/permalink/625552517588344/

In order to help support Saturday's Rise Up Georgia’s "Memorial for Black Lives" activities, the Nicholas Thomas Justice Coalition and #TakeTheStreets  has rescheduled the Nicholas Thomas Justice Rally from Saturday to Sunday, May 3 at 2:30 p.m. at Jonquil Park, 2801 Park Rd, Smyrna, Ga. According to organizers, "This action, planned by #ItsBiggerThanYou, will let the city, county and world know we are serious, and we will not go away." Volunteer marshall training will be provided before the rally at 12:30 p.m.

Additionally, the Nicholas Thomas Justice Coalition
will be presenting a list of demands in a letter addressed to several public safety and elected officials later today. For more information, contact Rich Pellegrino at 404-573-1199. 

Asset protection in a brutal world

Casket handle of bird in flight. RIP, Nicholas Taft Thomas. You did not die in vain.

Galatians 4:7 - "So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are His child, God has made you also an heir."

While honeymooning in New York 35 years ago, I waited in the car for my husband while he went into a bank. On the radio was a program discussing assets. "Your greatest assets are your children," the commentator stated, and that message has stayed with me ever since.

Thinking back over the visitation services for Nicholas Taft Thomas last night, several things come to my mind.

1.  Black men are languishing in coffins and jail cells and are no longer assets to the community. When they are stolen from our midst, hope diminishes but should not be extinguished.

2. The murder of black men by police has become "entertainment" on news programs and on the Internet, but black families from which these victims come are not being justly compensated for their lost assets. Children are not being provided for by deceased fathers, and parents/grandparents in their twilight years are not being taken care of by the next generation.

3. Monetary assets spent on funerals can be maximized by purchasing a burial or insurance plan which will be needed sooner or later, so you may as well invest in one in case you are killed unexpectedly.



The whole family and community suffer when human assets are lost.

4. You can't help the dead; only the living. Don't keep beating the drum on how someone died, but focus on providing a good life for heirs of heaven who are children of the Most High God.

5. People who use guns and Tasers for all the wrong reasons are often on power trips. The religious community needs to step up and change what is happening in our world.

6. Many people are totally ignorant of the statistics that are affecting the "American" community. Some I have talked to knew nothing about the statistics of black men being killed by police or  incarcerated in prisons. They didn't know that Nicholas Taft Thomas had died violently, or Calvon Reid had been tasered to death by police, or that a black man had been found hanging from a tree recently in Mississippi. Perhaps they don't believe it is their problem!

"All things are one. If I hurt you, I hurt myself."

--- Steven Pressfield, The War of Art



While people are concerned that our black men, our assets, are being taken because of racism or body parts trading, funeral directors are focused on providing compassion and a "good looking death package" to distraught families who have to bury their children/grandchildren at an alarmingly increasing rate. 



Time for meeting at a funeral home for all the wrong reasons, homicide and murder, has got to stop! (Tomi Johnson with Funeral Director Willie Watkins in Atlanta, Ga.)

We must think about this and act in a positive way to save ourselves and our legacies.

For the numbers, check this out: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/20/upshot/missing-black-men.html?abt=0002&abg=1

White fear of Blacks subhumanization at the psychological level

During slavery, Black mothers were unable to save their children from the auctioneer.
Now they are unable to protect them from police.

My son went to the oral surgeon yesterday in a follow-up visit after having his wisdom teeth removed.  He informed me that the doctor was heavy handed, probing his sockets and gums harshly with his fingers in total disregard for the pain he was inflicting. Then I read the following abstract which could possibly explain what happened to my son:

http://spp.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/10/03/1948550614553642

"...these studies demonstrate a novel and potentially detrimental process through which Whites perceive Blacks," the above report states.  Do Whites really believe Blacks don't feel pain the same way they do or are they using this as an excuse to dehumanize us?

"There is a thin line between superhumanization and subhumanization. Both deny people's humanity. Therein lies the problem," said Adam Waytz, assistant professor of Management and Organizations at the Kellogg School of Management, in his Washington Post article referring to the racial bias of Officer Darren Wilson who killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. Wilson perceived Brown as superhuman/subhuman and incapable of being stopped while being hit by six bullets!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/11/26/the-racial-bias-embedded-in-darren-wilsons-testimony/

"I certainly believe the tendency to superhumanize occurs when the perceiver is anxious and experiencing the perception (or illusion) of threat," said Waytz when I asked him about the Taser death of Calvon Reid in Florida.

If African Americans are perceived as non-human or subhuman or superhuman, this may lead to non-redemptive misery inflicted on Blacks.

I talked this week to a young Black man who was walking to his car in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and was detained by police. "The officer asked for my identification and made me sit down on the curb with my hands under me. When they checked their records and found no outstanding warrants against me, they let me go."

"Got stopped more than once by cops while I was a college student in Georgia," he said. "Yes, I've been handcuffed for no reason, and it hurts."

If Whites do not think Black mothers feel pain or are less susceptible to despair when their Black sons are killed by police or bitten by police dogs, this is a calamity. During slavery, Blacks were treated as subhuman. Many of the feelings that existed then are still prevalent today. Unfortunately, we still face similar problems, many being psychological. When someone is treated "humanely" it means they are treated with kindness, mercy, and compassion.



