ALB Micki

Showing posts with label United States. Show all posts
Showing posts with label United States. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Marked For Death

 

We are one people, not tribes. And because you live in a different area, on a different turf, you don’t see yourself as the same people. You feel you have to protect what you really, in fact, do not even own.

Then, to complicate the situation, drugs are brought in. It is no longer a matter of where you live, it’s “Don’t you sell any drugs in the turf that we have carved out.”

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan

And oftentimes police recruit our young people to sell drugs. I said, oftentimes some police recruit our young people to sell drugs. Why do we sell drugs? It is because we want to kill our people? No!

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It is because that is the way the enemy has opened up for us to make the kind of money that would allow us to wear good shoes, designer jeans, designer sneakers, gold chains, gold watches, diamond rings. You can’t wear that working for minimum wage all day long.

Who wants to work all day long for nothing? So when someone comes along and says, “Look here, man, sell this white powder. Give this rock of crack to your brother. You can make some money,” the money attracts you. You are not thinking about death to your people.

You are thinking about those big bucks, and if you can make $500, $700, $1,000 per week selling drugs, then who can interest you in a 9 to 5 job working for $4.25 an hour?

The oppressors know we like nice cars. They know we like nice clothes. We can’t get those things without a job, without an education, and without being able to be an entrepreneur.

Since you are not able to get a job, and you have no skills or training, you turn to selling drugs in your neighborhood, your “turf.” So you are not protecting your neighborhood, you are protecting the area where you sell the drugs. The enemy knows this. He is feeding you the drugs.

The Uzis, the AK-47’s, your enemy is feeding you automatic weapons now. You don’t make any weapons, Brother. Where did you get the weapons? You can’t go to a firing range with an Uzi. You can’t go to a firing range with a Street Sweeper, which is an automatic weapon that allows you to fire 12 rounds of 23-gauge shotgun pellets in three seconds. You aren’t going anywhere to learn to shoot that! They put that in your hand, knowing you want to practice!

So, you just look for an excuse to use your Uzi, to use your AK-47, your Street Sweeper and your Magnum. But you kill more innocent people, destroy more property, because you don’t know how to shoot!

This is all calculated. This is all part of the conspiracy.

Now your neighborhood is getting rough, and your poor mother at home is wondering if you will make it from the school to the house. She is saying, “Lord, I’ve got to move! I’ve got to get my baby out of this!” Where are you moving to, Mother?

The Robert Taylor Homes, Stateway Gardens, Henry Horner Projects, White people want this turf. When they plan downtown redevelopment, they recognize you are too close to the downtown area, the business section of the country! The White people have moved to the suburbs, and it requires gas, money and time to get to downtown Chicago, New York, Boston, Los Angeles or Detroit.

So, they plan your removal. How? Create gangs. Feed weapons to the gangs, and make them kill each other; just confine the killing to the Black neighborhood, don’t let it spill over to the White neighborhood. Then, as they kill each other, it will produce “Black flight.” They prepare apartment houses for you in the suburbs, so you move out and the enemy lets the property go down. The banks are in collusion with this. They send some of you to burn the property. Then, as you begin to move out, Whites let the property keep going down. Then, the White developers move in. Imagine the Robert Taylor Homes as a condominium!

They don’t want you there anymore! They want you OUT.

White flight from the cities to the suburbs has left Blacks, Hispanics and poor people in control of the inner cities. But in developing the inner cities, the areas in which most Black people live are the areas most convenient to downtown and the seat of power. So real estate developers want to put condominiums where houses exist now and sell them to Whites who are far removed from the centers of power.

They did this in Washington, D.C. They caused us to kill each other. And when we left, the Whites came in and took over where we once lived, and they made it beautiful! And now we can’t get back in there! They did it here, in the Woodlawn area. They allowed the Blackstone Rangers to come up. They gave us guns and we started killing each other. Our parents left. Now the White people have come and taken back over that area. You are gone now, and you can’t get back! They are going to do this in Stateway Gardens; they are going to do this in the Robert Taylor projects; they are going to keep death and destruction going in the Black community until you run and get out of the city … These efforts by the wickedly wise are designed to create a National Emergency to justify in the public’s mind the use of brutal force to put down this threat to public safety from what is called “gang activity.”

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

President Ryan Adams

  by Albert Michi

ENCINO, CA - With multiple wildfires continuing to spread in Southern California, many industry members on both the buy- and supply-sides are doing what they can to maintain operations and support each other. Ryan Adams, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gelson’s Markets, recently released the below statement:

Ryan Adams, President and Chief Executive Officer, Gelson's Markets
Ryan Adams, President and Chief Executive Officer, Gelson's Markets

The wildfires affecting our region have brought devastating loss and disruption to our communities. With a heavy heart, we share that our Palisades store has been completely lost to the fires. This store was more than just a place to shop—it was a cornerstone of the community, and we grieve this loss alongside the team members, customers, and neighbors who called it their own.

