After the shellacking we took this week, some people are ready to give up. "Not another mountain to climb," weary warriors groan.
One reason we cannot stop fighting now is demonstrated in Vest or Vote, a 1-1/2 minute video created by Florida's Dream Defenders for the November 4 election:
Transcript
| Mother: | Randy, did you study? |
| Randy: | Yes. |
| Mother: | You studied? |
| Randy: | Yes, Mom. |
| Mother: | You know, baby, I'm gonna need you to wear that vest today. |
| Randy: | Mom, are you serious? I'm not going to wear that vest. |
| Mother: | I need to know, when I am at work, that you are going to be safe. Do it for me? |
| Randy: | All right, Momma, I'll do it for you. |
| Reporter: | An unarmed teenager shot dead on a Saturday afternoon. |
| Visual: | Every 28 hours an African American is killed by a police officer, security guard, or vigilante. |
| Reporter: | The FBI has questioned a man who says he recorded the audio of gunshots at the time Michael Brown was shot by Ferguson police. |
| Reporter: | Here in Oakland Oscar Grant's death represents the very worst of gun violence and racism. His life may be over, but the case is not. Today's Oscar Grant has a new name, Trayvon Martin. |
| Visual: | Logo: Dream Defenders. Visit dreamdefenders.org. (Transcript by 2thanks.) |
We Kid You Not
Bullet proof vests for kids are on sale now. See a picture of an ad for such a vest at dreamdefenders.org/vest. The tumblr page of the dream defenders is here.
Changing Our Direction
In times of uncertainty and turmoil in the past, Americans have fought back in four principal ways: at the ballot box, by long-term populist appeals, with protests, and through legal action.
Tonight we will explore the fourth method of creating change: legal action against thug police.
We Wrote a Law: Update
Some of you may not be aware that our group, Support the Dream Defenders, has recently drafted a proposed bill called The Michael Brown Over-Policed Rights Act. Over 300 members of Daily Kos crowd-sourced this very strong law. The bill uses many of the mechanisms found in the Voting Rights Act to give people – like you and me – the right to file a lawsuit against law enforcement agencies that discriminate against people of color, language minorities, and other select groups.
Why is this important now? Although 2014 was an "R" year, 2016 will more than likely be a "D" year. At that time, new laws will be passed, and we should put those laws in the pipeline now. As we saw in 2009, viable majorities in both Houses of Congress don't always last long. ALEC has been successful because it has had legislation waiting on the back burner for the day when the unthinkable happens. We can be ready for the day when the thinkable happens.
We have received guidance in refining our proposed law from none other than Hilary Shelton, Director of the Washington Bureau of the NAACP. In addition, legislative officers of the national ACLU are interested in partnering with Daily Kos to get the law passed. State Houses in Missouri and Kansas will hold committee hearings on the Michael Brown Over-Policed Rights Act. The bill has been sent to every member of the Congressional Black Caucus, to the Progressive Caucus, and to many other national civil rights organizations.
This law might not save the next Michael Brown or forfend the next Ferguson, but it will be ready for the next Congress in 2017. What about laws dealing with the criminalization of pot? Three-strike laws involving non-violent offenses? Gerrymandering? Voter identification? Climate change? Access to Planned Parenthood buildings? We can write them.
We are proud of and thankful for the response we have gotten thus far, but we still need your help in getting as much support as possible for our law.
It is needed. It is necessary.
The going has gotten rough; are we tough enough to meet the challenge?