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Today is the last day of 2012, and we use this week's blog to look back at the highlights of the 2012 Manhattan Viewpoint blogs.
NYPD Abuses Increase While Stop and Frisk Evolves
We began 2012 frustrated by the additional abuses of the NYPD that were added to the racist stop-and-frisk policies that we have been facing from years from the NYPD. The NYPD beat NYC residents and killed an unarmed young man. The outrage we felt was increased by learning that the NYPD had been tracking muslims in Newark, NJ. The last straw was the revelation that the NYPD was spying on left-of-center groups despite the lack of evidence that any threat was presented by the groups.
Stop-and-frisk abuses by the NYPD began to decline in April of 2012 because of community pressure for change.
We end 2012 praying that Mayor Bloomberg's and NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly's unrepentant support for stop-and-frisk abuses of people of color in our city will end early in 2013 rather than wait for a new Mayor to take over.
Other Highlights
Congressman Charlie Rangel was re-elected after a long and difficult campaign.
President Obama won all of the most educated states in the US as he earned a second term as President.
Colonel Young Park remains in disrepair but now has community support for an upgrade.
The Barclays Center opened in Brooklyn.
Hurricane Sandy devastated our community.
Looking Forward to 2013
The NY Times described the upcoming year's political focus well.
"Mayoral politics will dominate the local headlines. Mr. Bloomberg’s many would-be successors will not have the personal fortune he spent to win office ($174 per vote in 2009). Which of them will end up on the November ballot: Christine C. Quinn, the City Council speaker? Joseph J. Lhota, who is leaving the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to look into running as a Republican? Raymond W. Kelly, the police commissioner?"
Showing posts with label Christine Quinn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christine Quinn. Show all posts
Monday, December 31, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Speaker Quinn's Bloomberg Moment
Speaker Quinn's enthusiastic endorsement of stop-and-frisk
disqualifies her in the Mayor's race. She has worked so hard to be loved by Mayor Bloomberg that she is endorsing his disgusting and shockingly racist approach to law enforcement.
Supporting Our City's Enemies
Last week, Speaker Quinn stated that she'd keep Ray Kelly as NYC's police commissioner if she became Mayor. For that reason alone, we
must make ensuring that she never becomes Mayor a top priority.
Speaker Quinn is fully supportive of the same leaders who
have brought the scourge of stop-and-frisk to our city, and our self-respect as
NYC residents should make us determined to end that scourge as soon as
possible.
Ray Kelly, with the full support of Mayor Bloomberg, has
led a 700% increase in stopping and frisking innocent young men of color. If
this activity occurred in another country, we'd consider it a human rights
abuse. In 2011, Ray Kelly led the stopping of more young Black men than actually live in our city. That reality is worthy of restating: In one year,
Ray Kelly stopped more innocent young Black men in our city than the number of
young Black men who live in our city. The 700% increase in stop-and-frisk has not reduced crime, has not made us safer, has not resulted in a meaningful
number of arrests, and has not recovered a meaningful amount of illegal
weapons. The 700% increase in stop-and-frisk has resulted in de-humanizing
young men of color in the eyes of law enforcement. The 700% increase in
stop-and-frisk has undermined the relationship between communities of color and
law enforcement. The 700% increase has caused law enforcement to focus on innocent young men of color while allowing real criminals to go unchallenged, uninvestigated, unarrested, and unconcerned as the pursue criminal activity.
The NYPD has been telling crime victims to ignore the crimes they've endured so
that officers have time to stop innocent young men of color. Ray Kelly is the
architect and the personification of the unsafe, indefensible, racist, and
counterproductive criminalization of being young, male, and non-white in our
city. Speaker Quinn should be ashamed of herself for endorsing a discredited
and morally bankrupt approach to policing our city. If Speaker Quinn is determined to side with the enemies of our city, she cannot be permitted to continue to lead us.
Mayoral Race 2013
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has been the loudest and strongest voice amongst likely Mayoral candidates in opposing stop and frisk. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio recently demanded an audit of stop and
frisk. Only Speaker Quinn has endorsed stop and frisk. She stated: "[Stop-and-frisk] helped drive down crime rates."
Speaker Quinn's values are not acceptable in a NYC Mayor.
We must oppose racism, white supremacy, and the dehumanization of young men of
color. We must oppose Speaker Quinn.
Monday, January 23, 2012
NYPD Promotion Practices Under Fire
Last week, we learned that NYPD Detectives are suing the NYPD over its promotion practice in the Intelligence Unit. New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn continued to oppose Mayor Bloomberg's efforts to exclude single adults from our city's homeless shelter. Also, Manhattan's only confirmed Underground Railroad was celebrated last week.
A group of Black NYPD detectives are suing the NYPD for its alleged anti-Black bias in promoting Black members of the NYPD within the NYPD's Intelligence Unit.
The complaint filed by the Black detectives alleges that "the NYPD has chosen to cloak promotions in secrecy and give the all-white high level supervisors who run the Intelligence Division unfettered discretion to handpick white detectives for promotions over more qualified African American detectives." The complaint states that only 35 of the 600 employees in the Intelligence Unit are Black and that only 8 of the 161 sergeants are Black. Also, only out of 224 detectives in the unit, 21 are Black—just 6 percent. These horrible results are incompatible with our diverse city.
Unfortunately, as CNN reported, no Black member of the Intelligence Unit holds a rank above sergeant, while most serve as third grade detectives, just one rank above regular police officers.
In the latest chapter of the ongoing dispute between the NY City Council and Mayor Bloomberg, the City Council has filed suit against the Mayor to prevent the Mayor from implementing his proposed policy of demanding that single adults prove that they have no alternative housing options before they can be admitted to a homeless shelter.
The homeless dispute is a rare moment of discord between Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn. The Speaker will have to find a great deal more to distance herself from the Mayor as she seeks to become his successor.
From the NY Daily News last week:
A Chelsea brownstone was heralded Sunday as the only documented Manhattan stop on the underground railroad.
Elected officials, city preservationists and history buffs unveiled a marker on 339 W. 29th St.
“This is a happy day as we celebrate the spirit of survival of the freedom-seeking slaves of the 1840s and ’50s who found shelter in this building,” Julie Finch of the Friends of the Hopper Gibbons House Underground Railroad Site said.
The rowhouse is one of roughly a half-dozen Greek Revival buildings dotting the block between Eighth and Ninth Aves.
It was once home to the Quaker abolitionists James Sloan Gibbons and Abby Hopper Gibbons, who helped African-Americans as they escaped the clutches of slavery.
“They heroically provided shelter to African-Americans who were running for their lives . . . at a time when it was illegal to do so,” said Fern Luskin, a professor at LaGuardia Community College who discovered the building’s history.
NYPD Excluding African Americans from "Secret" Promotion List
A group of Black NYPD detectives are suing the NYPD for its alleged anti-Black bias in promoting Black members of the NYPD within the NYPD's Intelligence Unit.
The complaint filed by the Black detectives alleges that "the NYPD has chosen to cloak promotions in secrecy and give the all-white high level supervisors who run the Intelligence Division unfettered discretion to handpick white detectives for promotions over more qualified African American detectives." The complaint states that only 35 of the 600 employees in the Intelligence Unit are Black and that only 8 of the 161 sergeants are Black. Also, only out of 224 detectives in the unit, 21 are Black—just 6 percent. These horrible results are incompatible with our diverse city.
Unfortunately, as CNN reported, no Black member of the Intelligence Unit holds a rank above sergeant, while most serve as third grade detectives, just one rank above regular police officers.
The distinction means a salary difference of $30,000 per year between a third grade detective and a higher first grade detective. It is also a difference of $15,000 per year from a lifetime pension, and the lower ranking excludes third grade detectives from professional networking events and opportunities.Mayor Bloomberg has been relentless in his efforts to prevent Black New Yorkers from joining the Fire Department of New York. Last week, rather than accept defeat and move toward racial integration at the FDNY, the Mayor focused his fire on the federal judge who has been demanding that Bloomberg end his commitment to his "whites-only" FDNY policy. Bloomberg has adopted a view that those who do not support his "whites-only" mandate cannot be tolerated in positions of power. We should not expect him to be open to ending the barriers to promotion of Black detectives in the NYPD.
The complainants said they have been passed up numerous times for promotions despite excellent work records and recommendations from superiors.
Quinn and City Council Go To Court Against Bloomberg on Homeless Shelter Rules
In the latest chapter of the ongoing dispute between the NY City Council and Mayor Bloomberg, the City Council has filed suit against the Mayor to prevent the Mayor from implementing his proposed policy of demanding that single adults prove that they have no alternative housing options before they can be admitted to a homeless shelter.
