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COMMENTARY: Was Dallas Police Sentencing Restorative Justice or Blacks Being too Forgiving?

The former white police officer said that she thought that she was entering her own apartment when she shot Botham Jean, a 26-year-old St. Lucia native, church singer and accountant who was simply sitting on his sofa eating ice cream. And that’s why so many people are confused about the murder – how do you walk into another person’s home and not realize that the furniture and décor is not yours?

Published

5 years ago

October 19, 2019

Jacksonville Free Press

Reggie Fullwood (Photo courtesy of Twitter)

First, let me give my disclaimer. My goal in writing this commentary is to be as objective as possible because I think that both sides of this debate have very valid points. The issue is essentially a matter of perspective.

For those who have been in a cave in Aruba for the past few weeks, I am talking about the case of Amber Guyger, the white former police officer who shot and killed an unarmed Black neighbor in his own apartment and was found guilty, but only sentenced to 10 years in prison.

During the sentencing portion of the trial the 18-year-old brother of the victim, Brandt Jean, said to Guyger, “I love you as a person and I don’t wish anything bad on you.” He then shocked many of us and asked if he could hug his brother’s killer. And later on during the same hearing, the African American female judge also hugged Guyger and prayed with her. Wow!

For many African Americans, this trial really spotlighted issues of racial injustice and police accountability. Most would agree that if a Black man had shot and killed an unarmed white man in his own apartment the courts would have thrown the book at the brother.

It’s important to note that Guyger, who is 31, could have faced up to 99 years in prison, but only received 10 years. Prosecutors had asked for a sentence no less than 28 years — the age Jean would be if he were still alive. If you take the “Black lives matter” angle – giving a person 10 years for the cold blooded murder of an unarmed Black man in his own apartment seems like the undervaluing of an African American life.

To make matters worse, it was revealed in the trial that Guyger mocked her black colleagues and joked about the death of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Guyger said her actions toward Botham Jean had nothing to do with race, and she testified to her remorse and said the shooting was “about being scared” rather than “about hate.”

After the sentence was handed out by the jury, Jean family lawyer, Lee Merritt said the sentence was indicative of a broken system, one in which institutional racism is the rule and people of color are treated unjustly.

Minorities around the country are up in arms about the light sentence, and also the fact that the judge and family members showed so much compassion and forgiveness for the offender. Some have said that this is a great example of “Restorative Justice,” which in the process that focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large.

The Jean family’s forgiveness is deeply rooted in their religious convictions. Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) praised Brandt Jean for a demonstration of “Christian love.” Even the Dallas Police Department tweeted about the Jean family saying, “A spirit of forgiveness, faith and trust.”

Let’s keep it real. Blacks have historically been a forgiving race of people. African Americans have leaned on faith and forgiven time after time after countless major atrocities like the Charleston church mass murder and decades of inequality and institutional racism.

If you take the “What would Jesus Do” approach then it makes perfect sense that the Jean family would pardon the offender and show no ill feelings. The Christian thing to do would be to absolve Guyger for her transgressions and pray that God heals and forgives her.

It’s a hard notion to fathom when you consider the trials and tribulations that Blacks have experienced in America, but another way to look at it is if African Americans didn’t forgive then the bitterness and hatred would be more devastating to progress and healing.

Whether you agree with the compassion displayed for Guyger or not, it’s clear that race relations continue to be substantial problem in America, and real conversations and honest dialogue is needed to heal the wounds of racism, hate and inequality.

“Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred,” said Dr. Martin Luther King.

Signing off from Duval County,

Reggie Fullwood

Jacksonville Free Press

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.