Celebs speak out against acquittal
Posted by Media Outrage on April 27, 2008
Ice Cube, Chamillionaire, and Al Sharpton are among the many millions that are totally disgusted with the lack of justice we saw Friday when the judge acquitted all 3 officers in the shooting death of Sean Bell in which they fired 50 shots at an unarmed man hitting him 16 times. This is definitely a disgusting travesty of what is supposed to be justice in America. It reminds black people of the Jim Crow era in which African Americans never received a fair shot in a court room. It also sends a loud message to youth that already do not trust the law, that the police will not be held accountable when they use excessive force, break the law, and murder innocent civilians. It tells black people that society values the lives of corrupt police officers more than regular people.
Via MTV:
Al Sharpton:
“I think that we need a cross-section of groups to come together,” Sharpton said from his National Action Network headquarters in Harlem. “We need to sit down immediately and plan a strategy and make it international, with the goals being a structural change in policing. I believe we can get to the federal government. Then we’re going to wait again for another trial. There’s something wrong with the law, and we must change that.”
Ice Cube:
“This is just another example that the justice system in America views a black life as worthless,”
Chamillionaire:
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that shooting an innocent, unarmed man 50-plus times is an excessive use of force. I’m sure a lot of people are as disappointed with this verdict as I am. It scares me to know what type of power is given to people who are supposed to be protecting us from harm. It seems like they are all just protecting themselves. The verdict sends a terrible message to people across the nation who already don’t have faith in the law or our justice system. It will be hard for people to see this as anything other than a case of police protection. Our prayers go out to the family and friends of Sean Bell.”
Bun B:
“The verdict is almost as tragic as the incident. We’ve already lost [a] life, and now we’ve got a loss of justice and loss of reciprocation for what’s happened. And it cuts you on so many levels.”
Bun insisted that the law has to change. “Some kind of legislation that holds police more accountable [is needed],” he said. ” … I would love to see the Sean Bell bill passed, you know what I’m saying? Something in his name. Let’s not mar his memory with violence. … I feel like people should be upset. They should be mad, but that’s what they expect for us to do with our anger. That’s what they expect us to do with our energy, is to put it back out and to take their negative energy and turn it into something even more negative. We gotta take that sh– and do it into something positive for this dude, because … Sean Bell could’ve been anybody, literally. Sean Bell wasn’t a celebrity. He wasn’t an athlete. … He was just a man trying to take care of his family, trying to do his thing, just do him. This could be anybody. Any man.”
Mediaoutrage- What are your thoughts?
RealTalk said
Why do we feel we need the police??? Will someone please answer this question for me. You see I had some real parents growing up, who did not believe in sparing the rod! The police are just as guilty as anyone they arrest, for they too are criminals! They commit the same crimes that they lock people up for, they steal, cheat, lie, and kill, and for their crimes a lot of times they have immunity so they never have to answer. People are so afraid because they have listened to the politicians lie for so long convincing them that the police are needed, when this is not really true. We as a people have got to learn to come together, put our differences asides and take back our power as a people. Stop being afraid and start standing up for what is right! We need to get together and make laws for authorities, and since they choose to be in their positions and was not forced into them, they should have stiffer punishments when they break the law. I am so sick of people babying officers saying things like: Officers work such long hours, they have such a dangerous job(he/she chose the job.). They even have the nerves to call your house to ask for a donations! They rob us everyday! They ride around on taxpayers dollars running errands for their personal life on company time and in company vehicals! When they commit murders, they lie, and a lot of the time I think the jury is asleep during these trials, or they’re of kin to the officers, or maybe they are just as evil as the people on trial, whatever it is, it has to STOP! People WAKE UP!, we have more power than we think we do! Remember, together we are STRONG and divided we will FALL! I’m tired of falling, what about you? If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything!