Democrats don’t make excuses for killer cops
Here at Milwaukee Beagle, we think there’s utility in giving even the most morally bereft, psychotically moderate Dem power player a point when they occasionally do something right. And even our closest, most reliable allies should be held accountable when they fuck up. With that, we bring you Democrat Dos and Don'ts: a weekly-ish feature highlighting the good dogs/gallants/ballers and the bad dogs/goofuses/scrubs in (mostly!) Milwaukee politics.
Democrats Don’t Make Excuses for Killer Cops
Everyone with a brain and a heart knew that inviting the Republican National Convention to Milwaukee was a bad idea. We were promised an economic boon and safety (for the fascist attendees, at least.) We’ve gotten shuttered stores and checkpoints out of a shitty World War II film. And now a loved and well-known member of our community is dead – at the hand of out-of-state police who shouldn’t be “working” outside of the state-mandated “safety zone.” (Apologies for the overuse of air quotes, but this is what happens when words lose their meaning but they’re still all we have.)
Here are a few things we know about the killing of Samuel Sharpe Jr., known to folks as “Jah”:
The five Ohio cops who killed him wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Mayor Cavalier Johnson
Mayor Johnson promised that out-of-state cops aren’t here to “interact with folks.” So why were Ohio police, brought in as “dialogue officers,” armed and patrolling a mile away from the RNC?
Don’t worry, Mayor Johnson’s thoughts are “with the police officers from Columbus, Ohio."
Rather than admitting, truthfully, that this would not have happened but for voluntarily, aggressively bringing the RNC to Milwaukee, Johnson has said, “other than the fact that out-of-town officers were involved in this incident, I know of no other connections to the convention.” Falling in line, Milwaukee County Supervisor Shawn Rolland and Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson both released statements calling for investigations – but only Rolland made a connection to the RNC, and only then to “hope” that some of the sales tax revenue raised will be used to “uplift people like Mr. Sharpe”. Somehow managing to be both ghoulish and wonkish at the very same time.
We’ve lost all patience for the crocodile tears of pro-police elected officials, who should and probably do know better. This happened in Chairwoman Nicholson’s 10th district, but you’d hardly know it from her pro forma, barebones response. These people are culpable every bit as much as Mayor Johnson.
Democrats Do Recognize Cause & Effect
We won’t be giving too much credit on this one, because very little is due. But thankfully, at least two statements –not from an elected Democrat, or even a particular member of the party, but from progressive community organizations– made clear what happened:
“These out-of-state officers operated beyond their authorized RNC zone, accessing neighborhoods where they had no accountability to Milwaukee residents. The decision to host the RNC in our city was made at the Mayor’s discretion, leaving community members voiceless and ultimately resulting in the loss of a beloved individual.”
This is from a statement released by the Community Power Organization, “a collective of Black and Southeast Asian social justice organizations across Wisconsin.”
Eva Welch, co-director of Milwaukee Street Angels, knew Jah and saw him happy and healthy earlier that day. Her response, in part:
“This was one of our biggest fears with the RNC coming here, and it came true.”
Organizer Angela Lang, executive director of BLOC— Black Leaders Organizing for Communities— asked, pointedly:
“I think folks want to know why all the state cops who were here to patrol the security perimeter and provide extra support for the RNC were outside of the security perimeter.”
We also recommend listening to and/or reading the words of Darrin Madison, abolitionist and Democratic member of Wisconsin’s Assembly.
We wish people with this analysis and clarity had more clout in Wisconsin’s Democratic Party –and we’ll continue to highlight their voices when they speak.
