Erica Garner Suffering Long Term Effects of @NYPD Violence #BlackLivesMatter

Men in New York thought mocking Eric Garner's dying words was a good idea in 2014.

It's nine degrees below zero (Farenheit, that is) and the extreme cold has me thinking of the extremely vulnerable. Especially people with asthma struggling to find shelter and air warm enough to get oxygen into their bodies.



Eric Garner died hollering "I can't breathe" and now his daughter, activist Erica Garner (interviewed on Democracy Now! in the video above), has been declared brain dead due to oxygen deprivation from an asthma-induced heart attack. She is only 27 years old, and has two little children.

e

Erica in action on Staten Island, where her father was choked to death by police for selling loose cigarettes on the street.

The NYPD cleared the hospital room where she lay in a coma this week, kicking out other members of her family who were gathered to support her.

After killing her father, the NYPD harassed Erica Garner constantly. Even two days ago, on December 26 morning, the NYPD cleared her support from the floor of the ICU with no explanation, forcing people with an official pass from the hospital to go out, leaving Erica by herself. pic.twitter.com/SePG2R39tc

— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) December 28, 2017

Why were police even in her hospital room in the ICU -- guarding a woman in a coma? Doubtful. Probably spying on those who loved her. Black activists like Erica are routinely targeted and harrassed by law enforcement, whose salaries are paid by me and thee and who should be public servants.

The NYPD had already been photographed mocking the elder Garner's dying words (see above).

In a well-resourced article by Christen A. Smith of the University of Texas, Austin, evidence piles up to answer a salient question: "Slow Death: Is the trauma of police violence killing black women?"

From Smith's article in the academic blog The Conversation: "A woman protesting the shooting death of Alton Sterling is detained by law enforcement. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, July 9, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman"

What kind of emotional toll does it take to be handcuffed, or watch a loved one be handcuffed, for the crime of speaking up about police brutality? What about watching a loved one bleed to death or choke to death at the hands of police? To watch people that look like your children senselessly dying? 

Black women are often victims of sexual violence at the hands of police, too. Few officers are ever held accountable by their management or their unions.

One of the things I'm going to do in response is to read the words of women of color every chance I get. That includes not only news and research but also blogs, essays and fiction. Starting with some of the titles from "46 Books By Women Of Color To Read In 2018." Art doesn't heal these wounds but it can deepen my understanding of what they mean to the women and girls who lived the experiences.

I'm also going to send material support to Erica Garner's family, and urge you to do the same. And I'm going to remember:

the kleptocracy's war on the poor is a racial matter.

Nothing will bring back Eric Garner but his daughter Erica's activism didn't have to end this way. We will not forget.

Onward, Kleptocracy: General Dynamics Writes Your Tax Legislation

General Dynamics and its lawyers are busy "helping" representatives in Maine write tax legislation to benefit their bottom line. Here I share the report back of tireless peace organizer Mary Beth Sullivan about her meeting December 21 with legislators promoting a big tax break for this mega wealthy corporation (it paid its CEO $21 million last year).

Also the opinion of a former member of the Maine legislature that the meeting MB attended was illegal on several counts.

I have added the bold emphasis, and the contact information for two Maine legislators.

Former Rep. Jeff Evangelos is of the opinion that any meeting concerning tax legislation is public in nature, and may be videotaped or otherwise recorded.

See his comments below Mary Beth's. Note that BIW means Bath Iron Works, which is owned by the General Dynamics corporation.

It has been reported in newspapers that State Representative Jennifer DeChant is submitting a bill in this legislative season to provide a $60 million tax subsidy to BIW over the next 20 years.  This Bill would extend Maine's Shipbuilding Facilities Credit which has delivered BIW an annual $3.5 million subsidy since the 1990s. 

When she received correspondences opposing this bill, she invited people to her home for a meeting to discuss this bill.  She then changed the venue to the Bath Library, then changed it again to City Hall. 

The meeting took place on Thurs, Dec 21. Besides myself and State Rep. Jennifer DeChant, the following people were there: State Sen. Louise Vitelli (who will be a Senate sponsor of the bill), Brown Lethem, Karen Wainberg, Jerry Provencher, Gary Anderson, Lisa Ledwidg, Lou Ensel ~ and two VFP members who don't live in Bath, John Morris and Peter Morgan. 

Martha Spiess showed up early to videotape the event, and Jennifer did not allow that to happen, so Martha left. 

I did not know that occurred until I got home and read Martha's email.  I'm sorry that happened. 

Jennifer reported that she did not intend for this to be a public meeting; she intended an “informal meeting.” She also reported that she is willing to hold a “public meeting” anytime. I disagree that a meeting held with constituents about pending legislation is something less than public. Transparency should be at the heart of a democratic process. I heard nothing in that meeting that an audience of Mainers would not benefit from knowing.  

