Building a coalition to confront Louisiana Sheriff Jack Strain

[Keseys Ghost]

BUILDING A COALITION TO CONFRONT ST. TAMMANY PARISH SHERIFF JACK STRAIN – WOULD YOUR ORGANIZATION LIKE TO PARTICIPATE?



Perhaps you missed the Louisiana Sheriff’s rant on local TV. Crooks and Liars didn’t and you can download it here:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/posts/2006/07/06/sheriff-of-racism/

The NAACP has issued a statement: http://www.crooksandliars.com/posts/2006/07/10/naacps-response-to-sheriff-jack-strain/

So has the Louisiana ACLU:
http://www.laaclu.org/News/2006/aclu_open_ltr_StrainJul0506.htm

The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is currently drafting a response and the Southern Poverty Law Center is considering one as well along with the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. All will be provided to the media Wednesday evening at a town meeting hosted by the Greater Covington NAACP and the Louisiana ACLU Foundation.

If you would like to be included, please PM me for more information.

[High Plains]

1. Good. The criminal justice system is a scandal down there.

And by down there, I don't mean just St. Tammany, but also New Orleans. They've got crime problems, they've got the National Guard patrolling with city cops, they're hassling black kids on the streets and throwing them in jail for minor crimes, and guess what? They don't have a functioning court system, so prisoners just rot forever. Some have been rotting in jail without a trial since long before Katrina.

I expect a certain poster to get up here and tell us how horrible the crime is. I sympathize, but we have to have a functioning criminal justice system, not just a "lock 'em up and forget about 'em" system. I mean forget about 'em without bothering to hold a goddamned trial.

[SammyBlue]

55. A racist cop? Never! Police are as pure as wind driven snow.

A racist cop in the south? Never! The south is as pure as a virgin's honeypot.

Have you listened to this prick? Here are selected quotes, with my commentary!!!

By trash he means "black." By criminal, he means black.

Judges are going to convict the blacks? JURIES DO THAT YOU HALFWIT!!!!

Dreadlocks and "Chee wee hair styles" = CRIMINAL!!! WOW!!! BOB MARLEY WOULD BE A CRIMINAL IN SAINT TAMMANY PARISH!!! www.crimelibrary.com How many notorious criminals have Dreadlocks and "Chee Wee" hair?

Working, taxpaying citizen. . .the homeless are now criminals to this fuck.

Contribute to what makes that Parish great. . .the klan is having a recruitment drive. See the Sherrif for information!

It's not our intent to violate anyone's civil rights (where's the but. . .there's always a but). . .but We'll do it because we can. We are the law!

slick lawyers = any compentent defense attorney.

NO DEFENSE ATTORNEY IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH. . .Fuck your trial rights! I am the law and you will respect my authoritah.

Get rid of the blacks. . .I mean, the temporary housing. . .we don't need any more n(censor)s. . .I mean black people here. . .I mean ghetto. . .I mean poor. Shit, I'm up to my neck now!

Am I frustrated? Damn right I am. . .I haven't imposed my final solution on black people because of that damn Constitution and weak kneed liberals like the ACLU, NAACP and all those liberals.

When the state doesn't come in, it makes our job (of exterminating and imprisoning black people) a helluva lot harder.

Here's a poster of what this prick just said:

[BOSSHOG]

2. Strain has been sherrif for ten years

please share with me all the incidents where he has abused any citizen of his parrish or who has abused the constitutional liberties of those citizens. Please share with me your grief for the families of the four people who were gunned down in St Tammany which led to strain's comments which have offended citizens. Please share with me your plan to arrest one of the suspects in the quadruple murder in New Orleans this past weekend. He was described as a black male with dreadlocks. Please give me a name, right now, of a St Tammany Parrish resident you would want to be sherrif. Is this Kesey's Ghosts attempt at some publicity? Is Kesey's Ghost running for office or planning to run for office?

[Keseys Ghost]

3. We were expecting you BOSSHOG

All so very predictable...

