I never realized what assimilation was or is. I never gave a thought about genocide or Manifest Destiny and I thought the holocaust only pertained to what Hitler did to the Jewish people. And it didn’t matter to me, because I never gave a thought about it. I was busy living life as I knew how, a Lakota woman. I was raised in our traditional ways but never taught all those things until I was older. I just thought life was about being traditional, with our ceremonies, songs, traditions, and ways. Sure, I went to a Christian church with my friends, went to Vacation Bible School for a popsicle, and I tested out other religions as if dipping my toes in cold lake water, but I never felt right about it. I didn’t feel wrong about it, I just felt as if it wasn’t my thing. And I made my way back to who I was and who I knew myself and my people to be. Lakota. That is where I belonged and where I feel centered.

The first time I realized that a child raised without their culture and forced into another way of life develops a huge hole in their soul was in college. I read an essay by a Vietnamese American student. She was adopted as a baby, from Vietnam, by white parents here in America. She was given a good life, she was raised with little blonde brothers and sisters and she had a suburban sounding name like Caitlyn or something. She did everything right and everything she was supposed to do in life, plus she won a scholarship to a college away from her family. It was her first time on her own and she discovered herself questioning who she was. She was drawn to other Asians and began hanging out with them. She learned of their likes, dislikes, cultures, foods, and she felt “at home and at peace.” Many of them were also adoptees, taken from their families and countries and grew up American. They were drawn to each other to fill a need in their souls. Yet she felt this with a great deal of guilt towards her American family. She loved her adopted family but felt at home, finally, with her friends, who in turn felt the same.

That is the first time I realized how taking the culture away from someone can be somewhat traumatic or really traumatic. How lost it makes that person feel. As I grew older and started seeing cases of this same thing happening with my own Native people and it was shocking. I remember the first time, was when I met a lady in her twenties. I saw her at the casino we both worked at and asked her what tribe she was from. She became angry and said “The lady that gave birth to me was from so and so reservation but I’m white. I grew up white. I was raised white, so don’t ever ask me that again.”

All I could say was “Whoa.” I stood there shocked. I never in my life met another Indian who hated being Indian, and she had to nerve to say she was white, when she was a few shades from midnight? That’s when someone told me she was raised in a foster home, who eventually adopted her.

I began then to understand what it meant to be assimilated and colonized. I began reading of our history and how children were taken by the US government from Native families once they were put on reservations. Children were forcefully taken out of their homes at the age of 5 and put in residential schools until the age of 18. They made handcuffs so small to detain these children. They were beaten for speaking their language, hair was cut, and all for the purpose of “Kill The Indian, Save The Man.”

This generation was our grandparents and great grandparents, who suffered physical, sexual,and emotional abuse in the residential schools. They were never given the chance to heal because these stories were never told. They were kept on the down low by the Catholic church and the government who ran the residential schools. Many of these boarding schools who are now in operation are now making monetary payments, now wanting to hear the stories of abuse and now trying to make amends. After a few were hit with class action lawsuits.

The next generations, also suffered and still suffer. By the foster care systems. Children were taken from their homes and given to white foster families to raise. The families receiving funding for every foster child, would often take on many foster children. The state holds the households they take the children from to the standards set by white society. Without ever listening to how we set family structures, how we take care of our own, or how we live with our traditions, they set everything up to fit a mold, that they live by.

Based on a 1976 study by the Association on American Indian Affairs found that 25 to 35% of all Indian children were being placed in out-of-home care. (Eighty-five percent of those children were being placed in non-Indian homes or institutions.) Congress then passed the Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. § 1901) in 1978 in order to keep American Indian Children with American Indian families.

However, this is not being followed in South Dakota. Why? Because South Dakota has a dirty little secret. According to a wonderful and very thorough investigation by National Public Radio that inspired me to find my brother who was lost for 21 years due to failure of the fact that DSS didn’t follow ICWA regulations and place him with family. I was 19 years old when he was taken from his mother. I was employed and had my own place and he was 8 years old. When I asked them why they didn’t ask me, all they said was sorry and also ,sorry we can’t help you find him now. That is when I began to search for him and I also began to investigate why so many of our Indian children in South Dakota are taken from their homes and placed in Non-Native homes, this is when I found their dirty little secret.

South Dakota’s Department of Social Services receives money for Native children they take custody of. They receive more money than the non-Native children they take from their homes. Native children in South Dakota make up 15% of all the children of South Dakota, yet over half the children placed in foster care are Native. And only 13% of those children are placed in Native foster homes. While Native foster home sit empty for months. South Dakota removes children from their homes at a rate 3 time higher than any other state. But according to state figures, less than 12 percent of the children in foster care in South Dakota have been actually physically or sexually abused in their own homes. That’s less than the national average.