State Representative Jennifer DeChant

Home Telephone: (207) 442-8486

Jennifer.DeChant@legislature.maine.gov

Jennifer ran the meeting.  As I understood the basics:  she was asked by a constituent (BIW) to submit a bill to allow BIW to continue to receiving the tax break it has been receiving for the last 20 years. She agreed. The language for the bill is being written; it is in the legislature's Revisor's Office;

BIW lawyers are assisting in drafting the language; 

it is important to her that language using some of these dollars training is in the bill. 

State Senator Eloise Vitelli
Home Phone: (207) 443-4660
Eloise.Vitelli@legislature.maine.gov

Jennifer and Louise described that the process is this:  the bill's language will be completed soon.  The Taxation Committee will take it up, and hold a public hearing.  By law, the Taxation Committee needs to hold a public hearing, and give a 10-day notice to the public. When people come to the hearing, they can speak for three minutes on the bill and submit something in writing to the committee. The next step is a work session.  The public is allowed to attend, but not to speak or participate.  Then, if it passed out of committee, the bill goes to the floor. If passed, it goes to the Governor to sign. 

I perceived the conversation that ensued as civil, lively, honest and blunt. Many of those attending had many questions, and expressed opposition to the bill.  My notes cannot do justice to the great questions and concerns that were expressed; I urge those who attended to add to this email any of the important exchanges that should be shared. 

We were urged to pay attention to the Taxation Committee agenda (Jennifer said we could sign up as friends of the taxation committee to be apprised by email of when the hearings will happen) and to show up at the hearing to express our opposition.  Jennifer also urged us to stay in touch with her if we have any questions along the way. 

Thanks to all for paying attention to this issue.  It is never too early to contact your local reps/senators to express your opinion of this bill. Consider letting them know that BIW is a strong, capable, successful shipbuilding company.  At $4 billion of taxpayers dollars a ship, they (and their parent company, General Dynamics) should certainly be able to budget well enough to meet their financial responsibilities. 

On the other hand, Maine is constantly stressed in its efforts to meet the needs of its constituents impacted by a decaying physical, educational, medical and social infrastructure.

Create a vision for what you think might be a higher priority for the $3 million a year over the next 20 years, and share it with your State Representatives and Senators. 

If you have not yet seen it please watch the interview with emeritus USM Law professor Orlando Delogu who discusses this tax subsidy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ei_OsCLh-k&feature=youtu.be 

Thanks for you attention and activity around this issue. In peace, Mary Beth Sullivan Bath, Maine

Dear Mary Beth,
As a former member of the Maine Legislature, I am disturbed to hear that 2 legislators attempted to hold a private meeting in a public space for what is clearly public business, done in an effort to influence public opinion, on a clearly public issue, ie, the use of taxpayer money to subsidize a corporation. Legislators must strictly adhere to the Right to Know Laws in Maine. A meeting of legislators and members of the public at City Hall is a public meeting and is subject to all FOAA requirements. State law also says you are allowed to video tape and record what are clearly public proceedings. There are no exceptions to this as long as the taping does not interfere with the meeting. Martha had an absolute right to tape thisproceeding and she should have refused to leave and told Rep. DeChant she was violating the law. In public business, there is no such thing as an informal meeting, everything we do as legislators is public. 

The Attorney General's Office has an employee who works on these issues and handles complaints, here is the link to her contact details:http://www.maine.gov/foaa/ombudsman/index.htm 

The Maine Ethics Commission also advises on ethical breaches by legislators:http://maine.gov/ethics/legislators/index.htm

Neither Rep. DeChant or any other elected official has the right to determine what is public and what is private. This is a matter of law and the public's right to know. 

Yes she can have a few constituents over to her private house for a conversation, the content of which  is still public if what is discussed pertains to pending legislation. But once that meeting goes to City Hall, a public building, the entire Right to Know Law comes into play, especially when a meeting in a public space is called by a Legislator to discuss pending legislation and the possible expenditure of public money. 

 From what you have described, this meeting violated your rights and violated Maine law. Preventing the video taping also violated the law 

Sincerely,
Jeffrey Evangelos 

Friendship, Maine

former member, Maine House of Representatives 2012-2016

Under the current system of kleptocracy, taxation without representation has become the order of the day. And in case you think it is only the bad, bad Republicans who are in government in order to represent their corporate sponsors, note that both DeChant and Vitelli are from the other corporate party. Because Democrats are eager to carry water for their corporate donors, too.

From the corporate tax bonanza just enacted in Washington DC to the one about to be proposed in Augusta, Maine, corporations are bailed out while we, the people, are sold out.

Join me in contacting the Maine Attorney General to register a complaint about the "informal" meeting to discuss tax legislation where the public's right to know was violated.