stevenleser
stevenleser's JournalSign the petition requesting the USDOJ take over the Sandra Bland investigation
My comments: "We need to know what happened and only an impartial investigating agency outside of the jurisdiction can do that with any degree of confidence."
https://www.change.org/p/the-united-states-department-of-justice-attorney-general-loretta-lynch-take-over-the-investigation-into-the-death-of-sandra-bland-from-the-waller-county-texas-police-department
Petition text:
On Monday July 13th 2015 Sandra Bland, a 28 year-old Black woman from the suburbs of Chicago was found dead in a Waller County, Texas jail cell. The circumstances surrounding her death are at best unclear and given known facts, very disturbing.
Sandra Bland, a Prairie View A&M graduate, had recently arrived in Texas to start new employment in the state and was residing with her uncle. On Friday July 10th 2015, Ms. Bland was pulled over by local Waller County Sheriffs for failing to signal before changing lanes.
What we know of what happens after that is unsettling.
Local press affiliates were able to obtain a nearly 2-minute long video of her arrest. We see Ms. Bland lying face down in a grassy marsh immediately abutting a public sidewalk. There is a male police officer with both knees pressed down on top of her back. Her arms are being sharply pulled behind her back and Ms. Bland is screaming and crying. We can clearly hear her say, "I can't feel my arms!" "I can't hear!" "You slammed my head into the ground! I'm a female. Don't you care that you slammed my head into the ground!?"
Significantly - one of the other two police officers notices the unidentified pedestrian who was taking the footage and ON CAMERA immediately attempts to intimidate him and make him STOP FILMING. As you know, The Supreme Court just recently upheld the RIGHT of any United States citizen to FILM POLICE on public property (and even in some private properties). The SCOTUS judgment also specifically prohibited police from doing exactly what this police officer was shown on camera to do: attempt to intimidate & stop a private citizen from filming an arrest on public property.
The next thing we (the general public) know for sure is that on Monday, July 13th 2015 at 9AM - local police said they found Sandra Bland dead. They said she was found "hanged" and are indicating that it was a suicide.
Based on a number of factors:
a) Sandra Bland had just RELOCATED from Chicago, Illinois to Texas to begin a brand new job.
b) Evidence that she took this new employment seriously and enthusiastically is indicated by the fact that she relocated across the country to start that job.
c) Per all family, friends and peers who have spoken publicly on this matter - Ms. Bland was a very bright, vital and happy person with absolutely NO indications of depression or suicidal tendency whatsoever!
d) Ms. Bland is clearly seen and heard on video screaming that she had been very seriously physically assaulted and damaged. She cites lack of feeling in her arms. That her head had been bashed into the ground. and as significantly - that she couldn't hear.
All three concerns are extremely disturbing (and relevant) in light of what we know happened (her being found lifeless 2 days later) in that all three would be consistent with the onset of cerebral hemorrhaging.
WE NEED AN OFFICIAL AUTOPSY PERFORMED OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW OF THE WALLER COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.
And for that matter outside any local or state authority.
The circumstances of this young woman's death is highly suspect and it is in the interest of justice for an outside, disinterested party with the proper legal authority to assume jurisdiction over this investigation...to avoid any appearance of impropriety or concealment.
The Department of Justice has to conduct an independent autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Was there hemorrhaging due to her head being slammed to the ground (as she exclaimed twice)?
It is in the public's interest...and in the interest of justice that we find out
WHAT HAPPENED TO SANDRA BLAND!
I started this petition because the LIFE of Sandra Bland MATTERS.
Because it has become painfully clear through a pattern of heavy-handed, hyper-violent and wantonly callous interactions between police and citizens, particularly black citizens nationwide...that the system of law enforcement as currently practiced is broken. And we need change.
We can start here.
We can start by finding out what truly happened to Sandra Bland.
And we can get justice...at least for her.
Her life matters.
Black Lives Matter.
"Thanks to Citizens United, #GOP Nomination process is reduced to a Billionaire Cockfight & Trump's
his own rooster."
- Seen on Twitter
"Do you have any idea who I am?"
This was just sent to me and it is probably an urban legend but I don't care:
This happened at a New York Airport. This is hilarious. I wish I had the guts of this girl. An award should go to the United Airlines gate agent in New York for being smart and funny, while making her point, when confronted with a passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo. For all of you out there who have had to deal with an irate customer, this one is for you.
A crowded United Airlines flight was canceled.
A single agent was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced travelers.
Suddenly, an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket on the counter and said, "I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS."
The agent replied, "I'm sorry, sir. I'll be happy to try to help you, but I've got to help these folks first; and then I'm sure we'll be able to work something out."
The passenger was unimpressed.
He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?"
Without hesitating, the agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone.
"May I have your attention, please?", she began, her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. "We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him with his identity, please come to Gate 14."
With the folks behind him in line laughing hysterically, the man glared at the United Airlines agent, gritted his teeth, and said, "F*** You!"
Without flinching, she smiled and said, "I'm sorry sir, you'll have to get in line for that, too."
There is now a Donald Trump um... well... it's a... toy...
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/07/14/think-pinatas-are-cool-wait-till-you-see-the-donald-trump-butt-plug-image/Think Pinatas Are Cool? Wait Till You See The Donald Trump Butt Plug!
Its no secret to anyone who is even casually following the 2016 GOP clown car more like a clown bus with the number of imbeciles we have running on that side of the aisle now that current frontrunner Donald Trump is not only an absolute godsend for the Democrats, but he is also pure comedy gold, and not just for late night comedians and talk show hosts, either.
We all remember the Donald Trump pinatas, created by a Mexican artist who found a creative way for people insulted by The Donalds racist rapists remarks about Mexican immigrants to vent their frustrations. Well, as awesome as those were, were going to introduce you to something even better: The Donald Trump butt plug.
Thought you all might appreciate this
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=444247
OMG, funniest thing ever. Undocumented Mexican worker responds to Trumps statements
I literally am crying from laughing so hard
By the way, am permalinking and sending this to my journal for reference to your ad hominems
against me without proof.
Because that is the kind of debater you are.
This is the kind of debater you are. Half a dozen to a dozen of us have provided you several
examples of exactly what you asked. And you go on as if you have never heard us, all the while hurling crazy red herrings, non sequiturs and strawmen at us.
Profile Information
Name: RuggedRealistGender: Male
Hometown: New York, NY
Home country: USA
Current location: NYC
Member since: Tue Jan 4, 2005, 05:36 PM
Number of posts: 32,886