I still didn’t get to the dirty little secret yet. South Dakota, years ago, designated all Native children as “special needs.” Which means every Indian child in every school benefits that school with more funding and it also means that every Indian child taken from their home by DSS benefits South Dakota more than non-Native children. And although the state says they match all the money coming in from the feds dollar for dollar, the match is not exact. According

to records from 2010, the feds reimbursed the state three quarters for what it spent on the children they removed from their homes. There is also an adoption incentive program nobody hears about. The federal government gives the states $4,000 for each child who is placed into adoption from foster care. That amount is $12,000 for “special needs” children. And of course over half the children removed from homes in South Dakota are Indian children, who, you guessed it, are designated by the state as “special needs” just for being American Indian. The state has made almost a million dollars in the last ten years off of our most precious resource. Our children. They moved us to dry, barren lands that cannot be farmed, the took the gold and every resource from the lands they stole. And now they are after our children.

Why is this not making a splash? Why is it not news? Especially , in South Dakota? Because they will go to any length to cover up what they do to take our children away. Even as our children are being violated in the homes they are placed in. Here is one case that will blow anyone’s mind and still has yet to reach the media in South Dakota.

Former assistant state attorney Brandon Taliaferro and court appointed child advocate Shirley Schwab go to trial tomorrow, January 7, 2013 for crimes they didn’t commit. Mr. Taliaferro and Ms. Schwab have been indicted by SD Attorney General Martin Jackley with witness tampering and disclosure of confidential, Department of Social Services information. They are being accused of these crimes for encouraging two teenage Lakota foster girls to tell the truth about being molested by their non-Native foster parent, who is now serving a 15 year prison sentence for rape of a child under 10.

According to the Daily Kos: Mr. Taliaferro and Ms. Schwab now assert that South Dakota is engaged in a criminal conspiracy to discriminate against Lakota foster children and their mothers, fathers, grandparents and relatives. “It is financially beneficial for the DSS to remove American Indian children from their homes and place them in [white] foster homes,” said Attorney Taliaferro to the Aberdeen News on December 19, 2011. “[Had I followed] the orders of [my boss with respect to the Mette investigation, it] would have required [me] to violate the law, and ethical rules that govern attorney conduct.” Mr. Taliaferro asserts that in 2011 he refused to participate in “a cover-up of misconduct” by the DSS.

The charges are believed to be a direct response to Mr. Taliaferro and Ms. Scwab for criticizing the state’s payroll during the NPR investigation. According to reporter Stephanie Woodard in her article for 100 Reporters “Rough Justice In Indian Child Welfare” where two state Department of Criminal Investigation agents are seen on a Youtube video planning the cover-up by the state against Mr. Taliaferro and Ms. Schwab. They are unaware, that though they are off camera, they left their microphones on.

This is all dirty, low down, Gestapo like tactics used by the Department of Social Services . And it shows how far the state will bend, how low they will go, to keep the millions of dollars they have coming in by stealing yet again from the Indigenous people of this land. Instead they don’t take from the land, they take from the womb.

They won’t get away with this much longer. Something has to be done.

The post South Dakota Rape Cover-Up Case of Lakota Foster Children Ignored appeared first on Madness & Reality.

After reading this, you may ask: How can a mother stand there and let a man do such a thing to her child? Well, the answer is easy: The Bible teaches women to “submit” to their husbands. Additionally, it also says, “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” That said, isn’t it easy to understand why something like this actually happened in our much touted civilized society?

After all, isn’t it telling that when they found 7-year-old Roderick Arrington unresponsive after being beaten to near death a day earlier for not reading the Bible, instead of dialing 911, they called their pastor? My guess is that this was all God’s will as well, right? Yep, Jesus loves the little children of the world; yep, even the ones who are physically abused that are raised by parents who love him.

LAS VEGAS (KSNV MyNews3) — Markiece and Dina Palmer are accused in the murder of Dina Palmer’s 7-year-old son, who police say died from injuries consistent with child abuse.

It’s a heartbreaking story that’s left so many people asking the question. When the Palmers found second-grader Roderick Arringtonin the morning, the couple says he was unresponsive.

However, they told police they didn’t call 911 first. Instead they called a pastor.

Dina Palmer: Mother of Roderick Arrington

[...] Pastor Kenneth Hollingsworth says he’s as shocked as anyone that Markiece Palmer chose to call him before first-responders.

Metro police said they believe Roderick Arrington was abused at Markiece and Dina Palmer’s home near Decatur and Desert Inn.

Palmer admitted to hitting his stepson on multiple occasions in front of the boy’s mother.

He told police that’s how he would discipline the second-grader.