The homeless dispute is a rare moment of discord between Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn. The Speaker will have to find a great deal more to distance herself from the Mayor as she seeks to become his successor.
Underground Railroad in Manhattan
From the NY Daily News last week:
A Chelsea brownstone was heralded Sunday as the only documented Manhattan stop on the underground railroad.
Elected officials, city preservationists and history buffs unveiled a marker on 339 W. 29th St.
“This is a happy day as we celebrate the spirit of survival of the freedom-seeking slaves of the 1840s and ’50s who found shelter in this building,” Julie Finch of the Friends of the Hopper Gibbons House Underground Railroad Site said.
The rowhouse is one of roughly a half-dozen Greek Revival buildings dotting the block between Eighth and Ninth Aves.
It was once home to the Quaker abolitionists James Sloan Gibbons and Abby Hopper Gibbons, who helped African-Americans as they escaped the clutches of slavery.
“They heroically provided shelter to African-Americans who were running for their lives . . . at a time when it was illegal to do so,” said Fern Luskin, a professor at LaGuardia Community College who discovered the building’s history.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Quinn Seeks Distance from Bloomberg on Homeless Rules
New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn seems to be having a change of heart related to her undying loyalty to Mayor Bloomberg.
Homeless Shelters
New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has supported Mayor Bloomberg through thick and thin. She led the fight to give him(and herself) an additional term in office - in direct opposition to the will of the people of New York City as expressed in two referenda. She has remained quiet as Mayor Bloomberg has defied federal courts and worked tirelessly to avoid racially integrating the Fire Department of New York. She has provided her tacit approval of his race-based policing approach (more on that is discussed below).
But, after Mayor Bloomberg decided to require single adults to prove that they have no alternative place to live before they can enter a homeless shelter, he was opposed by Speaker Christine Quinn. She led the New York City Council to oppose his change in homeless policy. The City Council sued the Mayor for the first time in Speaker Quinn's tenure.
It is a good sign. Although she should not have waited until the Mayor implemented as absurd a policy as requiring homeless people to prove that they are homeless, Christine Quinn should be commended for opposing the Mayor in this case. One wonders how a homeless person proves he or she is homeless. Is it a letter from every friend and family member? Is it an eviction notice. Perhaps the best evidence of a lack of other options is the presence at a homeless shelter. Perhaps the Mayor will ask patients in emergency rooms to prove that they don't have friends who could save their lives outside of the hospital.
Stop and Frisk Record Pace
After all of the controversy surrounding Mayor Bloomberg's racist stop-and-frisk approach, this year, his Administration will set a new record for the number of stops. In fact, more than four million stops have occurred under the racist Bloomberg approach since 2004. Nearly all of the stops are stops of people of color, and very close to all of those stopped are completed innocent and are never given a summons or arrested.
Despite a lawsuit against the department claiming the stop-and-frisks discriminate against minorities (in 2008, 80 percent of those stopped were black or latino) and a call from city officials, including Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, for the federal government to investigate the program, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne defended the practice this week as a success in curbing crime.
Based on Mayor Bloomberg's record at the FDNY and his approach to policing, he should resign immediately. There is no place for his type of policy approach (skin color defines all outcomes and determines rights and opportunities) in 2011. In fact, our country rose up and outlawed his style of governing in 1964 . . . nearly 50 years ago.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Taking On Guns in NYC
New York's City Council is preparing to increase penalties for the sale of toy guns that resemble real guns and to take action against those that make real guns appear to be toys. Their efforts are laudable and should be combined with increased gun buyback activity.
Toy Gun Penalties Likely to Rise
As we begin this new year, an old legislative priority of the New York City Council will return to its agenda. In the closing days of 2009, Brooklyn City Council member Al Vann and Speaker Quinn announced their intention to impose 500% greater fines on vendors who sell toy guns that appear to be real guns. The City Council will address the proposed legislation early this year.
There have been far too many deaths around the US caused by law enforcement officers mistaking toy guns for real guns; in fact, any such deaths are too many. The use of realistic toy guns is also dangerous because it glorifies gun ownership and promotes the glorification of life-ending violence.