Perhaps you can't relate to doing the right thing unless there's something in it for you...

I choose not to debate with you. He said what he said.

Good day and thanks for the kick.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. That's ten years too long.

He's got no business being a sheriff. To bad you can't replace a sheriff retroactively.

Who gunned down those people? I don't konw.

Has anybody checked Jack Strain's alibi?

[tkmorris]

12. You know what BOSSHOG?

He was doing fine in talking about keeping crime down in Tammany Parish, and expressing dismay even over the level of crime in N.O. I wasn't necessarily "with him" on that but he had a point and a right to feel that way.

But then there was this "if you're gonna walk the streets of St. Tammany Parish with dreadlocks and Chee-Wee hairstyles, then you can expect to be getting a visit from a sheriff's deputy."

That's profiling pure and simple right there BH, and you cannot do that. Period, end of story.

[bvar22]

35. Not just profiling....

this is overt bigotry.

[EFerrari]

45. Well yes, there's that. n/t

[pacalo]

16. My perspective is similar to Bosshog's.

Be careful of the battles you choose & make sure the reason for ousting a person from his job is based on competency. This reeks of the type of witchhunts conducted by the religious, holier-than-thou rightwing.

The suspect was a black male with dreadlocks & Strain referred to the hairstyle as "chee-wees", which, you have to admit, would fit the description aptly for those who aren't familiar with the term "dreadlocks".

I don't support this movement.

[Anita Garcia]

17. Which movement?

The "we don't like racial profiling movement" or the "we like racial profiling movement"?
How about the Jackson Mayor?
<http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060801/NEWS/60801007/1263/rss>
Do you support the ACLU's movement?

"But Redditt Hudson, racial justice manager for the ACLU in Eastern Missouri, said Melton is presenting the city of Jackson with a false choice. Citizens can protect their communities from crime while maintaining their civil rights and their dignity.

“What we need to do is establish a ground-level rule of accountability that goes across the board,” he said. “I don’t care if you have a gang rag and gun or a badge and a gun, when you come into our communities around our kids and families, you should respect the dignity of the people in our community, value the life of the people in our community, or you should expect to be held accountable.”

[elehhhhna]

18. What the heck IS a chee-wee hairstyle?

[Anita Garcia]

20. I wish someone could get the Sheriff to describe it for us!

[Sapphire Blue]

39. Googling 'chee wee' brought this up:

An internet search turned up the hint that this is a derogratory term for a hairstyle that "looks like Cheetos" and a link to the following site:
http://yp.bellsouth.com/sites/cheewee/index.html
evidently the manufacturers of these snack foods.

http://michaelhoman.blogspot.com/2006/07/possible-chee-wee-hairstyle-puts-me-in.html

[EFerrari]

46. What in the WORLD is the matter with people. n/t

[Sapphire Blue]

47. Racism, sociopathy, greed, hatred... need I go on?

[EFerrari]

48. No. I guess that would cover it.

:(

Muthas.

[Sapphire Blue]

49. I forgot to include downright stupidity.

[Keseys Ghost]

23. Thankfully, your support is apparently unnecessary

SPLC has issued its statement despite your disapproval(as set out below).

More to come...

[EFerrari]

24. Maybe that suspect was. What about my kids or yours in dreads?

Should they also be automatically suspect?

Wow. Just, wow.

[elehhhhna]

65. good god I thought people got over dreads in the 80's

not got over wearing them. got over SEEING them. OY

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

29. The movement that racist cops are bad?

Pretend that I'm not familiar with the term "dread locks." Now explain "chee-wee" to me.

[Flying Dream Blues]

32. Do you think a sheriff who targets people for harassment

is competent? I may have misinterpreted your post; if so, I apologize.

[Keseys Ghost]

52. The Freepers would tend to agree with you...how strange...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1662281/posts

[Sapphire Blue]

40. If an alleged perpetrator of a crime was a white male w/a crewcut...

... would it be acceptable for this sheriff to make these same remarks about all white males w/crewcuts?