In the police report, detectives say they found a broken broom stick, belts, cords, spatulas and clothing — all with blood on them.

Roderick was taken to a hospital on Thursday and died a day later. (source)

Now, I’m not opposed to spanking my kids: and, I’ll be the first to admit that. No, you’ll get no argument from me when it comes to corporal punishment as a form of discipline. And I say that having been on the receiving end of more than a few as a child myself. However, whether deserved or not (yes mom, the jury is still out on a few of those). It’s very hard for me to rationalize inflicting the abuse to a child, for lying about reading the Bible. Having said that, I won’t be surprised if Roderick’s mother, Dina Palmer, is also a victim of religious-sanctioned physical and mentalabuse as well.

The arrest report details the child’s injuries, including open abrasions on his buttocks, severe bruising to his thighs, marks and bruises on his back and shoulders and evidence of previous beatings.

Markiece Palmer told police he and Dina Palmer spanked the child November 27th, because he lied about reading a Bible verse. Markiece Palmer said Roderick was spanked again the next day for not finishing his homework. In the arrest report, Markiece Palmer said the boy balled up his fists and “ran at him”. That resulted in Markiece shaking the child. He also told police Roderick slipped at the bottom of the stairs and hit his head on a table and the floor. (source)

Check out the following video:

The post 7-Year-Old Beaten to Death by Stepdad for not Reading Bible While Mom Watched appeared first on Madness & Reality.

There is something sick and perverse about George Zimmerman selling autographs to raise money for the cost of his upcoming trial. What this says about Zimmerman or willing participants of such a sordid transaction, I’m not sure. But hopefully, it doesn’t reflect the insidiously pervasive direction of larger society. The last thing we need are twisted individuals receiving stars on Hollywood Boulevard for murders in spite of how justified they may be deemed in a court of law.

Speaking of which, by now, hopefully you’ve heard about yet another senseless murder of yet another 17-year-old black male at the hands of a “responsible” law-abiding white gun owner . I wrote about my initial feelings with regard to the lack of national outrage yesterday. But ironically, as I punch keystrokes, I can hear my man Rev. Al Sharpton speaking (very loudly as always on Politics Nation) about the incident itself. Ask any black person: When it goes down, you want Al on your side.

I take some comfort in knowing that if anybody is on the case to give it the national coverage it deserves — unlike the Daniel Adkins case — it is the good brother, Rev. Al Sharpton. Let’s just say that I can sleep a little better tonight knowing that the brother is watching this one very closely.

Having said that, check out what the shooter, 45-year-old Michael Dunn’s attorney is saying:

Now, for the first time, we’re hearing Dunn’s side of the story, from his attorney Robin Lemonidis. She said, “They were blasting some rap music. And he said he rolled down his window, pulled up on the passenger side, and rolled down his window and asked, would you mind turning that down? And said it very politely.”

The attorney says the teenager in the front seat turned down the radio. But then she says her client heard the teens cussing at him, making threats. She says Dunn rolled down his window and said, “He said excuse me, are you talking to me?”

At that point, she says one of the teenagers told Dunn he was dead. “And that’s when the guy in the back seat raised the barrel of a shotgun over the rim of the window,” said Lemonidis. “At that point, he just snapped into self protection mode.”

Dunn’s attorney claims that’s when her client reached for a gun he had in the glove compartment of his car, loaded it, and fired. “Firing at the car, because they’re showing him a gun, and he can’t see their hands,” she said. “And he doesn’t know. They’re about to blast him in the face with a shotgun, as far as he knows.”

Sounds reasonable, right? I mean, if someone gets a bit upset and refuses to acquiesce my request to turn down loud aggravating hippity hop music, and points a shotgun in my direction after exchanging pleasantries (remember this?). Yes, like me, you too would feel threatened and feel the need to protect your life by using the necessary deadly force it requires, right? Because of course, everybody knows how rap music if played loudly, gives black teens super human strength known to rival that of the Hulk. There’s only one problem, however, there was no guns recovered from the car.

How’s that for being a “responsible” legal gun owner?

So yeah, as Michael Dunn’s attorney says, this case is nothing like the Trayvon Martin case. You hear that? This guy isn’t the obvious racist many perceive George Zimmerman to be. Nope, according to his attorney, he is no “vigilante,” Unlike Zimmerman, he was fearful for his life, And listening to her in the video above, if I was a white man, I’d be afraid too. Again, forget the fact that there was no gun, the fact that there was more than one scary black teen in a car with tinted windows, clearly means there had to be a gun involved somewhere — after all, the music was loud.

