The New York City Police Department has issued a policy where every white male between the ages of 14 and 24 will be stopped at least one time during 2012 to see if they are carrying a weapon or illegal drugs. You don’t believe it? I know, it’s really hard to believe. It’s so hard to believe that in fact it will not happen…for white males.
Black males. Different story.
Under Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly’s policy of “Stop & Frisk” EVERY black male (statistically) between the ages of 14 and 24 was stopped by the NYPD during 2011 at least once. In 2011, NYPD stopped people 685,724 times (88% of those stopped were not arrested or ticketed). 87% of those stopped were black or Latino. And it is wrong to assume that Mayor Bloomberg is continuing the policies of former Mayor Rudolph Guiliani, as that homeboy was also very focused on targeting blacks and Latinos. Mayor Bloomberg’s first year in office: 97,296 stops. In 2011: 685,724 stops. That’s more than a 600% increase.
We have yelled, screamed, pounded, marched, rallied, cried, bellowed in agony over the Mayor and the Police Commissioner’s ridiculous claim that “Stop & Frisk” is saving lives. What you have done Mr. Mayor and Mr. Commissioner is antagonized entire communities and introduced further barriers for cooperation between them and you. Your intentions might be good, but you are so far out of line that is inconceivable why you continue with this policy.
77 people were shot in New York City last week. 77. Isaiah Gonzalez. 3 years old. 3. years. old. The repetition is on purpose. He was 3. Swear words come to my mind…but I will refrain. Shot while playing at a sprinkler in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. 76 others were shot. AK-47 used in Queens…killed three guys who supposedly looked at a girl the wrong way in a club. 144 bullets sprayed the streets of Queens that night.
And what is Commissioner Kelly’s response? Instead of admitting that his “Stop & Frisk” project has not worked, he says WE are SILENT. “There doesn’t seem to be any major community response,” Kelly said. “Many of them will speak out about stop-and-frisk” but are “shockingly silent when it comes to the level of violence right in their own communities. Ninety-six percent of our shooting victims are people of color, yet these community leaders are not speaking out about that,” he said. “I’d like to see some political outcry…I want them to be outraged that a 3-year-old child is shot on the streets.”
Mr. Commissioner, the problem is not the silence of those fighting to end violence, as their cries are louder than ever. The problem is your deaf ears. Just go ask Erica Ford, AT Mitchell, Gloria Cruz, Iesha Sekou, Pastor Vernon Williams, Ife Charles, Shenee Johnson, Donna Hood, Oress Napper, Lisa Evers, Lance and Todd Feutardo, Eric Adams, Jumaane Williams, Reshma Saujani and the countless other grassroots organizers and politicians who are working EVERYDAY to stop violence in the city that we all call home.
STOP them and before you frisk them, ask them if they’ve been silent. I salute them for their courage and commitment to our young people. For you, Mr. Commissioner, my hands will remain at my side.
Michael Skolnik is the Editor-In-Chief of GlobalGrind.com and the political director to Russell Simmons. Prior to this, Michael was an award-winning filmmaker. Follow him on twitter @MichaelSkolnik
