social injustice Archives - STRAIGHT FROM THE PEN

Yes, George Floyd mattered.

What happens to one person may happen to another and another and another, until those of us who do not fit into the perfect mold or preferred social class no longer exists. That is one reason why the death of George Floyd and others matter who died because of police brutality or other unjustified reasons/causes.

A fellow blogger who is incarcerated and others have written negatively about the media focus and social uprisings related to the death of George Floyd, a convicted felon, a person who was alleged to have been violating the law before his untimely and wrongful death.

A man with a colorful past wrote a poem that tells why people should be concerned about George Floyd’s death, and all of the other men and women who died at the hands of other people; whether by law enforcement officials, at the hands of racists, by gang violence, being on the wrong side of group protests, or by any other method that deprived someone of their right to live.

Pastor Martin Niemöller, a former part of Nazi Germany who changed his ways and beliefs, wrote the following poem. Interchange any of the labels with the others often given to dehumanize other people:

“They” may be any person belonging to a group or who has a belief system based on race, religion, sex, sexual preference, political affiliations, or any group whose favor one does not fall, whether based on skin tone, socio-economic status, or any other factor used to justify wrongful actions.

This is a poem that I first heard as No Else Around (apparently based on First They Came), which I will use to show why George Floyd and those who differ, or who otherwise come from a different socio-economic class, should matter to everyone who qualifies as a member of the human race.

First they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Christians, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Christian.

Then they came for the prisoners, and I did not speak out—because I was not a prisoner.

Then they came for the Blacks, and I did not speak out—because I was not Black.

Then when they came for me there was no one else around to speak for me.

******

We are all in this together, what happens to one may happen to another. All lives matter who belong to the human race.

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Quora Moderation granted my appeal and reposted my answer to the question, “What would happen to the American criminal justice system if no one accepted plea deals and every case had to be resolved in the courtroom?”

Tuesday, March 12, 2019: I replied to a comment and referred to Sammy the Bull and the plea deal made to imprison former Mob Boss, John Gotti.

Ironically, John Gotti’s replacement, Gambino crime boss, Frank (Franky Boy) Cali, was gunned-down on March 13, 2019, the day after I replied and referred to his predecessor, John Gotti.

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-metro-murdered-gambino-crime-boss-lured-to-death-20190314-story.html

Ironic Reply to Response

For Quora Reader Response, follow thread at https://www.quora.com/What-would-happen-to-the-American-criminal-justice-system-if-no-one-accepted-plea-deals-and-every-case-had-to-be-resolved-in-the-courtroom/answer/Wayne-T-Dowdy

On plea-bargaining: what of situations when a mass-murderer, like Sammy the Bull, receives five-years for murdering nineteen people, because he agreed to say what the government needed said to convict John Gotti?

I have known many men who were in prison because someone lied to put them in prison, in exchange for a more lenient sentence. When most men and women are faced with going to prison or telling lies to put someone else inside in place of themselves, you can believe they will tell a lie and may help put innocent people in prison. That is the flaw in the plea-bargaining system.

On social injustice: Poor people suffer, whether white, black, blue or green. Statistically, based upon percentages, I know those with darker complexions receive longer sentences and are targeted by law enforcement; however, I am white and received a lengthier sentence than many other non-whites who committed more serious crimes.

Before I left prison, an African-American friend asked me to help his people organize movements like Black Lives Matter so that they would be more effective. I replied, “The first thing that needs to happen is to take the color out. All lives matter.”

Martin Luther King, Jr., Spoke Against Social Injustice.

When you add Black, White, Brown, Yellow to any social issue, the color label automatically alienates many of whom would otherwise be supportive if the person pushing the agenda had not made the issue into a racial one.

Click to read associated post: https://straightfromthepen.wordpress.com/2019/03/14/reduce-mass-incarceration/