Not being a resident of St Tammany Parrish myself, I can't speak to who the sheriff should be; I would hope, though, that the residents wouldn't want a racist for their sheriff. Many racists have been in power in many places for many years. Time for them ALL to go.

[Anita Garcia]

4. Kick for coalition building

Fight the good fight KG!

[EFerrari]

5. Kick

[EFerrari]

7. Yikes! I hope that wasn't me! lol

Kick

[Keseys Ghost]

8. From the NAACP LDF

...The latest sign came courtesy of St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain. During a recent interview, he sent a clear message to New Orleanians, repeatedly referring to them as "trash" and warning them, "if you're gonna walk the streets of St. Tammany Parish with dreadlocks and Chee-Wee hairstyles, then you can expect to be getting a visit from a sheriff's deputy."

Although Sheriff Strain has since claimed his remarks were distorted, they seem quite clear. And given the prevalence of dreadlocked hairstyles within the African-American community in New Orleans and elsewhere, it is not difficult to read between the lines. Sheriff Strain has virtually declared open season on displaced members of the black community and probably, more specifically, on black males. He has prematurely criminalized them and invited widespread stopping, interrogation, searching, harassment and eventual arrests of African-American citizens guilty of nothing more than "Walking While Black." This is racism in its purest form.

Beneath the racism lies fear. It is the fear of crime, the fear of interlopers taking over one's city and the fear of difference that, for many, legitimizes comments that would otherwise be decried as overtly racist. This fear allows people to ignore the ugly reality of racism and even explain it away as being rational. So, for every citizen who was outraged by Sheriff Strain's comments, there are others who probably cheered him on.

The long-lasting effects of the racialized fear machine are tragic. As commentator Tim Wise put it, this is simply "the system working as intended, keeping people afraid of one another and committed to the maintenance of the system, by convincing us that certain folks are a danger to our well-being."

http://nola.live.advance.net/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1152429547258250.xml&coll=1

[EFerrari]

9. I've cross posted this to the Latino Group and to the Hurricane

Survivors Group.

What bugs me is, how can I help even a little, sitting in San Francisco?

There has to be a way.

:kick:

[Anita Garcia]

10. education exposure empowerment

thanks sfexpat2000!

[EFerrari]

11. Three Es! Okay.

But ya know, Anita, there has to be some way that even far away, we can support each other. In concrete terms, for example, my larger half is doing 2 radio gigs this week. We could write something about this. Or, or.

Anyway, let's let it simmer for now. And muster.

:kick:

[Anita Garcia]

21. Did you read the Clarion Ledger article?

<http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060801/NEWS/60801007/1263/rss>
Props to your other half!

[EFerrari]

26. Holy guacamole! Forgive my liberal elite San Francisco jaw

:wow:

You guys must have alligator skin, that's all I can say. I'm a tough cookie but, I don't know if I could be that tough.

You all know where we live.

:hi:

[H2O Man]

13. Nominated.

Very important. Count me in.

[EFerrari]

15. Thank you, H2O Man. Very much.

:kick:

[Keseys Ghost]

14. Southern Poverty Law Center's Statement

SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER CONDEMNS RACIST COMMENTS BY ST. TAMMANY PARISH SHERIFF

Statement by SPLC President Richard Cohen

The residents of St. Tammany Parish deserve an apology from Sheriff Jack Strain for his deplorable remarks equating Hurricane Katrina evacuees and public housing residents with “thugs” and “trash” and suggesting that his deputies will harass people who wear dreadlocks or “chee-wee” hairstyles.

Not only were his comments manifestly racist and divisive, but he appears to be either unaware or unconcerned that racial profiling is a blatant violation of the US Constitution. As the parish’s top law enforcement official, he should know better.

In America today, no one should fear harassment by the local sheriff because of the color of their skin or their fashion choice. We fought and won that struggle decades ago – and no sheriff can decree a return to the law of Jim Crow.

