Open Thread - Saturday, November 26

It has become a cliche in modern liberal parlance to claim that the police are "an occupying force" in poor, especially black, urban neighborhoods. I can report that that meme is at best a half truth on the East Side of Cleveland, and I suspect my experience is similar to that of residents of urban neighborhoods in much of the country.

A few examples will illustrate:

My spouse heard yelling and screaming outside and went to the window to check. She saw a man and woman yelling and hitting each other in a car parked across and about fifty yards up the street. The man then jumped out of the car, pulled the woman from the car by her dreadlocks and bashed her head into the side of the car. They continued to struggle until the man knocked the woman down on the street, whereupon he re-entered the car and drove away. By this time, my wife was on the phone with the police.

After lying dazed in the street for a few moments, the woman got up and into a car parked alongside where the fight had taken place, and drove away herself.

The police never showed up.

Nine months ago, we were awakened by what sounded like someone pounding on the walls of the house. By the time we were up and (stupidly) looking out the window, the action was over. We thought it was fireworks. Nearly 30 minutes later, four police cars showed up, the officers closed off the street and began searching for shell casings with flashlights. There were dozens of AK-47 casings in front of the house, in the driveway, under our cars. Somehow, none had penetrated the house or the vehicles.

But it had taken them 30 minutes to get here. Two people were killed in this gunfight, and we're a 5 minute drive from the police headquarters for the entire city. That's the same headquarters where a passing car backfired a few years ago and resulted in an insane police car chase involving scores of vehicles and ended with a brutal, Bonnie-and-Clyde massacre of the unarmed man and woman.

We rarely see a patrolling police car in our neighborhood. Most of the time, our problem is not a stifling omnipresence of law enforcement but a never-ending, not-so-benign neglect. We've had one SWAT raid in our 5+ years here, and that was a drug raid across the street that netted no evidence. Otherwise, the police show up with the EMTs occasionally to deal with some of the never-ending drama across the street where heroin is a recurring issue, but that's about it. There have been no special efforts to deal with the restaurant/bar at the end of the street that seems to generate a gunfight every few months.

We're not occupied. We're ignored. Other than the rare show of force, we don't see the police in the neighborhood. If you want to understand why people in urban neighborhoods don't view police as allies, that might have something to do with it.

Meanwhile back in the wider world of hyperventilating Hillbots, it has finally dawned on me what part of the motivation for this mad lust for war with Russia is about. Sure, there are pipelines involved as usual, but McCain and Graham are foaming at the mouth more than usual, and many "liberal" critics of the Iraq War are on board with this Russian Menace thing.

My take is that the goal is to push Putin hard enough in Syria and the Ukraine to get him to make some nuclear-tipped threats. Then it will be time to fill 'Murcan heads with visions of mushroom clouds dancing in their heads with the solution of:

*$*$*$*$*$Star Wars Missile Defense*$*$*$*$*

Hey, put "missile defense" in Google and the top result is Northrup Grumman.

Doesn't The Donald understand that those MIC guys gotta eat too, and the 'Murcan people deserve a good, insomnia-inducing threat to justify seeing their Medicare, SS, Medicaid, education and infrastructure go to shit while NG builds another useless boondoggle.

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It has nothing to do with voting machines or new parties. Instead, starting right at the top, the transition for the office of President should include sending the President-elect into seclusion for a month: basic surroundings; simple food; no contact other than a Sage to lead the way. During the month, the incoming CiC (everyone salute now!!!) would study verses from the Tao Teh Ching like these:

In keeping the spirit and the vital soul together,
Are you able to maintain their perfect harmony?
In gathering our vital energy to attain suppleness,
Have you reached the state of a new-born babe?
In washing and clearing your inner vision,
Have you purified it of all dross?
In loving your people and governing your state,
Are you able to dispense with cleverness?
In the opening and shutting of heaven's gate,
Are you able to play the feminine part?
Enlightened and seeing far into all directions,
Can you at the same time remain detached and non-active?

Rear your people!
Feed your people!
Rear them without claiming them for your own!
Do your work without setting any store by it!
Be a leader, not a butcher!
This is called hidden Virtue.

