On November 25, 2006, undercover NYPD officers fired at least 50 rounds of bullets into a car carrying three UNARMED men of African American and Latino decent; killing one, SEAN BELL and seriously wounding two others. Bell age 23 was scheduled to be married on that fateful day.Three of the five detectives involved in the shooting went to trial on charges ranging from manslaughter to reckless endangerment. All were found not guilty.The incident has sparked fierce criticism of the NYPD as the city faces yet another murder of an unarmed African American man at the hands of those expected to protect and serve.“I AM SEAN BELL, black boys speak” is a short form documentary from Wildseed Films that highlights the voices of young black boys between the ages of 11 and 13 years old growing up in New York City.They speak openly and honestly about their reaction to the Sean Bell tragedy as well as their fears and hopes as they approach manhood in a city where the lives of young black men are often cut short, too often, and too soon.
1. What is your reaction?
2. Do You see any parallels between this incidents and any in your community?
3. What is the significance of 'grass roots community involvement'?
http://www.vimeo.com/2691617
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I'm just confused because I want to know the reason why they would shoot at unarmed men 50 TIMES. It just doesn't make any sense. I don't see how the police could feel threatened by them other than the color of their skin. Those cops were straight up prejudiced because you can't shoot unless you are provoked or the offenders have weapons themselves. This form of police brutality shows that we haven't gotten far from getting hosed and dogs sicced on us just because of who we are. In my community, an unarmed black man was shot and he was killed and they really didn't do anything about it and that is all types of levels of wrong. Grass roots community involvement is important because action starts with us. If we can stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves maybe we can make a difference and possibly stop this kind of violence and prejudics against black people.
ReplyDeleteThe police brutality towards black men is unbelieveable. Here in the 21st century there is still attacks on law abiding citizens.Justice isn't being served. Suspending an officer isn't good enough. The family and friends of a victim has to deal with these things for the rest of their lives. Police are supposed to be heroes and protectors of the community when they are destroying it by killing the innocent. I have seen in my community ecspecially as of recently where young adolecent boys have been the target of police brutality. Some of these people will never be the same. Not many of these incidents have taken place in my community but I do understand that it happens everywhere. You would have thought that their lessons were learned with Rodney King. But obviously the fact that no consequences were given they believe it is ok. I believe that if the community would band together and demand respect and justice then maybe the people in power would learn that what they are doing is unethical.Until we are involved then they will believe everything is acceptable.
ReplyDeleteMy Name is Doug Ware and I am SEAN BELL...for everyone who every knew Sean I feel for them because the life of someone they knew and cared for was taken and no justice was served. Honestly it doesnt surprise me either. Just for the simple fact that police officers that I encounter on an everyday basis walk and ride around like they run the city. Justice needs to be served becasue for lives to be taken and nothing being done just drives everyone away from the American legal system, and makes them seems as though they have no protection but themselves. Yes things like this happen all the time police officers abuse their athourity in Harrisburg too and that's why I don't trust nor rely on the cops. The grass roots communities involvement is a great thing because they're making this noticed to young men and making them realize that these things do happen to our people and they should always protect themselves to prevent something like that from happening to them.
ReplyDelete-R.I.P Sean Bell
Watching this video made me react act negatively of how police officers handle the jobs. Firing 50 bullets at 3 unarmed men is unnecessarily. A lot of young kids look at cops as if they were hero's but hero are suppose to protect the people not kill them. I have seen a lot of similarity between this video and my own community. I have seen a lot of crooked cops done a lot of bad things to incident people. When something in my community goes wrong, the majority of the people do not tell the police officers any thing which could be a factor to crooked cops. The significance of grass roots community is to give young African American males a since of pride. It is to make them feel like they have a purpose in live.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time that I was even aware of the Sean Bell case but after watching the clip I was surprised how there were so many young boys in it and giving their opinions about police brutality and how African American males are viewed in the community. Just hearing them speak makes me some what emotional about the whole thing. I absolutely agree with the points this video made. Sean Bell didn’t even have a chance it just seem to me like police were just out on one of their regular strolls looking for someone to arrest or make trouble with. I think it’s a sense of power that they have and feel like they can just do whatever. I can’t even imagine how Bell’s fiancé must have felt knowing that what was suppose to be one of the best days of her life that she’d remember forever turned into one of the worst memories that she’d never forget. Here personally in Harrisburg I don’t see this too much but if I go like maybe across the river or something I see it a lot more because they see people that they feel could be a threat just because they don’t look like them. I think that with the whole grassroots thing only means something if the people in the community are actually trying to work towards changing as well. We can’t always believe people will change and we can’t sit around waiting and hoping for it.
