Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 October 1987 — Page 7

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lettert to the Editor '' Closed doors, no trust

To the Editor I sat for two weeks with an urge 'to hit my typewriter, when I heard of the Michael Taylor shootings I decided before making a quick and narrow-minded decision about this I'd wait and see what the final analysis of the Police Department would be. It was obviously what I expected. As Police Chief Paul Annee stated at the press conference, and I quote, "We stand prepared, as an organization, to meet anybody, anywhere, at any time, to deal with the issues”. This statement in itself is reason for the community to have doubts about this mysterious way young Michael Taylor died. I’ve never known a case where the officer has been fingered for wrong doing. He has always been cited for following police policy and procedure. How does the community bring itself to believe a secret organization which it knows nothing about. There is no trust where there are closed doors. I have friends on the police force and recently was a part of one of the recruiting classes for this organization. I can tell you from conversation and what I do know about the arresting policies that there's no way a .32 caliber revolver could be missed on a person wearing a tank top, shorts and tennis shoes. I cannot believe an officer with 14 years experience could miss a gun of that caliber in a tennis shoe. Of course the gun could not be seen in a video, but take the average citizen and have him do a routine search on that same person and see how many discover the weapon. I say it was absolutely impossible. Another part of this puzzle is hard to believe. How was this 16-year-old boy smart enough to have possession of a gun that was untraceable and conveniently packed away so a experienced officers such as Aurs and Penniston would not be able to spot? If he was suicidal, he sure planned' this one out to the precise moment. As far as his two friends that said he would kill himself before he went to jail again, were those the only two he had, or was it that after they got these statements out of God knows how many friends, they just took the ones that backed up their conclusion. I’m sure the average person who has seen movie or television shows about the penal system would have made a similar statement. So I feel these two statements are not conclusive enough to say this young man was suicidal. This is the same method they used to use the witnesses statements. One said he heard the shot after the officer was

out of the car. The other said they heard it before the officer emerged from the car. Who’s statement do you think they used? Now we come to the disciplinary procedures. How does the position of Police Chief give someone the power to know whether a man did something by using his head or his heart? I tell you we should take this man out of his present position and put him behind Jesus Christ when it comes to judging our fellow man. This man has done something mankind has been trying to do for centuries, the ability to read another human being’s thoughts and emotions. Rather it was of the heart or mind, this officer was responsible for the transporting of this person. With every job comes a risk of losing it over not following procedure. Due to fact that the evidence is mostly hearsay and circumstantial, and by the end result being the loss of life, officer Penniston should have at least been taken off duty until this case was sent through the legal system. To the law abiding cop this one day suspension of a fellow officer could mean making sure procedure is followed everytime. But what about an officer that is not so conscientious or gets the idea he wants to snuff out a big mouth or someone that threatens him? Officer Penniston’s spank on the hand could reassure or prompt his decision to do so. In any case where life is lost because of negligence on anyone’s part they should no longer be entitled to have those responsibilities again. If a surgeon took out the wrong organ in a patient and that patient died as a result, would the medical board allow that surgeon to practice again? This too would be a mistake of the mind. I’ve personally seen officers arrest people and if that person questioned him why, he is classified as hostile. 1 don’t think it is company policy to take a suspect in an alley or out of view to search him. Why is this? I know a book could be written on this case, and I know the truth will never come out. I feel we as voters and a community should pull together and call for the firing or resignation of the parties' responsible for cause or the prevention of Michael Taylor’s death. We as black people have.a history of not sticking together, but I tell you if you don’t stick together on this one, we should complain about the system again. But remember it could easily be you or your child next. C. H. Barnett Indianapolis

