Success Strategies with Zhana: Do Black Lives Really Matter?

Joy Gardner

On my most recent show (see link below), we discussed the fact that Sarah Everard, a young white woman, was murdered by a serving police officer, a member of the Metropolitan Police.  His killer was recently sentenced to life imprisonment, which is an increase of his original 20-year sentence.  

Earlier this year, a vigil for Sarah was broken up by the police in a very heavy-handed way.  People, particularly women, are justifiably angered and appalled and Harriet Harmon MP has called for Cressida Dick's resignation. 

It's 28 years since Joy Gardner died in the custody of police and immigration officers.  But those involved in her death have never been prosecuted.  And nobody has held a vigil for Joy.  The documentary-maker Ken Fero called for Cressida Dick's resignation over the death of Joy Gardner.  Go here for my conversation with Ken. 

One rule for us, another rule for them. We discussed this on my recent show, Success Strategies with Zhana:  Do Black Lives Really Matter?  

PLUS:  

Go here for Black history blogs.  

Go here for African history blogs.  

This month marks the 10th anniversary of Black Cinema Club and they are showing loads of films to celebrate.  Go here for a list of the  film screenings this month.  

Do you believe Black lives really matter?  Please comment below and please share this blog with your networks.  Thanks.  

Brutality and Racist Violence against Aboriginal Youth

I am posting links to the stories below as further documentaton of the global nature of racist police violence and brutality.  Athough this incident occurred nearly a year ago, this story is  all over the Australian press and international press today as the officer has just been charged. You may have seen the viral video (above).  

Cop who 'kicked an Aboriginal teen to the ground face-first for threatening him' is charged with assault and bodily harm after year-long investigation. 

NSW police officer charged over alleged assault of Indigenous teen.

NSW police officer charged over alleged assault during arrest of Indigenous teenager.   

 

Police officer charged after arrest of Aboriginal teenager in Surry Hills. 

And this one, also from a year ago:  

Members of the public call for sacking of Senior Constable "Raptor 13". 

As you will know if you follow my blogs, I often state that racist police violence against Black communities is a global problem.  It is not something that is confined to a particular group, community, country or society.  It happens in every country where Europeans are the dominant group.  

Go here to watch our recent Global Peace Summit, where we screened Injustice, the film the police tried to ban, and held a discussion with the director, Ken Fero.  

And go here for my conversation with Ken Fero.  He has made films about the same issue in many European country. 

As I often say, and have posted many times as part of the Blogging Carnival for Nonviolence, we need to find solutions to this ongoing problem.  And I believe NVC (Nonviolent Communication) is one such solution.  

What do you think will resolve this ongoing issue?  Please leave your comments below and please share this with your networks.  Thanks.  

Spree of Executions during Trump's Final Days

In what NBC News has called a "spree" of Federal executions, Donald Trump has ordered the Federal executions of five more people.  Four of them are Black men, including Brandon Bernard, who was arrested at the age of 18.  The government's scheduling timeline violates the federal death penalty law.

This makes Trump the "President" to order the most Federal executions in over 130 years.  The Republican administration had not ordered any executions for 17 years - until July of this year.  

According to a recent report by the Death Penalty Information Center, there is a history of racism in the criminal injustice system which dates back to slavery, lynching and segregation.  Well, we already knew that, but it's still useful to hear it. 

See also:  How to Escape the Prison System.    

See also:  Life Sentence for Stealing $9.  

See also:  83 Days, about George Stinney, who was executed at the age of 14. 

See also:  New Revelations about Emmett Till, who was murdered at the age of 14.  "The system rested on violence, and America let that happen."   The murder of Emmett Till galvanised people to fight racial injustice and ultimately led to the Civil Rights movement.  But today, this racism and criminal injustice continues. 

This story was also covered by The Guardian and the BBC.  

What do you make of all this?  Please leave your comments below and please share this with your networks.  Thanks.  

Success Strategies with Zhana: 2020 Year-End Roundup

If you missed the 2020 year-end roundup, you can still listen to it here.  

We had a lot to talk about.   So much has happened in 2020.  

What are the parallels between the killing of Breonna Taylor and the shooting of Cherry Groce?  

Do people in the U.S. know about what is happening here in the UK and in other countries?  And when they find out, what do they think?  

We didn't talk about the racist comments about the Sainsbury's ads.  What did you think?  Please share this with your networks and please comment below. 

Injustice: The Film the Police Tried to Ban

My guest on the most recent edition of my Success Strategies online radio show was Ken Fero, the director of Injustice.   You have probably heard of, or seen, Injustice, Fero's film about seven UK families that are still fighting for justice after a family member died in police custody.  The police tried to ban this film - every time a cinema was scheduled to screen it, the police would phone them 15 minutes beforehand and tell them not to show it. 

Go here to listen.  

Ken Fero spoke to me about the fact that the police are, in his words, "killing Black people", and that this must stop.  

Some people believe the "Black Lives Matter" movement only pertains to the U.S.  Ken Fero talked with me about filming the experience of Black people and other migrant communities in many places, including the UK, Germany and France.  Go here to listen. 

He also spoke about his new film, Ultraviolence, and the fact that deaths in police custody are just "the tip of the iceberg".  

For more about Ken Fero and Injustice, see Ken Fero on Deaths in Police Custody.  

Go here to listen to our conversation.  

See also:  Protecting Our Communities.  

As I am sure you know, October is Black History Month/African Heritage Month here in the UK.  

And, of course, every month is Black History Month/African Heritage Month.  

Go here for my recent conversation with Brother Tony Warner of London Black History Walks:  Does Black History Really Matter?  As usual, he offered us loads of information about Black British history. 

Go here for more of my Black history blogs.  

Please leave your comments below and please share.  Thanks!  

Go here for more from the Blogging Carnival for Nonviolence 2020.