When the Gun's Drawn: Part II
“And when I kill kids they say shame on me
Who the fuck told you to put they names on me?”
– Pharoahe Monch (Gun Draws)
In the song Gun Draws off of the superb album Desire, Pharoahe Monch describes the terror of the misguided, as well as accurately impacted bullet. By personifying Mr. Bullet, played by Pharoahe himself, the legendary rapper tells his listening audience he is a tool that was only made to kill and nothing else. He is indifferent to who he “penetrates.” He has no concern how he is used, whether it be in the inner city or to assassinate political leaders. Mr. Bullet is an object designed to kill and he remains true to his purpose for existing. The question the song raises in my mind is are we being as true to ourselves as Mr. Bullet is. Is it our nature to maliciously take life from our brothers and sisters in the heat of the moment? I don’t believe it is. There are millions of disputes going on every day that do not end in bloodshed. Something in us stops us at a certain point. Some code embedded in us lets us know there is more harm than good when we take the most precious gift from another human being. Across the world there are many different cultures and belief systems. And unless there is a manipulative figure head serving his own agenda, most of these ideologies do not believe in violence as the prime option when it comes to handling differences. And even in war, where man is serving his lower self, surviving on his animal-self, there is a gentleman’s agreement to not kill women and children. Yet in the murder of Treyon Martin, this concept was lost. George Zimmerman, in an overzealous attempt to become a hero to his own ambitions made a grave error in judgment that sent a ripple through America.
“Something is wrong in this nation... when a child can grab a gun... so easily... and shoot a bullet... into the midde... of a child’s face... as my daughter experienced... SOMETHING IS WRONG...” – Pharoahe Monch (Gun Draws)
This is the opening words to the aforementioned song Gun Draws. It’s the choked up testimony of a father who lost his young daughter to a senseless act of violence. He is right. Something is terribly wrong with a system that makes it easy for a child to not only shoot and kill another child but to also have access to a fire arm in the first place. There are many factors that go into this equation, parenting being the prime suspect. But at least this has equation has one factor that makes this situation more senseless than the murder of 17 year old Treyvon Martin. This factor is the killer was a child. In the case of Treyvon Martin, the killer was a man who was a licensed gun carrier whose job was to alert the authorities of any crimes happening in a gated community. Once again America, let’s travel to a place where mankind rarely adventures to. Let’s journey to.... THE SOURCE!
There are many people calling racism. Well, I would agree with this group to an extent. That extent goes as far as profiling. And when it comes to profiling, racism is a pillar that holds it up. I believe this to be a human condition, no different than when the punk rocker with twenty holes in his head sits next to you on a bus, a Persian man in traditional attire sits next to you on a plane, or a kid with his pants sagging comes over to pick up your daughter for a date. Profiling does not make you a racist. Profiling is a tool; it is a necessary evil. A person can use profiling as a tool to validate his prejudices. But most of the time it is a tool that assist one’s intuition. A kid wearing all red with a red bandana hanging out of his jeans will get profiled whether he is a Blood or not. Once again, this goes back to parenting. There are certain things that will call attention to anyone. It is the individual’s responsibility to be aware of what energy he will attract when he incorporates these things into his image. However, here is the dilemma: Hip Hop culture has a style of dress especially with the younger Hip Hoppas. But this same style of dress is prevalent with the “usual suspect.” This makes it hard to distinguish who is who from point of view of those who are outside the culture. Since 1973, almost all styles of the Hip Hop community came from the inner city. And the rate of crime was and is greater in these same places. Black Americans and Latino Americans encompass the greater majority of inner city dwellers. White Americans are not excluded from the culture because they are not part of this majority (because this rule would have to be extended to Black and Latino Americans in the suburbs as well) just like our Asian brother and sisters who shares Hip Hop’s dress code isn’t excluded either. So the outsider has to have something to distinguish between who is and who isn’t the criminal. I believe this is when the error of using skin tone becomes a tool for judgment.
As I stated in Part I of this blog, I was a police officer in the U.S. Air Force. I came in at 19 years old. I am also a child of Hip Hop. It was very common for me and a counterpart to have a dispute over how to approach situations. Many times I was mistaken as someone who was aloof or a sympathizer towards subjects. But this wasn’t true at all. I would not approach everyone with baggy clothes and their hat turned backwards like a subject. If they were somewhere they wasn’t supposed to be I spoke with them the same way I would if I saw a middle aged white man with a buzz cut walking his dog. Frequently I would tell them nothing they wear is a sign that they are up to no good. Frequently I would tell them when I’m not in uniform I’m wearing the same thing. This was an insight to the culture of law enforcement I wish I would’ve remained naive to.