As a matter of fact, supposedly Dunn’s attorney also stated that police didn’t find a gun because police didn’t look hard enough. Yep, no need to even plant a gun; nope, the kids were black and the windows were tinted;yep, there had to be a gun in that car. Hell, if the cops looked hard enough, I’m sure they’d also find empty KFC fried chicken boxes,empty malt liquor bottles, and a watermelon-chitlin juice mix on the upholstery. After all, the four occupants of the SUV were all black, no? Not that it should matter; but, I’m just sayin’.

“There are no comparisons to the Trayvon Martin situation,” said Robin Lemonidis, Dunn’s attorney. “He is devastated and horrified by the death of the teen.”

Yep, he was so devastated that he drove off, and slept knowing that a black kid was dead…

Listen, I could go on and on about how this is yet another example of how the negative stereotypes of black people in general, and black males in particular often lead to grave consequences. Yes, we’ve been down this road before on numerous occasions. Instead, I’ll close by saying that other than the obvious, what’s overlooked is how the culture of violence in America facilitates a mindset that’s foreign to the concept of proper conflict resolution. After all, America has taught us that if there’s a problem with someone or something the best way to deal with it, clearly, is to kill it.

Don’t blame the NRA, folks; nope, in American culture the bad guy always wears black.

The post Attorney: Jordan Davis Killer Michael Dunn is no George Zimmerman – But is He? appeared first on Madness & Reality.

It has almost been one year since the death of Trayvon Martin at the hands of George Zimmerman. You remember that case, don’t you? You now, the black teen armed with Skittles and Ice Tea who was gunned down by an over-zealous neighborhood watch captain for wearing a hoodie and looking suspiciously black? Yeah, I’m only asking because the media hype surrounding the case has all but died down — at least to me it has. I mean, it’s not like anyone on is talking about it.

Well, no need for me to restart that debate; heck, I’m still a supporter of the now infamous “Stand Your Ground” laws across the country; and no, I’m not a card-carrying member of the NRA, nor am I one of these lunatic right-wing lunatics. Simply put, I do believe that if my life is threatened and I’m in imminent danger, I have the right to defend myself without having to retreat as the law allows. Having said that, it’s going to be hard to convince me that the law is designed to kill innocent black people. But just in case you might, check out the following story from Florida.

This via jacksonville.com:

17-Year-Old Jordan Russell Davis

Michael David Dunn will be brought from Brevard County to Jacksonville after entering a not-guilty plea to charges of murder and attempted murder in the Friday shooting death of a 17-year-old student at a Jacksonville gas station.

Dunn, 45, of Satellite Beach, waived extradition and should be en route back to Jacksonville before Thursday to face charges in the death of Jordan Russell Davis, according to Lt. Tod Goodyear, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office spokesman.

A gun collector in Jacksonville for his son’s wedding, Dunn told police he felt “threatened” after an argument with the Wolfson High student over loud music coming from a sports-utility vehicle parked next to him at the Gate station at 8251 Southside Blvd. Davis was in the back seat when “there were words exchanged,” followed by gunfire at 7:40 p.m., said Jacksonville homicide Lt. Rob Schoonover.

“Our suspect produced a weapon and started firing into the vehicle. Our victim was shot a couple of times,” Schoonover said. “ … They were listening to the music. It was loud; they [other teens] admitted that. But I mean that is not a reason for someone to open fire on them.”

[...] Davis family members couldn’t be reached for comment. They requested that the school district and Wolfson employees not speak to the news media, according to school system spokeswoman Jill Johnson.

Dunn lives in an oceanfront townhome in Satellite Beach. He is listed on his LinkedIn web page as vice president of software development since 2004 at Dunn and Dunn Data Systems in Fort Pierce.

Schoonover said Dunn and his girlfriend were next to the red SUV containing Davis and three of his friends. Dunn’s girlfriend was inside when Dunn and Davis exchanged words. Shots were fired, leaving Davis hit and eight or nine bullet holes in the SUV, Schoonover said.

The couple drove off after Dunn told her he had “fired at these kids,” Schoonover said. They went to their hotel, then returned to Brevard County when they learned what had happened from local news.

Witnesses gave police Dunn’s license plate number, which led police to his home. Schoonover said Dunn was planning to turn himself in when he was arrested.

Oh, so another black kid gets killed in Florida by a non-black man and not n’aan black person is protesting? Nope, nobody is holding press conferences? Nobody is asking President Obama questions about the case? Hell, nobody is even calling the shooter in this case racist? Shit, where is Sean Hannity and the New Black Panther Party on this one? I mean, unlike the Zimmerman case, this sounds like a serious disregard for black life. Hell, how else can unloading a clip into the backseat of an SUV with kids be characterized if the occupants happen to be black.