The Bork case

( TotheEditor: As the noted historian, Arthur it is fitting that, as we celebrate Schlesinger, Jr., has pointed out: our Constitution’s 200th Anniver- “If the original intenders quarreled sary, the news is dominated by the among themselves about the meannomination of Judge Robert H. ing of the Constitution, aren’t „ Bork to the Supreme Court. In a Judge Bork and Attorney General very real way, the debate over Judge Meese a trifle arrogant to claim two Bork’s confirmation is a debate over centuries later that the truth about the meaning of the Constitution the original intent of the Framers itself. has been revealed to them?” Senator Richard Lugar has More important, it is clear from recently announced his intent to the sweeping language of the Bill of vote in favor of Judge Bork’s con- Rights that the Framers did not firmation. As a Democratic can- draft the Constitution to address didate for the United States Senate, only specific injustices. Where I wish to make clear that on this specificity was needed, specific issue, Senator Lugar and I are language was used. The Constitudiametrically opposed. tion’s guarantees of individual liberPrior to his confirmation hear- ty cannot be limited to those specific ings, Judge Bork frequently argued instances of injustice that eighteenth that the rights guaranteed to in- century men found intolerable, dividuals by the Constitution should As Thomas Jefferson said: "We be interpreted narrowly. For exam- might as well require a man to wear pie. Judge Bork has argued that a still the coat which fitted him when state may prohibit a married couple a boy as civilized society to remain from using birth control. Judge ever under the regimen of their barBork has argued that racially restric- barousancestors.” ► tive covenants are enforceable. Under the guise of original intent. Judge Bork has argued that poll Judge Bork affords excessive taxesareconstitutional. deference to legislative majorities. Judge Bork has criticized the But our constitutional liberties principle of “one pan, one vote.” ' belong to each one of us, and they Judge Bork has argued that the First may not be abridged whenever a Amendment’s guarantee of free temporary legislative majority speech protects only “mainstream believes that it is good politics to do political speech” and does not pro- so. It is, after all, the Bill of Rights, tect literature, art, drama, music, or not the Bill of Policy Concerns, speech Judge Bork deems Judge Bork’s judicial restraint is "subversive.” strangely absent, however, with Judge Bork bases his narrow respect to legislative control of reading of the Bill of Rights on his business. In his book, The Antitrust own notion of the Framers’ Paradox, Judge Bork is sharply "original intent,” yet little is known critical of anti-trust laws, which of what was actiurily said and done preserve competitive markets and at the Constitutional Convention, protect consumers from concenThe Framers themselves disagreed trated economic power, bitterly over the Constitution’s ' JackWickes application. Indianapolis

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Letters to the Editor

Do something!

TotheEditor: After 10 years on the streets of the inner city of Indianapolis as photographer, PR person, community service worker, volunteer and victim, I do not wonder unrealistically where Michael Taylor got his gun, but why was he on the street stealing a car? Why do all of the kids have guns, knives, and steal to get what they want? Why is a 16-year-old, bright and healthy, talking about suicide? Was he a functional illiterate? Was he passed on through the IPS educational system and rejected finally when he was sixteen? Why does the educational system, the church unit, the community programs, the criminal justice system and all resources available to save these kids talk big but fail to honestly face the reality of a physcologically unfit population, one third of which cannot read? Literacy programs too sophisticated to reach them with basic skills, a probation system too under-paid and understaffed to adequately rehabilitate the offenders, prisons too full to care that bad sex and indifference to their needs and hopes for the future and parents, ‘Perspective’ To the Editor: In lieu of the “perspective” Howard Caldwell gave editorializing the Michael Taylor death, I have written the following rebuttal. The editorial was given on Oct. 1st. Dear Howard: 1 am really curious to know what planet you have been living on? To even suggest in your “perspective” your inability to understand why black people “distrust” white law enforcers. Makes it apparent “you ain’t from around here!” Allow me to acquaint you with planet Earth. Here justice is white...not right. I shall mention the black murders of two young men in Signal Hill, California (i.e.). Like Michael Taylor, they too died while in police custody. And how about those Miami riots stemming from police shootings and beatings. The end result being the loss of more black lives. These tragedies are far too commonplace. White people kill black people every day of the year. Most of them get away with it too because little or no effort is even used to obtain justice. Maybe that sounds harsh, but reality usually is. It is only when blacks band together for a single cause that there is something resembling justice. Too often these are rare and isolated incidents. America...the land of the free...and the home of the brave...I know you not! When all men cannot live, eat, work and play in every area of this country their soul may desire to inhabit, then there is no freedom. When laws are used as. weapons against an oppressed people instead of instruments of knowledge to assure equality and justice for all, there is no bravery. And that’s how it is on this planet, Howard. Thank God for the Heavens! \ One Witness Muncie Racism TotheEditor: Chief of Police Paul Annee is living in a dream world if he believes IPD is receptive to blacks. Racism is very much alive and well within IPD. A good example: Recently in the lobby an intoxicated white male sergeant berated and seemed on the verge of attacking a black female officer. I heard later that this sergeant realized that he had been observed by people waiting in the lobby and started to cover his tracks. He and another male sergeant got together and wrote a lot of half truths to Chief Annee, causing this black woman to be suspended. This suspension was done without any investigation of allegations. If this had been a black sergeant and a white female officer involved we know who would have been suspended. R.A. Freeman Indianapolis

