Episode 025: JustUs Do It

The show gets off to a funny start with an impression of Dr. Cornel West, but it quickly takes a serious tone as Heit & Cheri discuss justice and “doing it.”

Topics covered include, the Trayvon Martin / George Zimmerman Case, the Dane Scott Jr. case, the “Don’t Re-nig” bumper sticker, Staff Sgt. Robert Bales (Afghanistan massacre), Jason Russell of Kony 2012 found naked on the street, Paul Ryan’s new budget plan, Cheri’s unpopular video, Bradley Manning and Wikileaks, activism: rallies/protests vs. social media, and the challenging of other axioms.

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Segment 1

• Discussion of the racist “Don’t Re-nig” bumper sticker that originated with some female GOP supporters. The women claim that they are not racist and that they aren’t either, despite the racist bumpersticker.
• Despite the distasteful message, the bumper sticker’s play on words was a bit of genius for those who conceived it.
• Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, was revealed as the soldier who committed the Afghan massacre.
• The director of the popular Kony 2012 video, Jason Russell, had what looked like a drug frenzy and was taken to the hospital after being found naked and masturbating on a San Diego street corner.
• Paul Ryan came out with his new budget, which plans to fight the deficit by cutting programs for poor people. Not surprising!
• Will the GOP got into the convention not knowing who will win the GOP nomination?
• Cheri predicts that Obama will be the president for the next four years.
• Obama’s propaganda video, “The Road We’ve Traveled,” is 17-minute commercial directed by Academy Award winning director, Davis Guggenheim.
• Maybe Obama should have just reenacted the anti-Goldwater commercial, “Peace Little Girl (Daisy).” Check out Living Room Candidate for more old campaign commercials like this.
• Heit makes fun of the fact that Cheri made a video, “Peacocking & Opportunism–New Black Liberation Militia Plans Citizen’s Arrest In Trayvon Martin Case,” that was VERY unpopular with the viewers. The video has thrice as many dislikes as likes, and Heit & Cheri
• A discussion of the “attention grab” that has emerged, with some individuals and groups using the Trayvon Martin case as a way to gain notoriety for themselves. Such folks are hoarding information, making themselves the bottleneck for things related to the cause. They criticize leaders, but then attempt to use the same information-hoarding tactics to maintain control over the group. It’s always politics!
• Bradley Manning, the soldier allegedly responsible for leaking Iraq and Afghan War documents to Wikileaks, had a trial. We should be calling for someone to investigate the atrocities of the United States exposed through Wikileaks. We should pressure people who have something on the line so that they investigate and prosecute those who committed these various atrocities.
• A discussion of the politics involved in the Trayvon Martin case that led to people pressuring action in that case. Social media played a significant role in this case.
• People found out about the case through social media–Twitter, Facebook, and others.
• The idea that rallies and protests are the only work of the activist, and if you don’t go to the rallies, then you aren’t DOING ANYTHING. When people TALKED about Trayvon Martin, they helped to make it popular enough that people wanted to go to the rally.
• Those who helped with the dissemination of information–articles, videos, podcasts and other communications–and other acts of protest related to the Trayvon Martin case should consider it a job well done now that the FBI and the Department Of Justice are involved in the investigation.