Profiling is a system. It is an observational process of elimination in real time. Profiling is the laymen term for Kinesics. Kinesics is all about the body, not the attire the body is covered in. Whenever I profiled (or profile) I started with the individual’s ways and actions first and used what the individual was wearing and the complexion of their skin to identify them. This to me is the fundamental flaw of profiling. This is where the prejudices of people are revealed. To become stand offish or skeptical of someone because you are profiling them by what they wear is still an error in judgment but at that point it is only harmful to yourself since you are dealing with this prejudice internally. And maybe you’re right which in that case you’re incidentally one step ahead of the game. But when one acts on this prejudice externally by harassing an individual or being disrespectful towards the individual, one has crossed that threshold and used profiling as a harmful tool. Once again, this is something that people outside of the culture fail to comprehend. They allow society’s warped view of Hip Hop culture and inner city living to become the foundation of their decision making. When this type of profiling (using what someone is wearing as the basis of how you profile a criminal) is being conducted, we limit our reasoning and raise the percentages of a misunderstanding to come about.
On Fox and Friends (America’s snake pit of one sided and short sighted information) Geraldo Rivera urged Black and Latino parents to not allow their children to wear hoodies (insinuating that when a Black or Latino child wears a hoodie it represents something different than when any other child wears it). Well Mr. Rivera, this might come from a genuine place of concern since you once supported the Young Lords who were heavily influenced by the Black Panther Party. The same Young Lords who, in 1969, occupied a church for health services, day care services, and to feed, clothe, and educate children from the East Harlem section of Manhattan. Oh, you know because you got your big break when you were interviewed by a reporter, explaining to America what the occupation was all about. So maybe that comes from a good place. However, much like your colleagues over there in Rupert Land, I believe your perception of “the hoodie” is disconnected and skewed. But if we’re going to use random clothing items as a legitimate reason to become judge and jury why stop at the hoodie? America has spiraled into an economic whirlpool by men in business suits. Maybe the next time I see a baby boomer in a three piece suit and wing tips walking out of a bank I should tackle him and call 911 for back up. You know... since associating clothing and crime is understandable.
Well America we covered the issue with George Zimmerman’s profiling tactics. But even if he profiled this young Black man wearing a hoodie while walking through a neighborhood he doesn’t normally walk through doesn’t mean the harassment should’ve ended in murder. What lead to the gun drawn?
“I seen some cold nights and bloody days
They grab me and bullets spray
They use me wrong so I sing this song 'til this day
My body is cold steel for real
I was made to kill, that's why they keep me concealed” – Nas (I Gave You Power)
The state of Florida has a law called The Stand Your Ground Law, a law that is one of 20 other similar laws that was pushed and championed by American gun advocates. While in office, former Gov. Jeb Bush signed a law that permits any Floridian who can legally possess a weapon, can set their own standard of using lethal force, given they can reasonably tell THEMSELVES that using lethal force will neutralize or eliminate a lethal threat. Given Florida’s recent history with using reason (2000 election and Casey Anthony’s case) it’s a scary thought such responsibility is given so easily. What this law has enacted is a situation where any man has a reasonable chance of getting away with killing another man as long as they can reasonably articulate they were in fear. How do you gauge such a thing? And it is not political mudslinging to suggest this kind of gun law is part of a conservative agenda. Personally, I don’t know where I stand with the issues of gun control. I believe we should have personal freedoms and I don’t need any form of government to protect me from myself. I understand the conservative philosophy of “personal responsibility”... to an extent.
To have a weapon in the house to protect your family and property is a freedom I believe we all should have. To walk and drive around with a weapon in public and a law that protects a person’s choice of using lethal force when they feel they could be in danger is not only irresponsible of leadership but it is irresponsible of the people who believe this makes sense. American society has come to a point in its history where, for the most part, civil liberties are honored and the majority of Americans are receptive of it. Looking at it in a historical time line, we have taken a major step forward as a society in the last sixty years. Sixty years ago a Black man could only clean in the White House. Today a Black family lives in the White House. But this same society cannot understand the fundamental problem when you place a loaded weapon in the hands of a human; the only creature on Earth susceptible of being governed by his emotions.
Let me put this in a more reasonable setting for you America. As a security force officer in the Air Force I had to recognize the subject had intent, capability, and opportunity to kill me or anyone else for me to shoot my weapon. As a force protection officer overseas, all of those had to exist as well as protection of DoD assets. But this is an answer I found online when researching when is drawing a gun by a police officer permitted:
“An officer can draw his weapon anytime he can articulate a concern for his safety.
"He can only fire his weapon if he or someone else is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm.”