The Southern Poverty Law Center provides anti-bias materials to thousands of educators in Louisiana and across the country. When an authority figure like Sheriff Strain publicly voices this kind of bigotry, it sets back efforts to teach tolerance to our children.

[H2O Man]

22. SPLC

is a fantastic organization. DUers should be backing this.

[Keseys Ghost]

27. Right on! This is important. That's why SPLC is involved.

Please remember that St. Tammany Parish is the long time base of operations for Grand Wizard David Duke.



We live here.

We take this threat to our neighbors' civil liberties very seriously.

We can not afford to let this issue get swept under the rug.

Strain's statement wasn't about a particular crime. Otherwise, why would he want to get rid of ALL of the lawyers. One or two would do if he was really speaking to a specific crime.

And is it ok to deprive citizens of competent legal counsel? Because that's what he suggested.

He said what he meant and he meant what he said.

[EFerrari]

19. We could use a few votes here. Really, the Thugs have been

fanning the bigots for six long destructive years.

Let's push back.

:kick:

[me b zola]

25. k&r

:kick:

[EFerrari]

28. Thanks, me b.

That sounds weirdly self referential.

:silly:

[Keseys Ghost]

30. Nordette Adams has spent some time on this issue

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticle.asp?id=22995&AuthorID=21715

[H2O Man]

31. It can be hard for

some people to understand the extent of the problem that results from giving a racist thug a badge and a gun. And it's not a matter of being somehow anti-law enforcement. Very much the opposite. A fool like this sheriff creates problems for the good cops.

[bleever]

33. Racial profiling isn't crime fighting; it's a crime.

K&R.

[EFerrari]

38. Oh man. It is our founding crime. Better day.

:kick:

[Erika]

34. The NAACP have been very impressive lately

K & R

[Sapphire Blue]

36. K & R

:kick:

[EFerrari]

37. Kick

:kick:

[EFerrari]

41. Kick for justice

:kick:

[EFerrari]

42. kick

[Swamp Rat]

43. Lets NAIL this racist bastard!!!!!!!

And to HELL with all the bigoted assholes who defend him!!!

... and YOU know that WE know that YOU know that Jack Strain is a racist!

[EFerrari]

44. Nice finger, Swampy

:rofl:

[Keseys Ghost]

50. So, Rat....

Will you be crossing the big bridge Wednesday night?




JOINT MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



JULY 25, 2006



THE ACLU FOUNDATION OF LOUISIANA AND THE GREATER COVINGTON NAACP WILL BE HOSTING A TOWN MEETING FOCUSING ON RACIAL PROFILING ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2006 AT 6:00 PM.



THE PANEL WILL INCLUDE KING DOWNING, THE NATIONAL COORDINATOR OF THE ACLU CAMPAIGN AGAINST RACIAL PROFILING; REDDITT HUDSON, A FORMER POLICE OFFICER AND THE RACIAL JUSTICE MANAGER FOR THE ACLU OF EASTERN MISSOURI; TRACIE WASHINGTON, THE DIRECTOR OF THE NAACP GULF COAST ADVOCACY CENTER; AND, KWAME ASANTE’ THE LOUISIANA DIRECTOR OF THE NAAACP.



THE TOWN MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE AT:

BETHEL REFORM METHODIST CHURCH HALL

602 EAST 29TH AVENUE

COVINGTON, LOUISIANA 70433



THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED.

[Swamp Rat]

53. Wed. night

I wish I could, but it is impossible for me. Let me know how it goes. :hi:

[Keseys Ghost]

54. Of course

Times-Picayune, Fox 8 & WDSU will be there...probably others....

[Rex]

51. Raw racism, upfront and in your face hatred.

This asshole thinks poor people are trash and will run those people 'out of town', etc. Bill of Rights? WTF is that?

[Jamastiene]

56. Kick.

The SPLC is involved in fighting the good fight. Anything they are fighting, you can bet it's worth it. Hope that sheriff gets tons of backlash (in the form of protests) for that racist policy.