But hey, maybe we can do something like a million booming system procession instead of a million hoodie march in protest of the senseless murder of Jordan Russell Davis. Not that playing music too loud is worth dying over; but, maybe it’s the only way we can gain attention and maybe even some justice. Not that this homicide was racially motivated as far as the evidence shows — which is a good thing if you ask me — but let’s hope it stays that way. Really, there’s no need for more talk of race riots in small Florida towns, or any town in America for that matter.

But hey, that’s just me. According to Dunn, Davis had a gun so he shot him to protect himself. Kind of hard to believe his story when you consider that he drove off without as much as making a report to local police. But beyond that, no gun was recovered at the scene by local law enforcement.

The post Florida Man Claims “Stand Your Ground” Defense in Death of Black Teen Over Loud Music appeared first on Madness & Reality.

The following video was produced with the partnership of the American Civil Liberties Union, Constitution Project, and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Hopefully it sheds some light on the reality that is the judicial system here in the United States, as opposed to what we see on television.

Sadly, there are many people who are of the belief that the system works perfectly On Law & Order, everything makes sense: the police chase after violent bad guys, the accused get a fair trial, and justice is blind. But is that the reality in the United States? Watch this video to have your mind blown about how unjust our system truly is.

The post [VIDEO] Law & Disorder: How the System REALLY Works appeared first on Madness & Reality.

This following may come as a shock to some of you; but, just for the record, I support the Ku Klux Klan being able to participate in Georgia’s “Adopt-a-Highway” program, I know, such a stance is hard to believe when coming from a professional racism chaser such as myself. But hey, right is right, and wrong is wrong. And, as far as I see it, no laws are being broken by them being able to adopt a strip of highway in north Georgia. Now, if you tell me that they plan to add the occasional “whites only cross-burning” to the pruning of begonias along a major thoroughfare, then I’d say hell no.

But hey, they’re allowed to hold public rallies (and march) on the steps of county courthouses where they spew their hateful rhetoric because the constitution grants them that right. That said, what’s the big deal if they wanted to spruce up their image by adopting a strip of earth alongside a highway? Heck, last time I checked, there were many statues of prominent Klansmen in public parks, no? Yeah, anybody asking that they be removed? No, and nobody is raising hell about it.

(Reuters) – A Ku Klux Klan chapter sued the state of Georgia on Thursday for rejecting the white supremacist group’s application to “adopt” a stretch of highway.

The KKK chapter, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, said Georgia’s refusal to let it join an adopt-a-highway program, which typically involves volunteers picking up trash and planting trees along roads, violated its free speech rights.

The state’s reasons for denying the application were “frivolous and pretextual” and were designed to “shift their duty to uphold free speech to a court instead,” the lawsuit filed in Georgia state court said.

“We decided to take this case because it is such a clear violation of the speech rights of the group,” said Debbie Seagraves, executive director of the ACLU of Georgia. “We can’t let that slide.”

Georgia officials cited public safety concerns when they denied the group’s application to join the program in June.

Road signs are typically installed by U.S. states to recognize participating organizations, and the Georgia Department of Transportation told the Klan chapter that erecting a sign with the Klan’s name could lead to potential social unrest and distraction of drivers.

From left, Knighthawk, April Hanson and her husband Harley Hanson, members of the International Keystone Knights Realm of Georgia, perform a traditional Klan salute along the portion of highway they want to adopt allowing them to put up a sign and do litter removal near Blairsville, Ga., Sunday, June 10, 2012. The Ku Klux Klan group wants to join Georgia's "Adopt-A-Highway" program for litter removal, which could force state officials to make difficult decisions on the application. (AP Photo/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curtis Compton)

“A state road sign with ‘KKK’ on it would betray our values and would rightly offend the vast majority of Georgians,” said Brian Robinson, spokesman for Georgia Governor Nathan Deal.

That might not be enough to keep the Klan out of the program. In 1997, the state of Missouri rejected a similar request from a Klan chapter on the grounds that the group’s membership rules were racially discriminatory.

A federal appeals court ruled that requiring such a group to alter its membership requirements to qualify for the adopt-a-highway program would “censor its message and inhibit its constitutionally protected conduct.”

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the Missouri case. Following the court ruling, the Klan was allowed to adopt a stretch of Missouri highway and did so for a short period. (source)

Check out the video:

The post Post-Racial Update: Ku Klux Klan Sues Georgia For “Adopt-a-Highway” Denial appeared first on Madness & Reality.

Trayvon Martin’s mother filed an insurance claim against the homeowners association of the gated community Retreat at Twin Lakes where her son was killed. She’s seeking $75,000 in compensation for the death of her son. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Personally, I think it’s ridiculous on her part. I could be wrong, but, did Trayvon die as a result of the actions of said association? It’s just my opinion, but I believe Sabrina Fulton, by no fault of her own, is being pimped by her attorneys. Unfortunately, just like the parents of George Zimmerman who recently set up a website to raise funds for themselves. I’m quite sure that Sabrina’s decision to do this came under the advice of her attorneys.

