Tuesday, November 27, 2007
News / Scene & Herd Unhappy anniversary
Posted by Joeff Davis @joeffly on Tue, Nov 27, 2007 at 4:10 PM
(photo by Joeff Davis)
KATHRYN JOHNSTON ANNIVERSARY: FTP vigil outside Johnston’s home
Thanksgiving eve was the first anniversary of the killing of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston by Atlanta police. Johnston was shot multiple times during a bogus drug raid, after which cops planted drugs to cover up their crime.
Shortly before the mayor and Chief Pennington’s photo-op memorial ceremony outside her home, a group calling itself FTP held its own vigil. Part of the group’s “Cease Fire: Stop Police Terrorism Campaign,†the gathering included speakers from Operation Lead, New Order, International Action Center and Coalition for Justice, all speaking out against what they call an epidemic of police shootings of African-American victims in major cities across the United States.
Among the speakers was ex-Rep. Cynthia McKinney, who told the crowd about the four unarmed African-Americans who had been killed by Miami police in the 19 days prior to the vigil.
FTP spokesman Kalonji Changa mocked the prison sentences the two white officers who’ve already pleaded guilty for the shooting will receive. If he (Changa), an African-American, had burst into a woman’s home and killed her, he asked, “Would I be facing only 10-12 years?†“No!†was the crowd’s response.
The vigil ended with a march through the streets to the chants of “Rise up! We are not going to take it anymore.â€
Several hours later, the crowd at Mayor Shirley Franklin and Atlanta police Chief Richard Pennington’s vigil was larger, but police officers outnumbered members of the community. In a ceremony called “Remembrance and Healing,†and heavy on photo opportunities, two white birds were released and candles were lit.
Asked about the two separate gatherings, FTP spokesmen Kalonji Changa said, “The cease-fire campaign is about justice for the people. We feel the city event was more a mockery of justice.â€
Comments (1)
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Where is the A-Team when you need them? Picture this all-too-familiar storyline: an inner city neighborhood struggles to make good and bring a sense of community back to what was once a violent, nasty part of town. Their efforts, however, are suppressed by a corrupt police force in cahoots with a neighborhood drug dealer and pimp. Beatings take place in the street in plain sight of children, prostitutes high on whatever scream at pedestrians and calls to 911 are rendered futile by the city's last remaining good cop's warning to "never call the police to complain about the dealers on your home phone...lots of these people are related." Throw in an ex-cop landlord overseeing the property and you've got the perfect setting for Faceman, Mr. T and Murdoch to come screeching along in their awesome van with the red racing stripe. The problem is, there is no A-Team any more. There is, however, a problem house in my neighborhood that has prompted dozens of complaints from all over the neighborhood with absolutely no action from the police. Is this because our Mayor refuses to pay them what they deserve? Is it because the Internal Affairs division of the ATLPD is laughable, resembling that of the Chief's previous post in New Orleans? (The emblazoned, "NOPD" on the side of Cajun cop cars seems sadly ironic) Or is it because guys like me have yet to pick up the baseball bat in the corner to do justice where others fail? In the absence of police protection, maybe I should set upon a course of action to rid the neighborhood of the threat. After all, I love it when a plan comes together.
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