For those of you caught up in whether there will be “riots,” in #Memphis when the #TyreNichols video drops. Who are more concerned with tranquility. Who are getting groceries and gas today in case the heathens come out. Let me just drop some good brother #MLK for ya.
“But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. #MLK
These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. #MLK
And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. #MLK
And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.” #MLK

Full speech “The Other America” from March 14, 1968 here: gphistorical.org/mlk/mlkspeech/

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More from @tamisawyer

Jan 26
#TyreNichols #Memphis When I was Commissioner (oh so long ago), I pushed several resolutions for police reform. All attempts were blocked due to proximity to Mayor Strickland and Sheriff Bonner.
- I asked for a directory of officers charged with misconduct. Denied.
- I asked for POST certification removal for fired officers. Denied. (Retaining POST allows officers to go to a different police department when fired. It’s why #DarrenWilson who murdered #MikeBrown is still a police officer.)
- I asked for community housing program where young recruits were required and incentivized to live in the neighborhoods they worked. Denied. (This program has shown to improve community - police relations and results in less use of force as well as lower arrest and crime rates.)
Read 4 tweets
Jan 26
#TyreNichols is not a singular occurrence in Memphis. Please don’t go back to business as usual just because the officers were charged. We still pay Connor Schilling’s pension even though he murdered Darrius Stewart. MPD has resisted meaningful reform and will continue to do so.
MPD has resisted meaningful reform and will continue to do so unless we collectively demand it. They over recruit and under train. They’re putting new officers on the street with the swiftness of an Amazon or FedEx and training as worthwhile as a bitcoin at 7-11.
These are the first officers ever charged in Memphis in recent memory for abuse or death and if Tyre hadn’t died and just been hurt they probably would have gotten away with it. Like they did with Martavius Banks. Because he lived, they walked and out HIM in jail when he healed.
Read 6 tweets

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