She may be legally entitled to compensation — how so I’m not quite sure, especially since the insurance policy was not opened by the home owners association after the death of Trayvon Martin. However, I think the perception such a move casts does her cause more harm than good. In my opinion, this makes her appear no different from the money hungry Zimmerman’s who are asking the public to assist them in paying their bills. According to the website robertandgladys.com, things have changed drastically for the parents of George Zimmerman.

“My wife and I have only requested prayers thus far and we have refused to accept any donations or payments whatsoever for any purpose. However, we fully realize that the peaceful, secure life we once knew is now just a memory. Therefore, I am providing a link for those supporters who would like to leave us a personal message or contribute to our greatly increased living expenses, and our eventual relocation.”

Relocation? Excuse me, but where exactly are they going? Oh, I get it, they’re counting on their son George beating the case, and creating a situation which would force them to go into hiding just like Casey Anthony. But in the mean time, it’s like, “Can you put something on that cable bill?” Now of course Sabrina Fulton’s claim isn’t as bold as the Zimmerman’s, but given an already hostile environment brought on by race and racism as the backdrop, her claim doesn’t may be used by Zimmerman supporters to cast negative dispersion of her character.

This from the Orlando Sentinel:

Recent court filings show Trayvon Martin‘s mother, Sabrina Fulton, has filed a claim for monetary damages against an insurance company for the Retreat at Twin Lakes homeowners association in her 17-year-old son’s death.

The insurance claim was revealed in paperwork filed last week by Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America. In those documents, the insurer seeks clarification of its responsibilities in the teen’s death and asks a federal judge to absolve Travelers of liability.

[...] About a month after the shooting, the federal filings show, Travelers issued an insurance policy to the homeowners association. “After the inception of the claims-made policy, Fulton made a claim for monetary damages …” Travelers says “… as a result of the fatal shooting of Martin.”

Travelers writes in its filing that the company “is in doubt of its rights” under the policy and “seeks a declaration of its rights and obligations with respect to the claim” made by Fulton.

The insurer has asked the court to rule that Travelers “has no duty to defend The Retreat at Twin Lakes” against Fulton’s claim. The amount of Fulton’s claim is not explicitly stated in the court filings, but the insurance company writes that the “amount in controversy exceeds the sum of $75,000.”

Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the teen’s family, said that the Martins are investigating possible claims with “all the insurance companies that might be applicable” and was seeking to determine “whatever the insurance limits were.”

“It’s our job, as lawyers, to make sure that we protect our client’s interest,” Crump said.

Meanwhile, records released by the Florida Attorney General’s office show Fulton also filed a claim with the state’s Bureau of Victim Compensation for emergency crime-victim assistance. The records show Fulton’s claim was approved March 29.

Crump said the Martin family has not completed all the paperwork needed to get the funds, but if they do, they plan to donate the money to the foundation they created in their son’s name to prevent gun violence.

I don’t know just how expensive it is to fight gun violence. But at the end of the day, this will solve nothing. That is, unless George Zimmerman is convicted of murder. And from where I’m sitting, we’re a long way away from even the start of that trial to even start talking about cashing in on money. But hey, maybe the attorneys do know better than I do. Maybe for them, it’s better to get the money than a conviction. Maybe they see a conviction as next to impossible, as I do.

The post Trayvon Martin’s Mother Files Monetary Compensation Claim Against HOA of Twin Lakes appeared first on Madness & Reality.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Sideshow Bob was arrested for shooting up a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado last week. Either that or that Carrot Top finally erupted in a fit of ‘roid rage after all of these years. Let’s be honest, alleged movie theater shooter James Holmes doesn’t look the part of a thug or a brilliant criminal genius; yep, he’s definitely not as intimidating as Lex Luthor. Scary looking, but not intimidating.

Maybe you’ve noticed, but I haven’t said a single word about the Colorado massacre, which saw fifty-eight people shot, and twelve people dead at the hands of one, James Holmes. Here we are about a week later, and I’m finally ready to address or even mention it in passing. Why did I wait this long? Because, to be honest, I’ve been disgusted by the media coverage and subsequent debate over gun control that it has sparked. Yes, to borrow a line from my man Corey Booker, it’s been “nauseating.” And why do I say that about only the largest mass shooting in American history? Because there’s something troubling about everyday gun violence in major US cities being ignored, and having the actions of one person create such outrage, and even a call for stiffer gun control legislation.