While New York City has collected more than 7,000 illegal toy guns and collected nearly $2.5 million in fines since 2002, the new legislation would increase the incentives for retailers to avoid selling illegal toy guns by raising the fines for selling realistic-looking toy guns to $5,000 from $1,000 for a first offense and to $8,000 from $3,000 for additional offenses. It would also allow the city to close stores for five days after three offenses occur within any 3-year period. These are penalties that are easy to avoid - simply refuse to carry toy guns in one's store, and the problem is solved. Bright colored toy guns remain permissible, but that provision creates a new concern.
Brightly colored real guns that appear to be toys are a new threat, and the city council needs to develop aggressive programs to prevent gun owners from coloring them to look like toys. To highlight the dangers of realistic-looking toy guns as well as real guns that are painted to appear like toys, New York City has launched an ad campaign that covers 2,100 subway cars, all 468 subway stations, and more than 5,400 buses.
Gun Buy-Back Programs
Real guns that appear to be real guns are still the largest threat to the safety of New Yorkers and to local law enforcement.
In October 2008, the Manhattan District Attorney, Robert Morgenthau, and the NYPD collaborated on a gun buyback program in Upper Manhattan that resulted in the collection of more than 700 guns by the NYPD. We need to bring back the gun buyback to Upper Manhattan.
The program succeeded because it included Upper Manhattan's churches and because the program did not require those turning in guns to make themselves subject to arrest. The decision to allow guns to be turned in without the threat of arrest or prosecution, and the decision to pay $200 per gun (up to $600 per person) combined to create an explosion of gun collection activity, despite the fact that the guns would be worth far more than $200 in the "street" marketplace that plays such a large role in gun sales in the New York City.
Our new Manhattan District Attorney, Cy Vance, and the NYPD would be smart to initiate another gun buyback program in 2010.
It has been 14 months since the extremely successful buyback day in Upper Manhattan, and we are ready for a new one.
Toy Gun Penalties Likely to Rise
As we begin this new year, an old legislative priority of the New York City Council will return to its agenda. In the closing days of 2009, Brooklyn City Council member Al Vann and Speaker Quinn announced their intention to impose 500% greater fines on vendors who sell toy guns that appear to be real guns. The City Council will address the proposed legislation early this year.
There have been far too many deaths around the US caused by law enforcement officers mistaking toy guns for real guns; in fact, any such deaths are too many. The use of realistic toy guns is also dangerous because it glorifies gun ownership and promotes the glorification of life-ending violence.
While New York City has collected more than 7,000 illegal toy guns and collected nearly $2.5 million in fines since 2002, the new legislation would increase the incentives for retailers to avoid selling illegal toy guns by raising the fines for selling realistic-looking toy guns to $5,000 from $1,000 for a first offense and to $8,000 from $3,000 for additional offenses. It would also allow the city to close stores for five days after three offenses occur within any 3-year period. These are penalties that are easy to avoid - simply refuse to carry toy guns in one's store, and the problem is solved. Bright colored toy guns remain permissible, but that provision creates a new concern.
Brightly colored real guns that appear to be toys are a new threat, and the city council needs to develop aggressive programs to prevent gun owners from coloring them to look like toys. To highlight the dangers of realistic-looking toy guns as well as real guns that are painted to appear like toys, New York City has launched an ad campaign that covers 2,100 subway cars, all 468 subway stations, and more than 5,400 buses.
Gun Buy-Back Programs
Real guns that appear to be real guns are still the largest threat to the safety of New Yorkers and to local law enforcement.
In October 2008, the Manhattan District Attorney, Robert Morgenthau, and the NYPD collaborated on a gun buyback program in Upper Manhattan that resulted in the collection of more than 700 guns by the NYPD. We need to bring back the gun buyback to Upper Manhattan.
The program succeeded because it included Upper Manhattan's churches and because the program did not require those turning in guns to make themselves subject to arrest. The decision to allow guns to be turned in without the threat of arrest or prosecution, and the decision to pay $200 per gun (up to $600 per person) combined to create an explosion of gun collection activity, despite the fact that the guns would be worth far more than $200 in the "street" marketplace that plays such a large role in gun sales in the New York City.
Our new Manhattan District Attorney, Cy Vance, and the NYPD would be smart to initiate another gun buyback program in 2010.
It has been 14 months since the extremely successful buyback day in Upper Manhattan, and we are ready for a new one.
