There is a secret war, a silent war, being waged on Americans - through the use of fear and compliance tactics, the normalization of brutality and torture, control of the populace via military, para-military, and police officers in our communities, and psychological operations warfare. These tactics are used against resisters and held out as threats – such as being thrown into special Halliburton-built prison camps dedicated to housing those who resist the domestic occupation of our nation.
We must not allow ourselves to believe that war is merely being waged by our federal government somewhere across some sea, over there - somewhere. To get the bigger picture, we need only to step outside our front doors and look up into the air. Depending on the city and war drill training schedule, we can now be prepared to see black helicopters above us and hardened military types wearing dark uniforms and carrying lethal weapons in our city streets.
The practice of bringing war home to American city streets has nothing whatsoever to do with bringing safety, freedom, nor democracy to anyone - not overseas or at home, either.
The growing militarization of the US is part of the newly manufactured “War on terror” being fought within our nation’s borders. And, just like what is going on in Afghanistan and Iraq, American civilians have done absolutely nothing to deserve this growing militant presence. And rough and brutal treatment takes place routinely these days, primarily in cities where the poor and non-white urban residents are primary targets.
Now more than ever, despite these measures to keep Americans down, our disgruntled concerns must be taken to the streets. We must each do anything and everything we can within our communities and personal circles of influence to expose this growing militarization and brutality waged upon us by the US government through the military and local law enforcement agencies.
In terms of military training exercises being waged in our cities, Americans must not hesitate to object to federal, state, and local authorities with regard to the use of our communities for these simulated war training exercises and drills. When it comes down to playing war in our city streets and parks, we must together oppose and resist this use of our public property surrounding our homes where our families live and play.
According to activist John P. Stoltenberg, P.E., Wisconsin, “…in my opinion, the Denver exercise is a rehearsal for the imposition of the fascist military/police state and an opportunity to condition the American civilian population for the imposition of the fascist military/police state. The conditioning includes the military and civilian police.” Stoltenberg continues, “It appears to me that in the imposition of the fascist military/police state it very well may be the function of the military and civilian police to hold the civilian population at bay so that the private fascist armies, such as Blackwater, can do the actual dirty work of terrorizing the civilian population. In other words, the military and civilian police will be present not to maintain law and order, but to provide an aura of respectability to acts of domestic terrorism carried out by private fascist armies, such as Blackwater, that are working directly for the fascist Bush regime, or whatever fascist regime is in power at the time."
With regard to the increasing brutality of local law enforcement as the norm, we must work to expose what celebrated San Francisco community organizer, mesha Monge-Irizarry has termed the “war at home and abroad.” In describing some of the aspects of what the lifelong activist wrote are the “7 Degrees of Managed Mayhem,” in Poor Neighborhoods of Color, law enforcement creates “Managed Mayhem” to successfully antagonize the Youth into killing each other… In ‘response,” law enforcement Harrasses, Brutalizes and Kills Poor People of Color."
Monge-Irizzary is a dedicated San Francisco organizer and activist whose only son, Idriss Stelley, a 23-year old African American, was wrongfully, brutally gunned down on June 13, 2001. Nine police officers fired 48 shots at the honor roll student experiencing an emotional breakdown inside an empty movie theater while possessing no firearms - not posing a serious threat to anyone.
With monies awarded in a 2003 settlement against the city and county of San Francisco Police Department, Stelley’s extraordinary mother, Ms. Monge-Irizzary, channeled her grief into providing benefit for humanity and needed change in law enforcement by founding the Idriss Stelley Action and Resource Center. The mission of the non-profit organization that bears the name of the murdered young Stelley is to end law enforcement brutality and racially based police actions, empower victims and survivors of law enforcement misconduct, provide support and development for organizations and individuals working to address police accountability, end the death penalty, and to organize grassroots campaigns and events to raise awareness and create policy changes.A peek at the Idriss Stelley Action and Resource Center (ISARC) website demonstrates how the determination of one citizen who wishes to make a difference in this nation can establish changes in the way local law enforcement operates in our communities. This organization depends on private sources of funding to end brutality and racism in law enforcement agencies throughout the nation. To assist with this effort, to connect with organizations through which ISARC works, and to lend your charitable support to this group’s superb ongoing actions, visit their website.
Be a part of making greatly needed change happen to oppose what’s going on in our cities. Resist the growing Police State taking place through both military training exercises and police brutality and racism. Join me in providing support to the Idriss Stelley Action and Resource Center (ISARC) in its actions geared in stopping militant law enforcement practices including brutality and racism.
Through the support of organizations like ISARC that work to stop injustice in our cities, together we can make great strides in making our local, state, and federal law authorities work to provide assistance and public service to our communities – not the spread of militarization, brutality, racism, and other actions that harm – not support our fellow citizens.
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