I imagine there are extreme situations where breaking down a door with no warning to gain entry to a home is justified. But as long as no-knock warrants are executed, mistakes will be made and people will get hurt. Occasionally, a bad guy will get caught. But the police could probably have caught them by just waiting for them to come out the house. Say Her Name!
All tagged Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter Gets Pushback in Ridley
The price Black folks pay for living in an all-Black community is underfunded education, poor housing stock, a lot of Dollar Stores, pollution, and receivership. Yet folks would rather put up with all that than to live beside neighbors who don’t want them there. That type of neighbor gathered up their motorcycles, pickup trucks, confederate flags, and surely their guns, to harass a Black Lives Matter march going through Ridley Township earlier this month.
Zoom Group Weighs the Future of Policing
“The demand of Black Americans is clear: ‘Stop killing us.’” This assertion by state senator and Swarthmore resident Tim Kearney (D-26) framed a July 28 Zoom discussion on ending systemic racism and reimagining public safety. Attended by about 80 people, the conversation was part of a “racial equity tour” sponsored by the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic caucus and co-hosted by Kearney and State Senator Anthony Williams (D-8). Swarthmore resident and civil rights lawyer Jonathan Feinberg and Swarthmorean contributor Stefan Roots, among others, also participated.
Rallying for Black Lives in Swarthmore
Neighbors from Swarthmore and surrounding areas made their way to Umoja Park for a rally and march in support of Black lives. The rally was held on July 19 in part to commemorate the July 16 birthday of Ida B. Wells and her life-long commitment to activism, abolition, and education. Amy Beth Sisson, writer and former attorney, spoke about Swarthmore’s intimate history with racism, from segregated schools to discriminatory policies at the swim club. She left the crowd with these words: “We need to own our considerable history of racism, so that we can do better.”
At the July 20 Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board meeting, the board unanimously passed the following resolution, stating “Wallingford-Swarthmore School District School Board unequivocally stands firm in our collective responsibility to foster an equitable and inclusive environment for every student, staff member, parent/guardian, and community member. We commit to use our role as school board directors to recognize, respond, and speak out against injustice and racial inequity in our school community.”
A Rally, a March, and a Call to Action
A Black Lives Matter rally and march will take place Saturday, July 18, at Umoja Park in Swarthmore. The goal is raising awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement and its #WhatMatters2020 priorities. These include fighting racial injustice, police brutality, economic injustice, and voter suppression, as well as advocating for common-sense gun laws, LGBTQIA+ and human rights, and reform of the criminal justice and education systems.
Juneteenth in Swarthmore
This Juneteenth, the Historically Black Neighborhood of Swarthmore (HBNS) organized a combination Juneteenth celebration and Black Lives Matter protest. Various speakers, including two young people, offered thoughts on Juneteenth, Black Lives Matter, and the meaning of freedom. The Swarthmorean is featuring photos taken by Swarthmore resident and photographer Andy Shelter documenting the celebration.