I know, what I say sounds silly and maybe even crass to some; yes, and maybe it’s too soon to speak this way while everyone is in mourning. But the truth remains: more people are shot and killed on average within a twenty-four hour period in major cities than the number of persons upon whom Holmes inflicted his sick and twisted will. But hey, I suppose last week’s shooting in Aurora is reminiscent of the days when crack cocaine hit the suburbs: it was never a problem until “certain people” started abusing said illegal narcotic.

Check out the following discussion:

Shamecca Davis hugs her son Isaiah Bow, who was an eye witness to the shooting, outside Gateway High School where witness were brought for questioning Friday, July 20, 2012 in Denver. After leaving the theater Bow went back in to find his girlfriend. " I didn't want to leave her in there. But she's ok now," Bow said. A gunman wearing a gas mask set off an unknown gas and fired into a crowded movie theater at a midnight opening of the Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises," killing at least 12 people and injuring at least 50 others, authorities said. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez)

But like my man Ice Cube said in the 1991 classic film, Boyz In The Hood, “Either they don’t know, don’t show, or even care what’s goin’ on in the hood.” Which is ironic in itself because I can remember when that movie was released, there were a slew of shootings and violence at movie theaters all across the country as urban youth gathered to partake of the latest in ghetto cinematography. The funny thing then like now? Nobody blamed those shootings assault weapons, called for gun control; instead, they blamed it on Hip Hop and melanin. This week, Batman was never once blamed for James Holmes’ decision to play target practice in a darkened movie theater. Which in itself is peculiar especially when you consider that more people died in the Batman movie (as they do in violent films) than the number of people killed at its midnight showing on that fateful night in question.

SIDENOTE: The following is what I think to be the best commentary on the subject:

“For every Columbine or Virginia Tech, there are dozens gunned down on the streets of Chicago and Atlanta, and here in New Orléans. For every Tucson or Aurora, there is daily heartbreak over young Americans shot in Milwaukee or Cleveland. Violence plagues the biggest cities, but it also plagues the smallest towns. It claims the lives of Americans of different ages and different races, and it’s tied together by the fact that these young people had dreams and had futures that were cut tragically short.” – President Barack Obama

There’s an obvious disconnect when it comes to violence in America. As a nation we mourn the tragic loss of twelve lives in Aurora, Colorado last week. And we do this while ignoring the hundreds of thousands of lives negatively impacted by the presence of US soldiers with automatic weapons in foreign countries. We mourn the loss of life in Aurora while ignoring the loss of life inflicted on many in small villages in far away places by military drone strikes. Just once, I wish we coul;d be reminded in some small way, that we live in a violent nation and are all accomplices in state sanction violence ourselves, when we fail to speak up and out about it. When we ignore this reality, we become inhuman and just as sadistic as the James Holmes’ of the world even without pulling a trigger ourselves. But sadly, when it doesn’t happen on our block, it never happens.

Finally, allow me to make this last point. In no way should we trivialize such a traumatic event and loss of life as a result of last week’s horrific theater shooting out in Aurora, Colorado. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t share some of my observations from the past week. Maybe it’s just me, but things are pretty different when white people kill. Relative to when black folks or a person of color does it; things tend to play out differently One thing I know, is that white guys won’t have to worry about being looked at suspiciously as they enter movie theaters from here on out no matter the color of their hair — not in the same way as brown-skinned people with funny names who travel on airplanes; or like the black guy who “forces” white folks to cross the street and clutch their purses in fear; the same black guy who might be “brilliant” and on his way to earning a PhD as James Holmes was.

That much, I know…

The post James Holmes, Aurora, & Batman: When White People Use Guns To Kill, Everyone Gets Sad appeared first on Madness & Reality.

Okay, so I know you’re asking, “Um, RiPPa, why in the hell would you ask such a question like that when you know good and damn well that Zimmerman is racist?” Well, the truth is, I don’t know whether he is racist or not. The only thing I do know is that he is responsible for the death of Trayvon Martin. The only other thing I’m sure of is that Zimmerman is doing a lot of talking, and if he has it his way, he won’t stop.

A bad idea in the minds of some; but, in my opinion it’s a good move. I mean let’s be honest: there’s nothing that Zimmerman can say that will change the minds of the many people who would probably stand in line for tickets to watch him get strapped to a bed and put to death in a Florida prison. After all, as Zimmerman says, should that happen, it would be all part of God’s plan — yeah, who is he to question it, right?

But I digress…

Zimmerman gave an exclusive interview to Sean Hannity on Fox News Channel recently. Hannity isn’t exactly the go-to guy when you’re trying to convince the world that you’re not racist. Yet, the decision to do so was strategic genius, in my opinion. I mean think about this: the vast majority of the people who have donated, or will potentially donate to his defense fund, are the exact demographic Fox News targets. After all, unlike the left-wing media machine, Fox News and pundits the likes of Sean Hannity aren’t biased in their reporting and expression of views.