Now that mandatory evacuation has been lifted in La Cañada, our La Cañada store is open to serve our community. We are deeply grateful to all the first responders who bravely fought against the Eaton fire, ensuring the safety of our community and our store. Additionally, we are extraordinarily thankful to report that our Calabasas store has reopened and is ready to serve our community.

With multiple wildfires continuing to spread in Southern California, many industry members are doing what they can to maintain operations and support each other
With multiple wildfires continuing to spread in Southern California, many industry members are doing what they can to maintain operations and support each other

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these tragedies. We are committed to supporting our employees during this challenging time, ensuring they have access to resources and aid as they navigate their own hardships.

As a company deeply rooted in the communities we serve, we are committed to exploring every avenue to assist in recovery efforts. We will stand with our neighbors, supporting and working together to rebuild what has been lost.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we navigate this difficult time. Your support means everything to us, and we are hopeful for the future as we work together to rebuild and recover. We will keep you updated as the situation evolves.


Our thoughts are with all of those who are facing these challenging times.

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Mental

 

Depression in children
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)

“Here in Israel, we are seeing more anxiety and stress since Oct. 7 among adolescents and teens than ever before,” says Yael Avraham, a social worker and manager in the trauma field at ELEM.


Israelis are a resilient people. Despite Oct. 7, sirens, terror attacks, harrowing red alerts with missiles flying overhead, and COVID isolation, which all took tolls on our well-being, somehow we are still going about our lives, fighting, and serving our country. We are even the fifth-“happiest” country of the 143 countries ranked in the World Happiness Report, a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

But for some people, happiness is a transient state that comes and goes; and for those in a never-ending battle with depression, the clouds seldom, if ever, dissipate. In writing this article, I found that our “happy” country has parents, doctors, and healthcare providers who refuse to go on record about the state of mental health in Israel.

As I write this, parents in Karnei Shomron are reeling from a teen suicide, one of several within several years, and are asking what they can do to assist their youth through the labyrinth of hormones, situational pain, and mental anguish that make youth want to give up and end their lives.


The mayor of Karnei Shomron, Yonatan Kuznitz, declined to comment, saying the feelings are too intense and raw.One Israeli doctor I interviewed refused to be quoted on the record, calling the mental health system “outrageous.”According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that worldwide, 4.4% of 10- to 14 year olds, and 5.5% of 15 to 19 year olds experience an anxiety disorder. Depression is estimated to occur among 1.4% of adolescents aged 10-14 and 3.5% of 15 to 19 year olds, and suicide is the third-leading cause of death in older adolescents and young adults (15-29).

“Here in Israel, we are seeing more anxiety and stress since Oct. 7 among adolescents and teens than ever before,” says Yael Avraham, a social worker and manager in the trauma field at ELEM, Israel’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to treating troubled and at-risk youth. “Our kids are more afraid. More parents are reaching out for therapy. Our clinic has become a full-time job.”

 MENTAL ILLNESS requires constant self-care and positive choices. (credit: YOSSI ZAMIR/FLASH90)Enlrage image
MENTAL ILLNESS requires constant self-care and positive choices. (credit: YOSSI ZAMIR/FLASH90)

If you add bullying and social media pressure that comes with a click of their cellphones, fragile, sensitive youth, particularly those with mental illness, face a greater risk of suicide, she says.It’s a story that many do not want to talk about, but one that must be told.

Many myths about mental illness must be addressed. These include the following:


Mental illness manifests only in adults.

This is not true. There is evidence that mental illness can surface even in very young children and throughout their teenage years. Many young people who have bipolar disorder (manic depression) are initially diagnosed with ADHD, according to psychiatrists I spoke to. The problem is, that when a child is medicated with stimulants like Ritalin, in some cases the drug can have dangerous effects and can even cause psychosis.

Mental illness is not like physical illness.

This is false. What many do not realize is that mental illness is a physical illness – the result of unbalanced brain chemistry, which can become exacerbated as hormones shift in a growing child or teen.

Mental illness is a direct result of bad parenting.

False. While behavioral symptoms can be triggered by events or family issues, the most predictive factor for mental illness is often a family history of mental illness. Is it triggered by nature or nurture? Most doctors believe that mental illness is a genetic hand-me-down, like diabetes, hypertension, or any other family trait that is transmitted from one generation to the next. While external conditions can trigger the illness, the genetic predisposition must be there. In Israel, where Jews marry mostly Jews, genetic conditions are likely to be expressed more consistently.