Rogers 1917 book

Joel Augustus Rogers wrote about a similar concept in his 1917 novel From "Superman" to Man published in Chicago. According to Wikipedia, "The central plot revolves around a debate between a Pullman porter and a white racist Southern politician. Rogers used this debate to air many of his personal philosophies and to debunk stereotypes about black people and white racial superiority."

"Regrettable as this is, what are you going to do about it?" said the senator. "This is a free country."

"Free country! Free mischief," said the porter. In the end, Rogers lets the reader know that Blacks AND Whites are human and should be treated as such.

It's ironic that Jesus was tempted by the devil to jump from a mountain and taunted by soldiers to come down from the cross, bid to use "superhuman" powers to gain the world or save himself. Instead, he died and was risen in the minds of believers.

May God have mercy on our souls.

Pope Francis' Armenian tragedy speech rewritten to address police killings in U.S.

(Rewritten using Pope Francis’ message on Armenian genocide as inspiration)

Innocent people are dying at the hands of police every day. There is not one family untouched by the loss of loved ones due to killing and beating tragedies perpetrated by officers sworn to protect and serve them. It is a “Great Evil” in our world and country. Forty-seven years after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, black males are being slaughtered on streets and sidewalks, Tasered and killed by bullets before they have a chance to defend themselves in court. Our whole world needs to address this issue, pause, and pray for peace for our families and communities, especially for non-white people in the “developed” world.

Today is a propitious occasion for us to pray together to God and to His Saints for deliverance. A list of saints we revere and pray to are St. Benedict the Moor, patron saint of Blacks in U.S.; St. Augustine of Hippo, St Josephine Bakhita of Sudan; St. Maurice of Egypt, patron saint of southern Germany and parts of France, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland;  St. Monica of Hippo, St. Augustine’s mother; Martín de Porres of Lima, Peru, patron saint of the Poor; St. Moses the Black of Egypt, St. Peter Claver of Spain, St. Bessarion the Great of Egypt, St. Antonio Vieira, born in Portugal; St. Anthony the Great of Egypt, St. Pierre Toussaint of Haiti, St. Mary of Egypt, patron saint of chastity; St. Julian and St. Basilissa , and St. Thais of Egypt.

We are a sinful and sorrowful humanity, oppressed by the anguish of its powerlessness, but illuminated by the splendor of God’s love. We are praying for God’s saving intervention which is capable of transforming all things.  Our belief in God is indeed ancient, and we have overcome many trials and sufferings, animated by the hope which comes from above. This faith has accompanied and sustained during the tragic experience of slavery, during Emancipation, during lynchings, during the Civil Rights movement, and today during the time of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Eric Harris, Calvon Reid, Walter Scott, Nicholas Thomas, and a long list of those suffering at the hands of night watchmen and police. 

On April 12th, a total of 88 black men have been reported killed by police since 2015 began, representing 37% of killings by police when black men represent  only 7% of the U.S. male population. According to Ras Memnon, “young Black males are 21 times more likely to die by the hands of police than their White counterparts.  Every Black parent, unlike White parents, has to worry about White cops brutalizing or killing their children, especially males.”

It is our responsibility, the entire human family, to help all subjugated and oppressed people and heed these tragic warnings, seeking to protect us from falling into a similar horror, which offends God and human dignity. If these atrocities can happen to one, they can happen to all. These conflicts may degenerate into unjustifiable violence, stirred up by exploiting ethnic and religious differences. All who are Heads of State and of International Organizations are called to oppose such crimes with a firm sense of duty, without ceding to ambiguity or compromise.

May these sorrowful events make us have humble and sincere reflection, and may every heart be open to forgiveness, which is the source of peace and renewed hope. “Remember, [Lord,]… those of the human race who are our enemies as well, and for their benefit accord them pardon and mercy… Do not destroy those who persecute me, but reform them, root out the vile ways of this world, and plant the good in me and them.”  May God grant oppressed people around the world peace.  May we take up the path of reconciliation. Despite conflicts and tensions, we seek peaceful coexistence, solidarity and mutual help, even in the midst of violence. Only in this way will new generations open themselves to a better future and will the sacrifice of so many become seeds of justice and peace. May we find ourselves in deep prayer. May it strengthen the bonds of fraternal friendship between all religious groups.

Taking refuge beneath Your boundless wings which grant us the protection of Your intercession, we lift up our hands to you, oh God, and with unquestioned hope, we believe that we are saved.

Reasons for killing Black men

Calvon "Andre" Reid was killed by police in Florida last month.

Here are some rather ludicrous reasons attributed to killing black men.

ANCIENT TIMES:
Working on holy days
Saying God is your father
Healing the sick
Getting angry at money changers
Railing against the government
Fishing without a permit

THEN:
Skipping rocks across a pond
Voting
Stealing chickens or livestock
Demanding respect
Vagrancy
Allegedly looking at, talking to, or raping white women
Being unpopular

http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/02/14/10-outrageous-reasons-black-people-were-lynched-in-america/

NOW:
Resisting arrest
Stealing cigars/selling loose cigarettes
Appearing scary or belligerent
Carrying toy gun
Being homeless
Minding own business
Jaywalking/walking home
Driving recklessly
Asking for medical help