Segment 2

• Where in the world is George Zimmerman? The media is not tracking him like they normally do for people involved in high-profile cases. They are good at finding people, but it doesn’t seem as if they are trying to actively locate him. Why not? Is he in protective custody? There MUST be a reason why the media isn’t on top of this.
• Trayvon Martin’s girlfriend came forward and revealed that she was on the phone with him up until a minute before his death. She recounted how George Zimmerman was following Trayvon and that she’d told him to run. She said that someone must have pushed him down, because the phone fell and went dead.
• Heit’s theory on why Zimmerman committed a murder and the police and others are protecting him. Apparently he has inside connections. Was he a police informant? It is curious that it was a narcotics detective, not a homicide detective who showed up in the aftermath of Trayvon’s murder.
• George Zimmerman was a habitual frivolous caller to 911 and his wife was complicit in the constant calls on Black people. His wife knew that he was capable of murder, no doubt.
• The police should have known to investigate Zimmerman as suspicious himself because he seemed out of his mind during previous calls AND that call–and he KILLED someone!
• The Sanford Police Department did a background check and a drug screen on Trayvon Martin, and he was already dead. But, they did not do one on George Zimmerman. Why not?
• Zimmerman always says that his neighborhood was burglarized in the frivolous 911 calls, but how many robberies has really occurred in the neighborhood? Was he exaggerating?
• Zimmerman calls Trayvon Martin a “fucking coon” as he chased him, right before he killed Trayvon. It is clear that he is a racist. This is an important factor because the FBI and the DOJ will be investigating the case as a hate crime.
• There are a number of rallies and events planned to seek justice for Trayvon in the coming days and weeks.
• The DOJ got involved in order to make Obama look good. Many African Americans are questioning where he stands with regard to addressing “Black issues.” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney made the statement that the president doesn’t get involved in “local issues.” After this they chose to address the issue amid pressure to become involved.
• Why did Obama decide to call Sandra Fluke for being called a slut, but he couldn’t call Trayvon Martin’s family after he was murdered and police refused to investigate?
• Bill Lee needs to be removed from his position as Chief of Sanford Police Department amid his failure to do his job, while attempting to justify not bothering to arrest Zimmerman.
• WHY did Trayvon Martin’s parents have to get THEIR OWN attorney to investiate the cell phone records, when that should have been done by Bill Lee and the Sanford police Department? The Sanford PD had all of the information all along and did absolutely NOTHING!
• An introduction to the Dane Scott Jr. case, where an 18-year old Black male was shot in the back by police as he reportedly had his hands up in surrender. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide.
• There are so many questions in the Dane Scott Jr. case. Did he have gun? The police captain (Suit) changed his story from saying he had “what appeared to be a firearm” to insisting that he had a firearm. This appears to have been a cover-up from the beginning.
• A discussion of the parallels between the Trayvon Martin and Dane Scott Jr. cases–both young, Black males killed and the police are complicit in a cover-up.
• The faces of the mothers of Trayvon, Dane, and others cry out for something to be done. The police departments and district attorneys need to be held accountable.
• We have to get away from just tackling case by case. We need to focus those same efforts on structural change, so that these things cannot occur in the future. This will provide us with a long-term solution.
• Did Dane Scott Jr. deserve to die because he was involved in a car chase? People are placing a value–or lack of value–on peoples’ lives based on how their actions (right or wrong) are interpreted by society.
• Dane Scott Jr.’s life was stolen from him every bit as much as Trayvon Martin’s was.
• We encourage you to find out more about the Dane Scott Jr. case and make up your own mind in the face of the evidence presented. Also, we should keep an eye out for other cases of injustice. These are not isolated incidences–they happen often. Axiom Amnesia is dedicated to speaking out against all types of injustice.

Segment 3

• Heit & Cheri give a special shout out of appreciation to faithful Axiom Amnesia readers and listeners, including Clifton Whitley of Food for Thought, Ryan Redskins Fan, John Pennymon of The Pennymon Doctrine, Sista Dez, Seventies Soulchild, Scottie Doesn’t Know, Rashad Turner, Terrance AKA “Space”, Derrill Guidry, Terrance AKA “Space”, Yao Lloyd D. McCarthy, Syd Tippett, Algenonn and Carolyn.
• People should be able to take a single idea and determine how they feel about it independent of other unrelated factors.
• Heit’s video about the Trayvon Martin and Oscar Grant’s cases are examples of how justice is political. Historically people have used politics as a means of getting the things they want, justice included. The politics is based in the words used and how people interpret those words–and the discretion of those with power to make those determinations.
• The communities shouldn’t let these injustices stand.
• We don’t all have to play the same role to be working within the symphony to produce a beautiful song. We can still accomplish things collectively, despite not having the best instruments. We can all do our part to help!
• Challenging the idea that we must be active only in certain ways to be counted among those who are “doing something.”

Audio Credits:

“Peace Little Girl (Daisy)” – Anti-Barry Goldwater Campaign Ad
“Trayvon” – Jasiri X
“Family Wants Answers In Del City Teen’s Death” – KOCO Oklahoma City News via YouTube

Sources:

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