[Keseys Ghost]

57. Contact info:

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office
Covington Office
P.O. Box 1120
701 N. Columbia St.
Room B1010-2
Covington, LA 70433

Phone: [phone]

Email us at [e-mail]



http://www.stpso.org/page.php?p=gen_info

[Keseys Ghost]

58. MEETING TONIGHT

Meeting focuses on racial profiles
It's reaction to recent comments by sheriff

Saturday, July 29, 2006
St. Tammany bureau

The Greater Covington branch of the NAACP and the ACLU Foundation of Louisiana will co-host a town meeting Wednesday on racial profiling.

The meeting, prompted by recent controversial comments made by Sheriff Jack Strain, will be at 6 p.m. at Bethel Reform Methodist Church, 602 East 29th Ave., Covington.

In a TV interview the day after four people were murdered at a trailer park near Slidell, Strain said people with dreadlocks or "chee wee" hairstyles similar to descriptions of the two gunmen could "expect to be getting a visit from a sheriff's deputy."


The statement drew a sharp rebuke from the NAACP and American Civil Liberties Union, who accused Strain of engaging in racial profiling. Strain has refused to back down, saying the comments referred to characteristics of the murder suspects and the search for the men.

Annie Spell, a lawyer and president of the Covington branch of the NAACP, said the forum is designed to acquaint the public with all aspects of racial profiling, how to recognize it and combat the practice.

A panel discussing the topic will include King Downing, national coordinator of the ACLU campaign against racial profiling; Redditt Hudson, a former police officer and the racial justice manager for the ACLU of eastern Missouri; Tracie Washington, director of the NAACP Gulf Coast Advocacy Center; and Kwame Asante, the Louisiana director of the NAACP.

http://nola.live.advance.net/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-16/115415423196960.xml&coll=1

[Sapphire Blue]

62. Please, if you would, post a new thread after the meeting!

Please also post a link to the new thread here in this thread, too (so I can find it).

Thanks!

[Keseys Ghost]

64. I will

[Keseys Ghost]

59. The bloggers are picking it up

http://www.locustfork.net/blog/

[BeHereNow]

60. Kicing and recommending- Thanks for PM-ing me about this thread

You know who your are...


BHN:hi:

[EFerrari]

61. Kick

[Keseys Ghost]

63. National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

A Statement on Behalf of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain’s recent comments to WDSU-TV on crime in his community strike at the core of justice in America. Strain announced that he will focus law enforcement attention on those with dreadlocks and “chee-wee” hairstyles, determining guilt or innocence, not on proof, but on appearance. Moreover, to ensure his desired outcome, Strain stated his belief that defense attorneys who might get in his way should be “put on a rail and run out of here.”

Strain’s policy of selecting for police scrutiny anyone with certain African-American hairstyles is blatant racial profiling. As the Parish’s chief law enforcement officer, the sheriff should be aware that racial profiling violates the U.S. Constitution.

Moreover, racial profiling does not promote public safety. Justice requires more than an expedient arrest. It requires that the person arrested be actually guilty, while the innocent go free.

Defense lawyers ensure real justice, which may explain the sheriff’s hostility toward them. As the Supreme Court said more than 50 years ago, “Without , though he be not guilty, faces the danger of conviction because he does not know how to establish his innocence.” Alabama v. Powell (1932). It is for this reason that persons accused of crimes have a Constitutional right to counsel - another law Sheriff Strain appears willing to disregard.

The people of St. Tammany parish deserve a sheriff who will enforce all of the laws – especially the Constitution – and truly ensure their safety. Yet, Sheriff Strain has been wholly unwilling to apologize and alter his policies. Parish leadership must step up and force a correction. At its meeting tomorrow, the Parish Council should pass a resolution decrying Sheriff Strain’s remarks and demanding that he undergo appropriate training on combating racial profiling and the rights of those under arrest.

[lonestarnot]

66. Another fucking wooohooodamn!

[uppityperson]

67. kick for Kesey and Anita's good works