RABBI SHALOM HAMMER, a former educator, lecturer at the IDF, and hesder yeshiva teacher, established the organization Gila’s Way (www.gilasway.com) after his daughter Gila died by suicide several years ago. He began speaking about suicide prevention just three days after getting up from his daughter’s shiva, and helping others became his life’s mission. He was brought to Karnei Shomron the night after the fifth anniversary of Gila’s death to speak to the parents and grandparents of the town, who were naturally concerned.

“You can have mental illness without suicidal ideations, and you can have suicidal ideations without having mental illness, but often they are intertwined,” he says.

“Life took a 180-degree turn for me,” he explains. “I had to somehow make sense of Gila’s death in order to help others understand the complexities and possibly save lives.”



Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Inmate Dead

 

Attorney General Letitia James

Calls for justice ring out around the nation yet again as chilling bodycam video showing the brutal beating of 43-year-old Black male inmate, Robert Brooks, at the hands of New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision officers at Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County left viewers in a familiar state of rage and devastation.

Mr. Brooks, who was serving a 12-year sentence for assault since 2017, was moved to Marcy Correctional Facility on Dec. 9, 2024, from the nearby Mohawk Correctional Facility.

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Bodycam footage of correction officers beating a handcuffed man, Robert Brooks, 43, at the Marcy Correctional Facility. (AP Photo)

According to prison records, the transfer came after Mr. Brooks was assaulted twice by other inmates in Mohawk and was seemingly moved for his safety. However, shortly after he arrived at Marcy Correctional Facility, Mr. Brooks experienced a vicious encounter with correction officers and died soon after.

While his official cause of death is still pending, autopsy details reveal that Mr. Brooks suffered “multiple bruises of the face and extremities, fracture of the nasal bone, multiple soft tissue hemorrhage of the muscles of the anterior right and left sides of the neck, hemorrhage overlaying of the thyroid cartilage, hemorrhage of the genital area soft tissues, the penis and both testes,” according to court documents.

The documents also note that the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy on behalf of the Onondaga County Medical Examiner’s Office also reported, “concerns for asphyxia due to compression of the neck as cause of death, as well as the death being due to the actions of another.”

According to several media reports, the autopsy details come as part of court documents from a Temporary Extreme Risk Protection Order, filed by the New York State Police and New York Attorney General’s Office against David Kingsley, one of the corrections officers accused of assaulting Mr. Brooks at the facility.

The documents were filed in Jefferson County, where Mr. Kingsley lives and came as an attempt to remove all firearms from the officer’s home—deeming him as a possible harm to others and himself due to his alleged involvement in Mr. Brooks’ beating.

The autopsy was conducted on Dec. 11, but a complete autopsy report has yet to be released.

Corrections officers at Marcy Correctional Facility were scene beating inmate Robert Brooks, who died on Dec. 10, 2024.

The devasting body-worn video

The bodycam footage, recorded on Dec. 9, starts outside the Marcy Correctional Facility entrance. Mr. Brooks can be seen lying down with handcuffs on when officers lift him off the ground and begin carrying him by his arms and legs into the infirmary.

Once inside, officers restrained Mr. Brooks to the examination table, where they could then be seen committing a wide range of heinous acts against him. This includes some officers repeatedly punching and kicking Mr. Brooks in his face, neck, chest, torso, buttocks and genitals as other officers continue to restrain him to the table.

At one point during the attack, an officer can be seen attempting to stuff what appears to be a white cloth in Brooks’ mouth. The officers later yank Mr. Brooks off of the table, into the corner of the room where attacks continue. Officers later drag him back onto the table where they continued to assault and unclothe him.

By the end of the recordings, Brooks is seen lying motionless on the table in just his underwear.

This all occurred while Brooks’ hands were handcuffed behind his back.

Brook was later taken to Wynn Hospital in Utica, New York, where he was pronounced dead the following day, Dec. 10.

The corrections department has identified the 11 corrections officers involved as follows: Matthew Galliher, Anthony Farina, Nicholas Anzalone, David Kingsley, Nicholas Kieffer, Robert Kessler, Michael Fisher, Christopher Walrath, Michael Along, Shea Schoff and David Walters.


Kyle Dashnaw, a nurse, and two sergeants, Michael Mashaw and Glenn Trombley, were also identified as bystanding prison staff. All parties involved have been suspended without pay by the New York’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. One of the officers, Anthony Farina, has resigned.

In an interview conducted and streamed on Instagram by journalist, activist and former U.S. Green Party vice-presidential candidate Rosa Clemente with Elizabeth Mazur, the attorney representing Brooks’ family, the attorney stated,

“What you see on the video, those guys don’t look like this is the first time they’ve ever done that. Now we’re hearing these reports that there have been other complaints, other suits against these officers.”

“It sounds like this didn’t come out of nowhere, these officers were allowed to do this, the system was in some way, condoning it or allowing it. I think that’s also a question we want to answer and hope to pursue in civil litigation,” she added.