ReplyDeleteMy reaction to the video wasn't too out of the ordinary, it didn't intrigue me to wonder why the police had gunned down Sean Bell. Part of the reason being I see paralles between this incident. Not identical situations but I do believe that the police are biased towards urban communities and people of the african american race. I Think that its important for the grass roots community to be involved in this situation because it helps the younger generation as well as the older generation. It also raises awareness. However, I don't think its significant in bringing justice to Sean Bell or any of the other victims because the police are going to keep getting light punishments for these murders.
ReplyDeleteMy reaction to this i would say that i am very inreaged at the fact that they just got away with it and no one did anything. It also makes me feel unsafe and makes me feel as though i cant trust those who are to help and save us. So anytime something happins that involves the cops i would rather just let it be than to call them. I see the same parallel here because the cops can just pull over and accuse people that do nothing and its not like we can do anything about it. We just sit back and talk about it but do nothing just go on living our lives. I personaly think that cops take advantage of the power they have and hold as a person. They kick people off corners you cant even sit on your porch with out theme having something to say to you or your friends because there is so many people they think your a disturbance. I thought this was a free country obviousley its not free enough. I think the Significance of the 'grass roots community involvment is to teach younger boys how to handle a situation. Instead of going out and geting a gun and retaliating to the cops. It teaches them how to keep there cool and if there ever in a situation like that it teaches them how to handle themselves. Its also there to show that people do care and want to make a change and they want to tell people about it.
ReplyDeleteI’m not shocked or surprised when I first heard about this I felt so bad for his family this was supposed to be the happiest day of his life. I also knew the police who were responsible for this weren’t going to be charged for this for many reasons and I don’t think its fair at all but that the way it is in big urban cities. When you shoot at someone 50 times you are shooting to kill and there is no explanation. His only crime in my eyes was being black.
ReplyDeleteThis goes on in our community all the time just last month a cop shot a 17 year old boy in a face and he was unarmed. This was not his first offence either so in my eyes the cops are just as dirty as a man sitting in jail for life for killing some one who was probably only defending him self. His defense was that the boy was running towards him. Yeah right.
I think it needs to happen with the people in the community especially urban communities. If a community gets together and try to stop the violence amongst them selves then I think it would be better because sending cops and all that is not working. The police really don’t care about us seriously. When you hear about a police shooting it’s usually in urban areas and its white officers who shoot at black people. Its like they can find any reason and 9 times out of 10 they get away with it.
By reading this article, it really saddens me to think about this whole situation. A young black man's life was tooken because of the misjudgement of a NYPD police officer. I really believe that this has happend too many times for it to be called an accident anymore. I'm scared for the young black men growing up in our world today because as they said in the article, lives are are being cut too short, and too often. I definiley see parallels between this incident and incidents in our community. A while back, a young black man uptown was killed because an officer mistakingly believed he had a weapon. He was a well known young man in the community, and once again, another life was tooken. The fact that these police officers are not even getting punished makes matters even worse. Something really has to be done. I think the significance of grass roots community involvement makes all the difference. Things like the video that was made about Sean Bell really shows that communities all over are suffering and are asking for change.
ReplyDeleteI am truly shaken by this story. My heart goes out to Seans family as well as all the other families who have lost a loved one from police brutality. You would think if you had nobody else to trust to project you, there police would always be there. But who would put there trust in somebody who gets away with murder just because they wear a badge. A badge doesn’t separate anybody from the other person, a murder is a murder. I can understand that police has to do their job, but at what point do they need to draw the line where they abuse their authority. I would say where they had five cops who shot 50 bullets is a perfect example. This tragedy accurse all over the world today. A couple years ago my aunt’s fiancé was gunned down and murdered by cops. Come to find out that it was mistaken identity. When he went to show his id they fired at him without even thinking twice. Just like this case the police officers was not charged, leaving my aunt lonesome and having to raise their two little children including a new born who has to grow up without a father. The community is supposed to trust the police not fear them.
ReplyDelete