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and it still counts now. There's a lot of wisdom in those 81 verses and the old translation by Arthur Waley is quite good.

[edit: Intended as a reply to above post.]

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

I'd be happy if our Presidents could learn that much.

The edition I'm using is translated by John C. H. Wu. I had a wonderful high school English teacher who had us read and journal the Tao Teh Ching.

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Another translation that I've learned from is from 1937 and the translator is Ch'u Ta-Kao

"Govern a great state as you would cook a small fish(do it gently)."

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

riverlover's picture

Basically, they are not doing their job, if I understand the job description. Or, no wonder there is high suspicion that the police are the local army of the elites. Guard their castle neighborhoods. Follow the money, again.

For several insane years I called the police multiple times for household disruptions. Little things like my husband (going crazy at the time in early liver failure) threatening to kill me, or my daughter's live-in boyfriend doing the same to her (while I was probably the one going crazy in early liver failure). In second, after I confirmed there were no weapons in the house, state police (rural me) found a shotgun in my daughter's room. I had a meltdown. It was unloaded. They seized it, and said boyfriend had to go bail it out, haha.

Now I would think thrice before calling. Response time to a home invasion incident would be too slow for rescue. As it would be for trespassing hunters (and that season is now and they would inform me to call the DEC cops). They have no presence in my area except to fine speeders. I am on my own, as you are, GS. At least you have others present.

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WindDancer13's picture

I had to call the police tonight (well after dark) as a man was pounding--I do not mean knocking loudly, I mean pounding-- on my front door. I asked through the door what he wanted. He didn't speak but kept shoving his face up against my storm door trying to see into the house (I have a diamond shaped window in the door). So, I called the police and was told not to open the door. Duh. They said that someone would be out to speak to me. No one ever came.

Last week, I had to call the police becasue someone let the air out of two of my tires. The officer told me that tires go flat on their own when the weather changes. I am still wondering if I had my "I am stupid" face on that day.

This used to be a very quiet neighborhood, and then my previous landlord sold this house--a stacked duplex--to an idiot who thinks it is okay to rent to drug dealers. I spent summer of 2014 not being able to open my front door and half the time not the back door because the dealers and their customers took over my yard and porch. I called the police...nothing. I called drug enforcement...nothing. I even sent photos of drug deals happening to drug enforcement. Finally, one of the dealers managed to get himself shot and killed on my front lawn, so I had a whole month of quiet until the idiot landlord rented to another drug dealer. I called the police...I called drug enforcement...I got no response. Those people left suddenly after a knock down fight so landlord found some more drug dealers to rent to, and on and on.

I do know that I am not the only person in the neighborhood who has called the police about the situations that happen here, but it does not seem to matter how many call or how often these things are reported--reported over the phone as no one comes to investigate.

I am so very frustrated right now. I would very much like to move but cannot afford it. Even moving would not fix the problem of a police force that just doesn't care to do its number one job of protecting the public.

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We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass

riverlover's picture

We had a pistol my husband purchased (new) in WI. He used to do target practice with it, used it on one occasion to kill a dog-mangled baby bunny. And then we returned to NY, with pistol. Different gun laws. He never tried to register it, so it was effectively illegal. As our kids grew, especially #1 son, he became fearful that a kid would find the (unloaded) pistol and the shells so pistol was deep-sixed in 100' of water. But it spent more than one night before under his pillow after the mass murder of a family down the hill, loaded. I did not sleep well then for multiple reasons.

I had a new carpet installed 2 years ago, and under the platform bed was a box of shells. I had been searching for several years for those puppies, suspected that they existed and did not go down with the ship. Old shells, mind you, bought from a store that no longer existed (Jamesway for NYers). I had no want or need and I thought we were supposed to call the police to dispose of weapons. So I called the NY State Police office local, and was met by consternation, and phone holds, like surrender of pistol shells had never been done before. They eventually (long off phone discussion) decided I could bring them to their station and surrender them as "unwanted debris". I gave them to my snowplow/deer hunter guy.