Monday, July 20, 2009
City Council Slush Fund Scandal Grows
One New York City Council member has resigned as a result of the slush fund scandal, but as we vote in the September primaries, we won't know whether more elected officials will be forced to plead guilty. The scandal has at least one redeeming quality; the resignation of City Council member Miguel Martinez makes room for New York City's Immigration Commissioner, Guillermo Linares to regain his former seat representing Upper Manhattan in the City Council.
Slush Fund Scandal
In April 2008, the New York City Council was embarrassed by a scandal that apparently goes back for decades. City Council members had been allocating New York City budget dollars to non-existent non-profit organizations. Sometimes, the dollars were later directed to legitimate organizations, and often the funds remained with phony organizations.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has claimed that she is a whistle-blower rather than a culprit in this scandal, despite the fact that she has been the speaker since 1996 and has led the City Council through two budget cycles that resulted in funds being allocated to phony groups. Quinn has also acknowledged that she was aware of the "slush fund" that benefited her office and gave her leverage in winning votes for her preferred initiatives. She claims that she had not supported the allocation of the slush fund to organizations that did not exist (a reasonable position, but one that she seems to have been developed only after her first two budgets as Speaker).
Despite the fact that millions of dollars have apparently been allocated to non-existent organizations for the last 20 years, we have almost no insight into how much unethical and illegal activity has occurred or whom we should hold responsible for that activity. Two City Council staff members plead guilty in connection with the slush fund in 2008, and Miguel Martinez plead guilty last week. Martinez had only been in office for one term, and we have no way to analyze whether we should expect additional guilty pleas and resignations.
At Manhattan Viewpoint, we hope that prosecutors will give New Yorkers an update soon (in advance of the September Primaries) that will allow us to enter the voting booth with confidence that we are not voting for candidates who are in the process of negotiating plea deals.
Commissioner Linares Seeks His Former Seat
Because of the resignation of Miguel Martinez, former City Council member Guillermo Linares has begun a campaign to regain his former seat. While he starts without a campaign organization or campaign funds, Linares begins the campaign with a reputation and a track record of which he can be very proud.
Guillermo Linares grew up poor in the Dominican Republic and went on to become the first Dominican elected to public office in the United States. He entered the United States at age 15 without any knowledge of English and drove a taxi to pay for college. He went on to receive a bachelors degree and a masters degree from City College and a doctorate from Columbia. He served his Upper Manhattan constituents well and is ready to serve again.
So, this scandal already has a silver lining.
Slush Fund Scandal
In April 2008, the New York City Council was embarrassed by a scandal that apparently goes back for decades. City Council members had been allocating New York City budget dollars to non-existent non-profit organizations. Sometimes, the dollars were later directed to legitimate organizations, and often the funds remained with phony organizations.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has claimed that she is a whistle-blower rather than a culprit in this scandal, despite the fact that she has been the speaker since 1996 and has led the City Council through two budget cycles that resulted in funds being allocated to phony groups. Quinn has also acknowledged that she was aware of the "slush fund" that benefited her office and gave her leverage in winning votes for her preferred initiatives. She claims that she had not supported the allocation of the slush fund to organizations that did not exist (a reasonable position, but one that she seems to have been developed only after her first two budgets as Speaker).
Despite the fact that millions of dollars have apparently been allocated to non-existent organizations for the last 20 years, we have almost no insight into how much unethical and illegal activity has occurred or whom we should hold responsible for that activity. Two City Council staff members plead guilty in connection with the slush fund in 2008, and Miguel Martinez plead guilty last week. Martinez had only been in office for one term, and we have no way to analyze whether we should expect additional guilty pleas and resignations.
At Manhattan Viewpoint, we hope that prosecutors will give New Yorkers an update soon (in advance of the September Primaries) that will allow us to enter the voting booth with confidence that we are not voting for candidates who are in the process of negotiating plea deals.
Commissioner Linares Seeks His Former Seat
Because of the resignation of Miguel Martinez, former City Council member Guillermo Linares has begun a campaign to regain his former seat. While he starts without a campaign organization or campaign funds, Linares begins the campaign with a reputation and a track record of which he can be very proud.
Guillermo Linares grew up poor in the Dominican Republic and went on to become the first Dominican elected to public office in the United States. He entered the United States at age 15 without any knowledge of English and drove a taxi to pay for college. He went on to receive a bachelors degree and a masters degree from City College and a doctorate from Columbia. He served his Upper Manhattan constituents well and is ready to serve again.
So, this scandal already has a silver lining.
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