God’s Gunner’s, Booty Bandits, & Bad Boys
By R25288 ( c ) 2006-2007
Donations Accepted Payable to R25288 & Mailed to:
R25288
P.O. Box 5514
Clearwater, FL 33758-5514
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Chapter Twenty-Seven
Insidious Systemic Violence
“Whoever blushes is already guilty; true innocence is ashamed of nothing.”
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Angel
By Sarah McLaughan
“Spend all your time waiting for that
second chance
For the break that will make it OK
There’s always some reason to feel
not good enough
And it’s hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction or a
beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
Let me be empty and weightless
and maybe
I’ll find some peace tonight
In the arms of the Angel far away
from here
From this dark, cold hotel room,
and the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreakage
of your silent revelrie
You’re in the arms of the Angel;
may you find some comfort here
So tired of the straight line, and
everywhere you turn
There’s vultures and thieves at your
back
The storm keeps on twisting, you
keep on building the lies
That you make up for all that you
lack
It don’t make no difference,
escaping one last time
It’s easier to believe
In this sweet madness, oh this
glorious sadness
That brings me to my knees
In the arms of the Angel far away
from here
From this dark, cold hotel room,
and the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreakage
of your silent revelrie
In the arms of the Angel; may you
find some comfort here
You’re in the arms of the Angel;
may you find some comfort here”
Virginia, systemic violence comes in various forms, but is recognized by its acceptance of the unacceptable. Often that acceptance is by the majority, unfortunately. Slavery is but one of a once acceptable form of systemic violence.
On January 5th, 2006, a 14-year-old African-American, Martin Lee Anderson, entered the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Boot Camp in Panama City, in the Florida panhandle, on a grand theft charge-his grandmother’s automobile. This being Florida, a champion state of systemic violence, he received the death penalty, and died on January 6th, 2006.
Seven guards manhandled young Anderson, and a nurse stood by and observed. They have been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, and face 30 years in prison. With systemic alive and well in Florida, Virginia, none of them will spend any time in prison.
Dr. Charles Siebert, the original Medical Examiner called the death the result of natural complications of the sickle cell genetic blood disorder trait. Another example of systemic violence.
A video of the incident shows the guards hitting young Anderson with closed fists; “hammer strikes”, and “knee strikes”; applying a pressure point; held him against a fence; pinning him to the ground; throwing water in his face; suffocating him by placing their hands over his mouth, and forced inhalation of ammonia fumes, more than once. The video is 36 minutes in length, and the guards ceased hitting him after 27 minutes into the tape. For at least 22 minutes, young Anderson endured abusive and inhumane treatment, ending his life at the hands of those who have been trained in systemic violence by the state of Florida. These were not sadistic rogues or thugs; they were family men and women, who have good hearts, but whose training in systemic violence, was no less than in Milgram’s study to follow orders, and the desire to protect and please society, their bosses, and the state. My dear, gentle readers, we can, and must do better.
In 1999, in Florida, 5 Bradford guards charged with beating an inmate to death were never convicted.
In 2001, in Florida, 5 guards charged with stomping Frank Valdez to death in his cell were never convicted.
In May, 2007, in Florida, 8 former guards were charged with abusing inmates, including forcing some to clean toilets with their tongues, and choosing between eating their food off of the floor, or providing sexual favors to guards. Another inmate was beaten and choked by guards. It is dehumanizing, and degrading; it was organized and conspiratorial; it was, and it is systemic violence. This is Florida, where you come for vacation, and leave on probation, unless the State kills you first.
Congratulations go to Governor Charlie Crist for helping the Anderson family get $5 million from the state of Florida for the abuse, and death of their son.
“All punishment is mischief. All punishment in itself is evil.”
Jeremy Bentham
In 1981, in Tampa, Florida, African-American Alan Crotzer was convicted of robbery, and the rape of 2 women, one a 12 year old girl. An all white jury sentenced him to more than 100 years in prison. After 24 years in Florida prisons, Mr. Crotzer was found innocent through DNA testing, and the confession of another man.
A 2004 federal law says that people wrongfully incarcerated should receive $50,000.00 for every year spent in prison, but Florida hasn’t passed that law yet. Another example of systemic violence. Individual violence, Virginia, is punishable by prison time; systemic violence, however, when done by the state or its subsidaries is good violence, and doesn’t require prison time. You see, Virginia, it is good to be the king, queen, or state. And I bet you thought all violence was bad? Silly you!
The state has a $2 billion dollar surplus. But, Mr Crotzer must stick to his $300.00 a week dish washing job. You see after 24 years in prison, they basically only taught him how to make license plates, and there are no license plate makers out here. You see, Virginia, Mr Crotzer is an embarrassment to our state, and reflects our weaknesses, so if we hold out long enough, he’ll be back in prison, and everyone can feel good again, ’cause we never noticed him while he was in prison anyway. Virginia, systemic violence continues.
I refer you to:
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/09/Opinion/Millions_spent_none_f.shtml
(used with the permission of the St. Petersburg Times)
Wishing you, yours, and ours a Happy Memorial Day!
“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.”
Maya Angelou