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When I hear city and law enforcement people talk about how committed they are to reducing violence in their cities, I don't believe them. There's plenty of corruption at these local levels and allows a certain amount of violence as long as it doesn't impinge on the parts of town that matter to Big Money.

This bar down the street from us has been a big source of violence for years. There's prostitution, gambling and drug dealing going on there, and it attracts gang members. When the mix of gangs is wrong, violence erupts. The city could have taken away their liquor license years ago. People in the neighborhood, who have had bullets flying through their windows and dead bodies on the porch, pleaded with the city to take the license away, but it was renewed anyway.

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Ben Cunningham, A Life With Color by Cindy Nemser 1989
It is a book about my uncle. The ending:

At one point in his career, Cunningham had told John Daly in an interview, “Someone once said that a contribution occurs when a sensitive person meets a new language. We now have what might be called an exact science, or relatively exact science – color. So this becomes a new language. A man with imagination can now use color as a tool to communicate. I would like to be the one who makes that contribution.”

Since his death, Cunningham’s work has been included in several exhibitions, not the least of which was an impressive show of his corner paintings at the Neuberbger museum at Purchase, New York. There has yet to be, however, widespread acknowledgment of Ben Cunningham’s massive contribution to the history of modern art in the area of color. Possibly no other artist has gained such an astonishing mastery over its intricacies, and few artists, in our time, he extended its subtle, visual possibilities to the degree that this painter has done with such depths of feeling.

Time, as we have seen, was an important dimension in Cunningham’s work. In another sense, time was a major element in his philosophy. “Time-bending” was the term he used to describe his profession, which he saw as a continuing bridge between generations and cultures. While it is difficult to predict any artist’s place in art history, a continuing process of review and revision, surely it is not premature to say that time is on the side of Ben Cunningham.

I was waiting to see what would happen to this: Mural from former Ukiah Post Office returns to city

... the mural was “only painted on canvas, so it was rolled up and shipped to Chicago” when the United States Postal Service closed its location on North Oak Street in 2012 and put the building up for sale.

While in Chicago, the mural was “cleaned and a light, protective coating of varnish was applied over the paint,” Smith-Ferri said.

After the mural arrived in Ukiah on Nov. 18, she said two art restorers from Parma Conservation came to Ukiah to install it inside the lobby of the Civic Center.

Yay. I used to go to the Ukiah Post Office just to see that mural and look at his signature and remember him alive. I remember one summer my parents shipped me off to Reno, he was painting the Nevada series. I had no clue wtf was happening in 1971, except everything seemed falling apart. Anyway, he painted that mural in 1938 and now again is the "continuing bridge between generations and cultures" like he imagined. Thanks.

Better than this jerk-butt: https://www.newsreview.com/reno/lost-painting-found/content?oid=13051363

There were rumors for years that a painting done by artist Ben Cunningham on a Works Progress Administration contract in 1936-37 was painted over by a local postmaster (“How the New Deal built Nevada,” RN&R, May 15, 2008). “I presume it was painted over,” said Nevada historian Phil Earl. “They had a postmaster here in Reno, and one of the things he did—he didn't like the New Deal, and he didn't like the Roosevelt administration—and he had them painted over.” He said there were also some exterior swastikas that were chiseled off after the symbol became identified with the Third Reich. Interior swastikas (a Native American symbol) on post office counters survived. The WPA was a New Deal agency, and it also provided for paintings in the Yerington, Winnemucca and Lovelock post offices. They have survived without vandalism.

Reliving the 30s? I don't think that was the intended effect, and here is today's local rag reminiscing about homeless hobos, like hey it's always been like this, because boom.

Peace

P.S. There are too many violent tragedies in my proximity, leaves me stunned and speechless. Solidarity.

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riverlover's picture

F*cking cool. I have not had an artist who was acknowledged so by others. I love that review and time-bending is his? OMG. Lucky person, you.

And I am in great familiarity with non-violent tragedies, which may be more common. Solidarity, friend.

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Lookout's picture

We got plenty of nut jobs around...believe me. Lots of guns too. But here in the boonies we rarely have violence like your stories - I guess around here it is mainly family violence. And I know the in Town law enforcement is focused on the people of color - you can tell from the arrest reports.