The Final Call reached out to Atty. Mazur for further comments but as of presstime, have not yet heard back.

According to New York Attorney General Letitia James, who released the footage to the public on Dec. 21, none of the 11 correction officers involved actually activated their body cameras during their encounter with Mr. Brooks.

This goes against the protocol for all officers to activate their body cameras when interacting with inmates. Instead, the videos obtained by AG James’ office were only recorded due to some of the officers’ body cameras being on standby mode—meaning recording with video, but without audio.

However, despite their lack of audio, the visual recordings of the brutal beating of Robert Brooks still spoke volumes to viewers.

 None of the correction officers involved activated their body cameras during their encounter with Mr. Brooks. 

Political calls for accountability

In a statement released by AG Letitia James on Dec. 21, along with her release of the bodycam footage, James said, “Law enforcement professionals must be held to the highest standards of accountability.”

In an effort to enforce said high standard of accountability, AG James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) opened an investigation to look into the use of force by officers that preceded Mr. Brooks’ death. At presstime, no charges have been filed against those involved and the OSI’s investigation is still ongoing.

Echoing AG James’ calls for accountability, New York Governor Kathy Hochul visited the Marcy Correctional Facility on Dec. 30 to demand answers and announce her plan for corrective action.

Gov. Hochul’s multipart plan includes directing the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) Commissioner Martuscello to appoint Shawangunk Correctional Facility Superintendent Bennie Thorpe as the new permanent Superintendent of Marcy Correctional Facility, expediting $400 million to install fixed cameras and distribute body-worn cameras in all DOCCS facilities, and adding DOCCS staff to the Office of Special Investigations.

During her visit to the facility, Governor Hochul stated, “Today, as I stood in the room where Robert Brooks was killed, I was once again heartbroken by this unnecessary loss of life and further sickened to think of the actions of depraved individuals with no regard for human life.”

She then added, “The system failed Mr. Brooks and I will not be satisfied until there has been significant culture change.”

In addition to her corrective action plan, Gov. Hochul has also ordered an immediate and full investigation into the death of Robert Brooks and further directed DOCCS Supervision Commissioner Martuscello to begin the termination process for the 14 individuals who were involved in the fatal attack.

The FBI and Justice Department are also now looking into the incident. Sarah Ruane, FBI Albany Public Affairs Specialist, released a statement saying, “The FBI Albany Field Office and the Department of Justice are reviewing the facts and circumstances during the death of Robert L. Brooks to determine the appropriate federal response. As this is an ongoing review, we are not able to comment further at this time.”

As of presstime, their review is still pending.

Robert Brooks received a vicious attack by Marcy Correctional officers and died soon after.

Public outrage across America

Since the release of the bodycam footage, public outrage has sparked across the nation.

Holding up signs reading and shouting calls for justice like “Black Lives Matter!” and “Justice for Robert Brooks!” protesters began gathering in New York to demand justice.

Protests, demonstrations and vigils have occurred in various locations throughout Manhattan and Albany, including in front of county jails and Gov. Hochul’s home.

Protests are expected to continue as the case develops further and expected charges are filed against the officers and others involved.

Angry, distraught and weary social activists, community members and celebrities, also took to social media platforms to react to the devasting news surrounding the brutal beating of Mr. Brooks.

Bernice King, lawyer and daughter of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., writing on X, posted in part, “… it is another devasting instance of dehumanization and death in a ‘justice’ system laden with injustice and despair.”

Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill also took to X, writing “… this what it is for black men in America if you get caught without them cameras around! If you been to jail [before] you seen this with your own eyes!” The 37-year-old rapper has been publicly open about his own personal challenges in the prison system.

With a similar sentiment as Meek Mill, Tamika Mallory, social justice activist, wrote on Instagram, “What happened to #RobertBrooks is NOT rare. Most people don’t die from their injuries, but beating, torture, RAPE, starvation, etc., happens ALL THE TIME in jails, detention centers and prisons across America.”

Mr. Brooks died Dec. 10, the day after cameras recorded him being beaten by corrections officers.

Although many voices have chimed in, they’re all calling for one thing—justice.

However, Student Minister Kenneth Muhammad of the Nation of Islam’s Muhammad Study Group of Rochester, New York, told The Final Call that the only true solution to bring about justice is the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

“The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan have reminded us of the nature of a system that we have been dealing with since our people were brought here,” he said.

“Some were calling for closing of the penitentiary, but if we don’t address the attitude out of which the culture comes from, then closing one penitentiary versus another penitentiary does not solve the problem,” he added.

Student Minister Kenneth pointed to The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s presentation of “The Muslim Program” as the only adequate call of action toward addressing the centuries-long problems of injustice plaguing Black people in America, as seen in the death of Robert Brooks.

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