Yep, nothing like those MSNBC racists:

At the end of the day, how in the world can any self-respecting person ever say that George Zimmerman is racist? How can it be said when thanks to Sean Hannity and the folks over at the house Rupert built, we now know that Zimmerman mentored black kids, voted for Obama and wasn’t upset by his “if I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon” comment when he weighed in, and that he wears hoodies like he says in the following web exclusive video?

The post How Can Zimmerman Be Racist When He Mentored Black Kids, Voted for Obama, & Wears Hoodies? appeared first on Madness & Reality.

Oh great, black people are getting tasered and arrested for jaywalking now. Yep, we should all feel safer these days…

There is some pretty saucy news coming out of Florida as new evidence released in the case of George Zimmerman for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. The big news of the day involves witness testimony of a witness who alleges that Zimmerman was a child molester… as a child. I’m not going to get into a discussion of the allegations because in my opinion, none of the allegations are relevant to the case at hand. Let’s be honest, Trayvon Martin isn’t dead because George Zimmerman allegedly sexually molested a girl two years his junior when he was 8-years-old.

But don’t tell that to the media or the many folks around the internet chattering about it; let them tell it, this is the proverbial smoking gun that kills Zimmerman’s defense. Which is funny in itself because it was announced by the FBI last Thursday, that after months of investigation, the Trayvon Martin homicide showed no evidence of racial motivation or bias; nor were there any civil rights violations. But somehow the media missed that tidbit, and opted to go with the sensationalist headlines.

Federal authorities investigating the death of black teenager Trayvon Martin interviewed dozens of people who knew shooter George Zimmerman – and none said the neighborhood watch volunteer was racist, according to news reports of documents released Thursday.

{…] Agents also interviewed the Sanford Police Department’s lead investigator, Chris Serino, on the Zimmerman case, the Sentinel reported. Serino reportedly said Zimmerman pursued Martin based on his attire. But, he added, though Zimmerman has a “little hero complex,” he wasn’t a racist.

Similarly, Zimmerman’s former fiancee told the FBI that Zimmerman had a bad temper but did not seem racially biased. The violence in their relationship escalated and culminated in domestic-violence injunctions against each other in 2005.

His fiancee also said Zimmerman had mentioned wanting to be a police officer. (Source)

However, on another note, it would appear that there’s a huge crime problem in the state of Florida. No,the crime problem is not related to young black teens being innocently shot to death; nor does it involve black women with false self-defense claims serving prison time. Given the fact that I’m discussing it, obviously this problem has something to do with race. So what’s the problem down in Florida? Well, it would appear that in the bedding metropolis that is Castleberry, Florida, there’s a huge problem with jaywalking. Not quite the menacing crime where you currently reside; but, clearly it’s a crime and problem of epic proportions in the Sunshine State. Why do I say this? Check out what happened to Zikomo Peurifoy recently when he encountered the police.

Peurifoy was stopped by Castleberry’s finest for improperly proceeding along a local thoroughfare. When asked to produce identification by police, Peurifoy’s refusal resulted in an arrest after having a taser deployed on him three times. The entire incident was caught on tape by Peurifoy’s friend, Noelle Price, who was also arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting this criminal mastermind.

Check out the video:

Florida police said they followed procedure when they Tasered accused jaywalker Zikomo Peurifoy three times when he refused to provide identification after police stopped him for allegedly jaywalking.

A video of the altercation taken by Peurifoy’s friend Noelle Price, who was arrested along with him, and which Peurifoy posted to his Youtube account, may now be shown to officers as an example of how to properly handle an uncooperative suspect, said Capt. David Del Rosso, of the Casselberry Florida Police Department.

“The officers were polite the whole time through and gave good verbal commands,” Del Rosso said. “You hear the officer saying why he stopped him.”

[...] Del Rosso said asking for identification when a person is stopped is standard police procedure. It allows officers to check for outstanding warrants. (Source)

Now I won’t go into detail about how this serves as yet another example of how police officers harass black folks — nope, we’ve discussed this at length before. Instead, I’ll leave it up to you to debate whether you believe the officers in this case were justified in handling the situation in the manner they did. Yeah, I know none of this would have happened if the officers request for identification were granted. And of course that might be true. However, I wonder how many of you are aware that in some states you’re not required to identify yourself if asked by police? Unfortunately for the brother in the video above, Florida isn’t one of those states — currently, there are 24 states with “stop and identify” laws. Oh, and about police harassment and people of color, checkout the following video.

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