Community

By the Push of a Police Officer This humble community servant was asked to say a few words to Univision International about Martin Gugino, the PUSH Member and long-time community activist who was recently hospitalized due to a head injury suffered for all the world to see as he stood up in a Black Lives Matter rally! Martin was videoed walking up to police officers, who for reasons unknown to us, pushed this 75- year-old man to the ground where he sustained his injuries! Though the Police Department claimed he tripped, video clearly shows he was pushed! Consequently the 2 officers were fired and were arrested and charged. They are awaiting their day in court but at least Mr Gugino (Marty) is still alive, unlike George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Gardner, and Buffalo’s own, India Cummings, Rafael “Pito” Rivera, and John Hernandez Rossy.  I told Univision’s reporter how Martin was a stand up gentleman who used his live-time experience to help uplift people and involved himself in causes he believed in! He knew he had more clout and privilege than this little old Latina woman. He joined and supported our community through PUSH (PEOPLE UNITED FOR SUSTAINABLE HOUSING) rally and demonstrations locally, and in Albany, for housing and climate justice against environmental racism and other systemic inequalities that plague our Black and Latino communities.  I am sure the police thought this tragic and unnecessary event would go unnoticed, overshadowed by other events in the rally. But this is more than about one man being abused by police; it is 400 years of systematic racism, oppression, and abuse against black and brown people, perpetuated by a system built to do exactly what it does: control people, kill and destroy families, and incarcerate men of color. We need economic systems to be built, equity to be made, good sustainable green jobs to exist and be available to front-line communities affected by systemic racism. There is too much government interference where communities cannot purchase good homes, where there is no quality education, no quality air, no quality food, no quality health — a total breakdown in the quality of public and private service. Black Lives Matter: Too many people refuse to accept that BLACK LIVES MATTER, an attitude of a government with an arrogance and racism that has existed for hundreds of years, and perhaps, it will take just as long to eradicate!  People must organize and use their expertise to solve and fight against walls built to keep people of color in place. Historically, they have used and applied an injustice system to incarcerate and lock-up our people in their concentration prisons. Let us stop pretending COVID19 is the major concern in communities of color. In addition to this virus, our people are confronted with poverty, poor health condition, substance abuse/use, high unemployment, and a lack of education. All these elements combined creates a pipeline that feeds our Black and Latino people to mass incarceration with no chance of parole or special treatment, as unlike Manifort who was released so he will not be exposed to the Coronavirus. How about the degraded Congressman Chris Collins, who is still waiting to serve his jail term at his convenience? White Privilege: The use of force and violence is quite different when applying to the Black and White community. You can clearly see the double standards. For example, when the young white man shot up the all Black church, he was apprehended without any violence. He was safe and alive in the hands of police officers. The same occurred when the armed white men stormed and occupied the first floor of the governor’s building in protest of Coronavirus restrictions; there was no blood shed. Let one Black or person of color show up armed, they would have been killed in a heartbeat, no questions asked. Yes, we know there is a double standard; we know it, and Martin knew it. To accept it without questioning and fighting for the change long overdue is defeat. We have bowed down long enough! I will stand with all people who recognize that if we cannot accept that ”BLACK LIVES MATTER too, or these folks can’t say it, then we must accept that they are showing us their true racist side, and we must fight for Black Lives Matters. A better life is at stake for those who are brave and seek the change that is way overdue! (Spanish Translation) Por el Empuje de un Policia  A este humilde servidor comunitario se le pidió que dijera unas palabras a Univision International  sobre Martin Gugino, el miembro de PUSH y activista comunitario de larga duración, quien fue hospitalizado recientemente debido a una lesión en la cabeza sufrida para todo el mundo para ver mientras se paraba en una manifestación de Black Lives Matter! Martin fue videollamada caminando hacia oficiales de policía, que por razones desconocidas para nosotros, empujaron a este hombre de 75 años al suelo donde sufrió sus heridas. Aunque el Departamento de Policía afirmó que tropezó, ¡el video muestra claramente que fue empujado! En consecuencia, los 2 oficiales fueron despedidos y fueron arrestados y acusados. Están esperando su día en la corte, pero al menos el Sr. Gugino (Marty) sigue vivo, a diferencia de George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Gardner y de Buffalo, India Cummings, Rafael “Pito” Rivera, y John Hernández Rossy. ¡Le dije al reportero de Univision cómo Martin era un caballero que usó su experiencia en tiempo de vida para ayudar a elevar a la gente y se involucró en causas en las que creía! Sabía que tenía más influencia y privilegio que esta vieja latina. Se unió y apoyó a nuestra comunidad a través de PUSH  (PEOPLE UNITED FOR SUSTAINABLE HOUSING) mitin y manifestaciones a nivel local, y en Albany, para la vivienda y la justicia climática contra el racismo ambiental y otras desigualdades sistémicas que plagan a nuestras comunidades negras y latinas. Estoy seguro de que la policía, aunque este trágico y innecesario