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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 2014)
September IO, 2014 Œtje ^ìortlanò (Bbaeruer Page 7 Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views o f the Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com. Our Criminal Justice System on Trial Needed reforms a lesson of Ferguson by M arc H. M orial The funeral is over. The protests have died down. The lax and listless wheels o f justice in Ferguson, Missouri are beginning to turn. A St. Louis County grand jury has convened to consider whether to bring charges against Officer Darren Wilson for the Aug. 9 shooting death o f 18-year-old, unarmed Michael Brown. As I have said before, I have never witnessed a situation more poorly handled than this one. While we are pleased that the grand jury has begun its work, questions of fairness in the St. Louis County criminal justice system and in the culture o f po licing in Ferguson continue to demand answers. involving Michael Brown was a ing peaceful voting rights dem of force generally against youth The latest slap in the face to the blatant attempt to taint a poten onstrations in the south during and people of color and the de Ferguson community occurred last tial jury pool. As of this writing, the 1960s. velopment o f national use of month when Missouri State the prosecutor has failed to ar It is unthinkable that we find force standards; the universal Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, after rest or charge Officer Wilson those tactics acceptable today. use of dash cameras in police initially being threatened with who remains on paid administra That is why the National Urban vehicles and police officer body- arrest, was finally able to de tive leave. McCulloch has vowed League last month joined a coa worn cameras; and taking con liver a petition with 70,000 to stay on the case unless Gov. lition of more than a dozen na crete steps to ensure that fed signatures to the office of St. Nixon orders him to recuse him tional civil rights organizations in eral military weapons do not end Louis County Prosecutor Rob self. Established legal proce issuing “A Unified Statement to up in the hands of local law ert McCulloch. dures and the concerns of the Promote Reform and Stop Po enforcement. T he p e titio n c a lls fo r Ferguson community continue lice Abuse.” Make no mistake about i t - i n M cCulloch to recuse him self to be ignored. Our statement proposes a the wake of the killing of Michael from the Michael Brown case The heavy-handed, militaris number of police reform s in Brown, the criminal justice sys because o f his close ties to the tic tactics employed by Ferguson Ferguson and elsewhere that are tem in America is on trial. De police and previous questions of and St. Louis County police in designed to ensure a greater re spite the tremendous civil rights impartiality. McCulloch’s father, response to citizen protests fol liance on community policing and progress we have made over the brother, uncle and a cousin were lowing the killing of Michael that police departments are more past 50 years, we will never truly all police officers. In addition, in Brown are also a powerful wake reflective of the racial, ethnic “overcome” until we honestly 2000, McCulloch refused to pros up call. and gender diversity of the com acknowledge and address the ecute two white police officers While there were isolated ag munities they serve. These re insidious vestiges of racial seg for the shooting deaths of two gressive acts by a few rogue forms include: regation and dehumanization that unarmed black men who it was protesters, the majority of pro An independent and com pre remain in this country, and un later determined were not ad tests and protesters were peace hensive federal investigation by fortunately, in law enforcement. vancing towards the officers. ful. Yet, the use of tear gas, stun the Department of Justice of the Marc H. Morial is presi Some wonder if M cCulloch’s grenades and armored vehicles fatal shooting of Michael Brown; dent and chief executive of decision to release the video o f a was reminiscent of ugly police a comprehensive federal review ficer o f the National Urban convenience store altercation confrontations with citizens dur- and reporting of excessive use League. Mascot Decreasing negative stereotypes team name. In L.A., I began working for a issue today. Now, I know better. very different lifestyle than the I grew up in a small, Native American nonprofit orga Most of America doesn’t. people of the Southwest. But picture-perfect north nization that helps Native youth. I In 2005, the American Psy with mascot imagery, everyone ern California town. I wanted them to be exposed to the chological Association called for thinks all Natives are from the was adopted by Cau real Native role models. We put an end to Native American mas plains area. With more than 550 c a sia n p a re n ts and posters of great past and modern- cots, citing research that the tribes in this country, these limit by J ennifer raised in a loving fam day Native leaders on walls. We presence of these mascots re ing images automatically leave V arenchik ily, but the one thing I didn ’ t have purchased books and DVDs that sults in lower self-esteem among out a large amount of Native Until recently, I never really was exposure to my N ative positively portrayed N ative youth and increased Americans. paid much attention to the N a American culture. Native people, so the youth negative attitudes by non-Na- Shouldn’t we get to choose tive American mascot issue. “It’s I remember glimpsing major could see that Native Ameri tive youth. how we are known? Me, I don’t not my fight,” I thought. sporting events on television and cans are more than history les A lot of the low self-esteem want to be known for feathers, I live in Los Angeles County, seeing fans dressed up in the sons and mascots. and high levels of suicide among tomahawks and war paint. I want home of the largest urban N a stands. As a child, I wondered if A few years later, I had the Native youth go back to not be to be able to say I’m Native tive American and Alaska N a that was how my people dressed. privilege of being able to travel ing able to see positive portray American and the likely response tive population in the United How was I to know? I didn’t to Indian reservations around the als of role models in the media. is, “Oh, the first people.” States. When I first moved to have any Native American ref country with another Native non Many Native people know that Until I can tell people I am L.A. in the 1990s, I was con erences around me. profit group. I learned about dif most of America doesn’t really Native American and receive stantly being asked if I was Sure, I learned tidbits about ferent tribal traditions, met many know much about us because instant recognition, I will con Latina. Sometimes people would N ative A m erican history in wonderful people and grew a w e’re not seen, especially on tinue to do what I can to de get upset because I w asn’t able school, but nothing about mod deeper appreciation for my cul mainstream media. crease negative stereotypes. to speak Spanish. em Native American life. My ture. I was able to participate in With our culture being so wide Please join me in this struggle. Occasionally, I would resort exposure to my culture as a child various ceremonies and to hear and diverse, we want you to Let’s create a new understand to sticking two fingers behind was fans on television pretend speeches by some of the same know more than the lim ited ing of what it means to be Native my head to act as a feather to ing to be Indians and tragic his people we had posters of at my knowledge that comes from root- American. illustrate being American Indian. tory lessons in school. first job. I was able to connect ing for a team with a Native Jennifer Varenchik (Tohono Unfortunately, that’s all I had to And you know what? That is with many elders, tribal leaders mascot. O ’odham) is a speaker, writer reach for to explain my heritage. all most of America has been and community organizers about Each area of this country has and director and a member o f Thinking back on those times is exposed to as well. Just add what life was like on their reser a different climate, and the first the Native Voice Network. This what has helped push me to get casinos, and that’s what most vation. people here learned to adapt and article from American Forum involved with the campaign to non-Native people know about This brings me back to why I live off the land. The Native first appeared in Equal Voice change the Washington football our culture. am involved with the mascot people of the Northwest lived a News.