This is an answer I found online when researching what happens to a police officer after a shooting:
“You have investigation upon interview, upon another investigation. There are actually three aspects of a police or officer involved shooting. First, there is the criminal aspect that does go to the DA's office. Then you have the civil aspect that may end up in federal court in some places. Then you have the department's investigation, which sort of coincides with the civil investigation, however, it is mostly administrative where they review or investigate various aspects of the shooting.
For instance, a criminal review would simply see if you were justified in shooting. The administrative aspect is much more complicated. Did the officer utilize verbal commands? Was the officer in the right location? Did the officer exercise proper tactics? What information did the officer have at the time of each stage of the incident? Were the officer's before, during and after incident actions appropriate? Yada, yada, yada....
My last situation entailed four years of criminal, civil and even an appearance in federal court on a few matters with a large number of civil mediation hearings in between.
Not to mention the psychologist, gun test and all the other crap that goes along with it.”
Now keep in mind all of this is designated for people whose background is scrutinized before earning the right to even carry a gun. Please refer to Part I about the process before being allowed to carry a weapon as a public servant. Now observe the criteria to own a conceal weapon license in Florida:
· You must be 21 years of age or older.
· You must be able to demonstrate competency with a firearm.
· Unless you are serving overseas in the United States Armed Forces, you must currently reside in the United States (US) AND be a US citizen or deemed a lawful permanent resident alien by Department of Homeland Security, US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). If you are serving overseas in the US Armed Forces, submit a copy of your deployment documentation with your application. If you are not a US citizen, submit documentation issued by the USCIS proving you are a permanent legal resident alien with proof you have resided in the state of residence (as shown on your application) for at least 90 consecutive days prior to the date the application is submitted.
As for what might keep you from getting a license?
· The physical inability to handle a firearm safely.
· A felony conviction (unless civil and firearm rights have been restored by the convicting authority).
· Having adjudication withheld or sentence suspended on a felony or misdemeanor crime of violence unless three years have elapsed since probation or other conditions set by the court have been fulfilled.
· A conviction for a misdemeanor crime of violence in the last three years.
· A conviction for violation of controlled substance laws or multiple arrests for such offenses.
· A record of drug or alcohol abuse.
· Two or more DUI convictions within the previous three years.
· Being committed to a mental institution or adjudged incompetent or mentally defective.
· Failing to provide proof of proficiency with a firearm.
· Having been issued a domestic violence injunction or an injunction against repeat violence that is currently in force.
· Renouncement of U.S. citizenship.
· A dishonorable discharge from the armed forces.
· Being a fugitive from justice.
“How you like me now? I go blaow!
It's that shit that moves crowds makin every ghetto foul
I might have took your first child
Scarred your life, crippled your style
I gave you power
I made you buck wild” – Nas (I Gave You Power)
Do you see where I’m getting at America? We allow these types of crimes to happen. George Zimmerman was on his own agenda and he used a loophole in the Florida state laws to kill an innocent child. Zimmerman’s life nor anyone in that subdivision’s life was in danger. Zimmerman, by all accounts, instigated the confrontation based on his misjudgment. He was not trained properly to do the job he was perpetrating. He was being overzealous and counter-productive to the position he himself volunteered for. And because of this reckless Florida state law, this man is walking around free because he said he felt a 17 year old unarmed kid was a danger to his life. By this man being free of murder we are telling the parents of Treyvon Martin the death of their child is excusable under law. We are telling his parents, laws such as these are to protect ourselves and our property from dangerous people. We are telling them Treyvon’s life is worth less than the idea of a criminal breaking into someone’s house and causing harm. This is the fundamental flaw in the law, in the conservative agenda that pushed this law, in the mind frame of the Americans who supported this law, and in the mind set of the participants in the judicial process that allows crimes against humanity to be excused from the law books.
Zimmerman felt he had the power and, America, we gave it to him. And in four more years, Treyvon would’ve been old enough for the state of Florida to grant him the same power to protect himself. Is this what we want? Does this make sense in an intellectual and logical society? WE MUST USE REASON! Power without reason is reckless. This is a reckless law that can only lead to more problems than good. Yes, America, you have the right to bear arms. However, I have the unalienable right to life, liberty, and a pursuit of happiness.
Zimmerman’s right to bear arm and stand his grown took those rights away from Treyvon Martin. Sgt. Bales took those rights away from seventeen people in Afghanistan, nine of them being children. I say again, POWER WITHOUT REASON IS RECKLESS. And if we as a society cannot use better judgment as to who is qualified to carry weapons and make responsible decisions with them, then we should be prepared to wash the blood off our own hands because it is us, America, who become the accomplice to these atrocities with our lack of reason.
We gave them power, me made them buck wild.