My grandfather had a theory that they more people you live around (population density) and the farther away from nature you are...the more unhappy and violent people become. I've never seen any real studies though.

All of you take care and be safe. I'm glad to be hidden on the mountain.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Cachola's picture

I have lived in NYC for a long time now (Brooklyn and now Staten Island and commuted to Manhattan every day until recently.) Not once have I felt personally unsafe (there was that 9/11 thing.) At the risk of sounding Pollyanna-ish all I have found is human decency. I know I've been lucky. Also, I can tell you terrible experiences I have had in ultra-liberal, hippyish, nature loving, small town Oregon, where I lived for 20 years before moving to NYC.

Few examples in Manhattan: there were no smart phones with gps or map apps way back when I moved here and I have a terrible sense of direction. Always found helpful people to give me directions.

Lost my purse several times and it has always been returned. Last time it was only a tiny coin purse with some cash and a credit card. No contact info. The person who found it returned it to my bank nd the bank contacted me.

Once was blinded by sunlight after emergency pupil dilation (no dark glasses) and a lady took my hand and walked me to my bus stop.

Twice have had my heart go berserk in public (250 bpm) and people have asked me if I need help, bought me water and called Uber for me.

When I moved to Staten Island (not as densely populated as the other boroughs but still high) I promptly discovered my tea partier neighbor has a band. The first time the were practicing past midnight I talked to him and never again have they practiced past 8 or 9 pm. This is the same neighbor who has taught me how to deal with no power after natural disasters.

And I hate to say this but the police have always been corteous and helpful, i.e. me being at the deli and one will open my Snapple for me.

I know this in not the experience for A LOT of people (ask Eric Gardner's family) but I set out all these examples to support my belief that there is much more at work that millions of people packed into a few square miles. By the way, I am Puerto Rican with a thick accent, so white privilege is not it either.

ETA: Even bus riding is different in NYC. One of the things that surprised me is that people wait for the bus in very orderly lines. No hostling or jockeying for postion when the bus arrives.

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Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.

Deja's picture

Thank you for sharing these little instances. I too have some stories like that.

I was in Houston before hurricane Ike hit and was so proud of how everyone acted stocking up on gas and staples, waiting in lines for each for an hour or so. Everyone orderly.

Also proud of everyone when the Rockets won the NBA whatever it's called, finals. No riots, just celebration in the streets.

Heck, I waited in line for 10.5 hrs, along with 10,000 others for a set of Astrodome seats I now have in my house (they were going to tear down the Dome, but changed their minds), and not a single fight broke out. A stranger even offered to buy me a sandwich.

Sometimes people really impress me!

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Sat, 11/26/2016 - 1:24pm — Lookout

Wow...urban life sounds scary to me

We got plenty of nut jobs around...believe me. Lots of guns too. But here in the boonies we rarely have violence like your stories - I guess around here it is mainly family violence. And I know the in Town law enforcement is focused on the people of color - you can tell from the arrest reports.

My grandfather had a theory that they more people you live around (population density) and the farther away from nature you are...the more unhappy and violent people become. I've never seen any real studies though.

All of you take care and be safe. I'm glad to be hidden on the mountain.

I'm too tired to search right now, but there were studies done showing that overcrowded rats become crazed and violent.

And it used to be that people would go camping or otherwise turn to nature to rest their souls and regain peace, back when this was more possible for more people and when real solitude was easier to find.

In any event, I agree with your grandfather and think he was wise. We are part of nature, and denying this only shows how unaware we are of reality.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

enhydra lutris's picture

oppressively overpoliced neighborhoods, but seemingly few that are properly policed. That is no doubt a misperception based o the lower classes and minorities faillue to understand the true pupose and role of the cops, who exist to serve and protect the oligarchs and to keep the rest of us in our place at the least possible cost to the oligarchs.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Deja's picture

/r/pizzagate

I guess the child sex slave talk/investigation has been pushed to the shadows of 4chan where they don't care if you post personal information about strangers.

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