who themselves are victims of these same problems...have no place to turn in their efforts to carve out of our modern society a productive place for themselves. I have been called all of the bad names, especially by some of the historic preservation folk, because I think that whores and street ladies are people, though I don’t condone prostitution, I still befriend them if I can. Since 1 have been in the inner city and disabled I have to admit that my street friends have been more helpful than those that you would expect to be helpful. I have been taken to the grocery store in raggedy, old cars with several of my neighbors, causing a nice, uptown, fancy white lady to walk into a wall observing us as we stopped. 1 can show you photographs of some of my young friends as we “rapped” on my front porch at three a.m. In my neighborhood I accused some of them of being a “gang”. They were shocked so I took pictures of a dice game and some of them “hanging out” there and taped their language and showed it all to them, and they agreed that they really did say “m F ” every other word. Some of my young friends are now in prison, one who is very dear to my heart, for 25 years. If you really want to see Hell on Earth....come to the local jail or come with me to Michigan City or Pendleton and see for yourselves There are many conscientious souls around who are nibbling away at this cancer but no one with the authority to do anything of substance about it will listen. People who put together innovative programs that folk, kids, teen-agers,

adults, senior citizens can relate to or use productively are ridiculed, put down and denied funds. The great Eli Lilly Foundation, the benevolent good fairy that makes so much possible in our city, turns down programs of that ilk as insignificant and not the kind of programs that they want to sponsor. If you don’t believe that, I can show you some nice, well phrased refusals for some of my projects that have been proven in the field to teach people at risk not only to read but important and vital basic skills of living. In more affluent areas than our inner city kids are on drugs, have a high rate of suicide, produce more children and are into crime as careers. If the community as a whole, police and church officials, Mayor Hudnut and anyone really concerned really want to save these young people from such a negative future, go down to the neighborhoods and talk to them, find out what they really need to get back on track. Dedicate yourselves to a realistic effort that they can relate to. Teach them about discipline and order, productive jobs, marriage, homes, and how to read. Teach them how to get drivers’ licenses, car titles and license plates, what the community expects of them, how to get up and go to work at eight o’clock every morning and do what the boss says all day, how to be real men and women without reefer and sex, how important it is to have God in their lives, how to really make their lives worth while. From my experience with street kids, I would be surprised if Michael Taylor tried to kill himself. If he

really had wanted to do that, he would have hung himself at that awful juvenile center to make the police and authorities look bad. He was street-wise and it doesn’t seem likely that he would try to use the gun while he was handcuffed but would have waited for a more opportune time if it really was in his shoe and had not been discovered by the policemen up til then. My experience with policemen on the street has not been confidence inspiring though, Major Davis and several others have been very cooperative and helpful over the years. When my neighbors have called me to help in times of great stress, the police response to an old white woman in the middle of a melee is not often positive, though the perpetuators would more often than not listen to me. Dr. Tom Benjamin addressed these concerns on the TV news and Rev. Jesse Jackson initiated Operation PUSH, a very positive, productive program for young people...it could be done....and would certainly rank right up there at the top with an enclosed shopping mall downtown, football stadiums for teams that do not win and opportunists that prosper themselves from the expansion and development of downtown Indianapolis. If this community is really interested in where Michael Taylor got his gun and why he is dead instead of “rapping” somewhere with friends, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE AND ALL OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DEAD, TOO, OR IN PRISON.

Betty Stone Miller Indianapolis

Being Black in America: A Real Picture

My buddy. ♦♦ my dad.

There’s a special bond between a father and a son. Something that has to do with heritage, history, and keeping a family name alive. A father shapes a son in a special way because he not only gives him life, he passes on dreams. This cultural heritage, passed down through generations, has greatly enriched American culture. In recognizing this, AnheuserBusch is committed to supporting organizations across the country which contribute toward the progress of their community. A real picture of being Black in America includes all of us. By appreciating the importance of the dreams and aspirations of all, we take an important step toward making this nation a strong family. Building a future in partnership with the community.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOHN PINDERHUGHES For the last fifteen years, Mr. Pinderhughes has pursued a successful career as both a commercial and fine arts photographer. He is based in New York.

ANHEUSER-BUSCH COMIWMIES 4nheuser-Busth Companies is the parent company o! Anheuser-Bim h. Inc brewers o< Budweiser*. Michelobt, Michelob* light. Budweiser* light. Natural Light, Busch#, LA.., Michelob Classic Dark, beets and KmgCobra Premium Malt liquor •

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