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Tag: Racism

Officer-Involved Shootings: How Was The Officer Involved?A closer look at the myth of officer-involved shootings. Two police cars lined up at a roadside with their emergency lights lit.
At the scene of another 'officer-involved' shooting?
April 14, 2021
Kit
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Officer-Involved Shootings: How Was The Officer Involved?

Posted in Creative Commons, and Journalism

I found a really stark example this week of how the mainstream media continues to misreport about police killings, or as they too-often call them, “officer-involved shootings.”

I’m not the first one to point out that this is a problem. Experts on journalism discourages the use of vague language like “officer-involved shootings.” So why does the media persist in it?

Again, this happens all the time. I’m only calling out ABC here because it’s so blatant: two contrasting examples from the same 24-hour period. Here’s the first tweet:

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The Felony Ban Is Hemp Legalization’s ‘Original Sin’A hemp leaf rests on a background of rough paper made from hemp or another natural textile.
The felony ban in the 2018 Farm Bill perpetuates the racism of the War on Drugs in the new legal hemp industry. (Photo: Pixabay / Wild0ne, public domain)
November 13, 2019
Kit
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The Felony Ban Is Hemp Legalization’s ‘Original Sin’

Posted in Hemp Magazine, and Journalism

My article on the “felony ban” in the law that legalized hemp in the United States was published in issue 7 of Hemp Magazine.

The felony ban in the 2018 Farm Bill perpetuates the racism of the War On Drugs in the new legal hemp industry. Under the law, many people with drug felonies are banned from being a producer in the hemp industry. At least one state even bans people with drug misdemeanors.

Read moreThe Felony Ban Is Hemp Legalization’s ‘Original Sin’
OccupyICE San Antonio Standing Strong After Patriot Front Nazi’s Temper TantrumA banner at OccupyICE San Antonio reads, "FUCK ICE / ICE is not welcome in San Antonio."
A banner at OccupyICE San Antonio reads, "FUCK ICE / ICE is not welcome in San Antonio." (Courtesy: OccupyICE SATX)
July 29, 2018
Kit
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OccupyICE San Antonio Standing Strong After Patriot Front Nazi’s Temper Tantrum

Posted in Creative Commons, and Journalism

OccupyICE San Antonio continues despite a failed attempt at intimidation by Patriot Front, a notorious group of Texas nazis.

For almost two weeks, activists have occupied the Immigrations & Customs Enforcement offices at 3523 Crosspoint Drive in San Antonio with tents and shade structures. Using noise demonstrations and  direct actions, they’ve been disrupting business at the facility. Busloads of detained immigrant prisoners are a near daily sight. This ongoing protest is part of the national OccupyICE movement, which seeks to abolish ICE and put an end to the detention of immigrants and their families.

About 20 nazis from the Texas-based Patriot Front targeted OccupyICE San Antonio on the morning on Saturday, July 28. They arrived at about 8 am while most of the campers were asleep. After lighting a road flare, the nazis shouted racist slogans while committing petty attacks on the encampment.

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Starbucks Racism & The Media: There’s Nothing New Except The AttentionRecent incidents of "Starbucks racism" reflect the everyday experiences of many black people & POC..
Washington, D.C, March 24, 2018. Activists wearing Black Lives Matter shirts speak out in front of a banner reading "Decriminalize Blackness." Recent incidents of "Starbucks racism" reflect the everyday experiences of many black people & POC. (Flickr / Lorie Shaull, CC-BY-SA license)
May 22, 2018
Kit
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Starbucks Racism & The Media: There’s Nothing New Except The Attention

Posted in Creative Commons, and Journalism

As a journalist, I want to talk to other white people about recent coverage of “Starbucks Racism” incidents.

People of all races are horrified by the reports filling the news of black people targeted by whites for everyday activities. I’m calling it “Starbucks Racism” in this post not because I particularly hate Starbucks. It’s simply that the incident in which police arrested two black men waiting for a third friend at a Philadelphia Starbucks is now infamous. This story ushered in renewed interest in the media in this kind of “casual” but extremely dangerous racism.

There’s a reaction to these Starbucks Racism stories I’ve mostly noticed among white people. It reflects both a misunderstanding of systemic racism and a misunderstanding of how the media works. I’ll paraphrase something I saw on a friend’s wall: “What’s wrong with people? I’m so disgusted at how people act recently.”

Read moreStarbucks Racism & The Media: There’s Nothing New Except The Attention
Nonviolent Activism And Police: Nonviolent Activism Means Never Working With The Cops
A helmeted and armored riot cop from the California Highway Patrol grimaces menacingly as he brandishes his nightstick. Oakland protest for Freddie Gray, May 1, 2015. (Flickr / Thomas Hawk, CC-BY-NC license)
January 25, 2018
Kit
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Nonviolent Activism And Police: Nonviolent Activism Means Never Working With The Cops

Posted in Creative Commons, Journalism, and Occupy Wall Street

The recent first anniversary of Donald Trump’s inauguration got me thinking about nonviolent activism and police.

My thoughts brought me back to 2011. Occupy Wall Street was a nonviolent movement, but when we started collaborating with other movements and activist groups, we quickly learned that one definition of nonviolence rarely matched another.

It seems simple on the surface: nonviolence means not physically attacking another person. Beyond that, things quickly break down. Is swearing at another person a form of verbal violence? Does a nonviolent person run from the police or does “nonviolent civil disobedience” mean staying to face the charges for whatever laws you might have broken? Is destruction of property also a form of violence, or is it another type of action which should be evaluated separately?

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‘We Scared The Nazis Off The Streets’: Newsweek Quotes Kit On Antifascism In 2017
An activist stands near an antifascist flag, wearing all black, including a scarf and dark sunglasses which cover their face. Their black stocking cap reads "ANTIFA" in large white letters. Outside the White House, August 14, 2017. (Flickr / Geoff Livingston, Creative Commons BY-NC-ND license)
January 22, 2018
Kit
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‘We Scared The Nazis Off The Streets’: Newsweek Quotes Kit On Antifascism In 2017

Posted in Journalism

I was quoted by Newsweek in an article published today about fascism and antifascism in 2017.

I’ve been quoted previously by Newsweek’s reporter following the far right, Michael Edison Hayden, including in an article about Texas neo-nazi Will Fears. It’s a pleasure to share this most recent article with Mark Bray, author of the excellent book “Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.” 

Read more‘We Scared The Nazis Off The Streets’: Newsweek Quotes Kit On Antifascism In 2017