marym625
marym625's JournalFrom the African Americans For Bernie Sanders page
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African Americans For Bernie Sanders
#FeelTheBern
#Bernie2016
I like the way ya walk, I like the way ya talk
Her name is Shakara and she has a broken arm.
Todd Rutherford, the House Minority leader in South Carolina, is representing Shakara, the girl thrown around like a rag doll by former SRO, Ben Fields.
The New York Daily News erroneously reported that the girl, now known by her first name, Shakara, was an orphan. Shakara's mother and grandmother are both alive and have met with Rep. Rutherford.
Not An Orphan
From their local news:
Besides representing the girls, Shakara, 16 and Niya Kenny, who is 18, against these ridiculous charges, State Representative Rutherford (D) will try to change the law that allowed for these arrests.
Cast and other injuries
Reuters
This law was enacted back in 1962. It pretty much gives SROs carte blanche to arrest and manhandle students, children and adults alike. It is unconstitutionally broad and can lead to a $1,000 fine and 90 days behind bars. 90 days behind bars for looking at your phone during class. That's a level of fucked up that is beyond comprehension to me.
It seems that, in some cases, the law is being used instead of teachers and administrators actually doing their jobs.
There is no debate, with me anyway, that Ben Fields should never have been allowed in a school in the first place. But when a person in authority at a school doesn't know how to pick her/his battle during class, there's more of a problem than a student looking at her phone and then refusing to leave the room. Move on and deal with it after class.
In another post I stated that being a child today must be hell. Over crowded classrooms, books are outdated, filled with false information or none at all on certain subjects, (the May Lai Massacre, for instance, has been removed from some text books, slaves referred to as immigrants in some. Talk about whitewashing history!) cops in the schools, the constant worry and all too many threats to "shoot up the school," not trusted to even take an aspirin, no tolerance for anything, to the point of kids being suspended for staring at each other. Just insane stuff.
And in South Carolina, you can go to jail for looking at your phone during class.
These things cannot do anything positive for a child's emotional health, mental stability or the ability to concentrate and learn.
For now, we know that Shakara needs our support. The gofundme set up by Rutherford is a great way to help if you're able. https://www.gofundme.com/7w7h7cvw But writing something positive, encouraging or just a hello to let her know she's not alone, is also a nice way to go.
Law offices of Todd Rutherford, 2113 park st, Columbia, SC 29201
Racism is rampant in our society. This incident, this act of terror against these kids, shows just how far we have to go. We must not allow this to happen any longer. Our voices make a difference and we must be loud, clear and unstoppable in our fight against racism and police brutality.
-------------------------------------------------
Further information:
Bill to amend law from 2010, still sitting in committee
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess119_2011-2012/bills/3203.htm
Title 16 Chapter 17.420
SECTION 16-17-420. Disturbing schools; summary court jurisdiction.
(A) It shall be unlawful:
(1) for any person wilfully or unnecessarily (a) to interfere with or to disturb in any way or in any place the students or teachers of any school or college in this State, (b) to loiter about such school or college premises or (c) to act in an obnoxious manner thereon; or
(2) for any person to (a) enter upon any such school or college premises or (b) loiter around the premises, except on business, without the permission of the principal or president in charge.
(B) Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction thereof, shall pay a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or be imprisoned in the county jail for not more than ninety days.
(C) The summary courts are vested with jurisdiction to hear and dispose of cases involving a violation of this section. If the person is a child as defined by Section 63-19-20, jurisdiction must remain vested in the Family Court.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 16-551; 1952 Code Section 16-551; 1942 Code Section 1129; 1932 Code Section 1129; Cr. C. '22 Section 28; 1919 (31) 239; 1968 (55) 2308; 1972 (57) 2620; 2010 Act No. 273, Section 12, eff June 2, 2010.
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t16c017.php
#Bernie2016
Go Fund me for the girl that was beat by the cop in Spring Valley
Her attorney has started a gofundme for her.
https://www.gofundme.com/7w7h7cvw
"She's a child!"

Cher tweet
Right there!
People defending the cop's actions, or even questioning it, are just despicable people.
From David Champion Media
Logan High School - Three hour lock down - kids just released
Logan High School is about two block from where I live. While raking up pine needles from the redwoods in the backyard, a helicopter started flying overhead. It was a Channel 2 - Fox News chopper and it was flying much lower than the law allows (1000 feet.) When it wouldn't leave, we decided to check out what was going on in the area.
We first drove just a block before we were stopped by a neighbor. The woman had noticed us taking pictures of the low flying helicopter. She told us her son attends Logan but was home sick. He was receiving updates from his girlfriend, who had gone to school, about the situation inside. They were on lock down. Someone had threatened to "shoot up the school."
The cops had blocked off the streets going to the school, so we turned around and went home. We were trying to get pictures of the Fox News chopper flying lower than the 1000 feet, when we saw the drone. My first drone sighting, at least one like this. It was flying lower than the helicopter and almost silent. Freaky. Hopefully, the person I was with got a picture, as we're reporting both to the FAA.
We decided to walk to the school parking lot. As we walked, we first came upon cops, a couple of firetrucks and an ambulance surrounding an SUV. We still don't know if this vehicle or its owner were somehow involved, or if it was an undercover vehicle, that just happened to have the back door up.
We continued to go closer to the school and found parents hanging with each other, all very worried about their children. The kids were locked in whatever room they had been in when the threat came in, with lights out, no sounds allowed. They could text their parents with updates but they were not allowed to call.
One young mother told us she was in Oakland when her freshman son sent a text, "we're on lock down, there's a shooter." The mom told us, "He's my only child. I've been crying, I'm scared. I sent him here to get him away from the gangs. This is supposed to be a good school." Another mother told us she was receiving texts from her two children, both freshman. One of her children had sent a text, "we're okay." This mother said, "Well I'M NOT!" She told us she can't believe she didn't get in an accident, racing there from San Francisco, where she had been when she first found out."
A cop walked over to give us an update, stopping a student who was trying to cross the street, off school property. The cop told the kid, "You're not allowed to leave the property. Stay on this side of the street." The update was, "They're not letting the kids out yet. They're searching every room to make sure it's safe." One of the parents, a dad, said, "My daughter has a doctor's appointment. It's hard to get in to see this doctor" obviously, a plea to see his daughter and remove her from the situation inside the school. The Officer simply replied, "I'm sorry, you'll have to reschedule."
In an attempt to get more information, I asked the Officer if there had actually been a shooter, seen in the school, with a gun, or if a threat had been called in?" He stated, "It was a call."
The parents, my friend and I, all had a short conversation about the fucking NRA. Complete agreement that the, NRA is the worst thing that has ever happened to this country.
Wandering over closer to the school, telling freaked out parents as we passed them "It was a phone threat, no one was seen with a gun" and receiving a "Thank you" response from each one, we came upon a group of students just hanging out in front of one of the buildings. Turns out, this threat happened during lunch. Many kids leave for lunch, making a short trek to the nearby fast food restaurants. When they returned, however, they were not allowed back inside. But they also were not allowed to leave the property. They talked to us for a while, telling us what little they knew about was going on, which wasnt much. Just what the texts, facebook updates and tweets they received stated. Turned out, we knew more than they did.
We told these kids about the dad trying to get his daughter out of the school by using the doctor's appointment. One young man then told us, "I had a dentist appointment. My mom came to pick me up and got in the school. Now SHE can't come out and I can't go in!" While we all laughed, it was noted that this is only funny because we know everyone is okay.
As we walked away, all these young kids told us, "be safe." That will never be forgotten by me.
Finally, the warning bells that had been going off for nearly three hours, stopped. The kids were allowed out. Grateful, happy, parents, that were by this time, surrounding the school, were noticeably relieved.
I cannot fathom what it would be like, especially in this day and age, to get a call from the school, "The school is on lock down. Everyone is safe but the situation is being investigated. Your child wont be able to leave until the police are finished checking the school." All the while, receiving texts from your child or children, "I can't call. We're not allowed to make a sound. The rooms are dark. There's a shooter." (Evidently, the fact it was a phone threat, didn't reach all the kids.)
It is a sick society we live in, when children are subjected to this, across the country, nearly daily. Luckily, this was a threat. Still, a threat that caused so much fright, so many tears, so much anxiety, loss of work, loss of study, missed appointments, resources used up that could have been used elsewhere. What it must be like to grow up with a very real fear, "I could be shot dead today because I went to school." What must this do to the psyche? How can we possibly expect kids to care about life? No wonder narcissism is running rampant. Why should a child of today give a shit about anything? How difficult it must be for parents to make their kids understand that, life is precious.
All because GUNS! All because NRA! All because Second Amendment! All because of complete and total idiocy that has swept the nation, especially state and federal officials, because of the fucking NRA.
just curious who thinks we should take more Syrian refugees
I posted a link to Senator Durbin's impassioned plea for a Democratic initiative to take in 100,000 refugees from Syria.
Speech
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027271991
Press release
I'm surprised at how few views the post has. I'm curious now if people don't think we should take in refugees from Syria.
"We must do more" Senator Durbin re Syrian refugees
Senator Durbin's impassioned plea to help Syrian refugees. "10,000 isn't enough.
I don't know that our history with helping refugees is as wonderful as Senator Durbin states, considering Rwanda and European countries during WWII, but his plea for the current state of affairs is righteous and emotional
Profile Information
Name: Mary MathieuGender: Female
Hometown: Chicago
Member since: Wed Sep 12, 2012, 08:25 PM
Number of posts: 17,997