%
>> RALLIES AND PROTESTS SPREAD%
ACROSS WISCONSIN OVER THE
DEATH
%OF GEORGE
FLOYD,
W
HO
DIED
UNDER
%THE KNEE
OF A
MINNEAPOLIS POLICE%OFFICER NOW B
EING
CHARGED
WITH%SECOND-DEGREE MURDER.
%PROTESTERS TAKING
TO
THE
STREETS
%DAILY,
CHANTING,
HOLDING
SIGNS
%AND
EVEN
SHUTTING
DOWN
HIGHWAYS
%TO
SPREAD
THEIR
MESSAGE
T
O
END
%POLICE
BREW
BRUTALITY
AGAINST
%AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
%LOOTING AND
FIRES
OCCURRED.
%SOME
DAYS THERE
WAS
N
O
VISIBLE
%POLICE
PRESENCE,
WHILE
ON
OTHER
%DAYS
POLICE
BROKE
U
P
CROWDS
WITH
%TEAR GAS
AND
PEPPER
SPRAY.
%GOVERNOR TONY
EVERS
ACTIVATED
%THE NATIONAL GUARD
TO
ASSIST
%NATIONAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT ACROSS
%THE
STATE.%>>
A
S
TO LAW
ENFORCEMENT,
POLICE
%REFORM
IS
AN
IMMEDIATE ACTION
%ITEM.
%ADVOCACY GROUPS
HAVE
RELEASED
%LISTS OF
DEMANDS
ON
THAT
FRONT.
%MORE
THAN
65
ORGANIZATIONS
%COSIGNED
SUCH A
LIST
PUBLISHED
%BY
THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN
%ROUNDTABLE IN MILWAUKEE.
%IT
INCLUDES
CALLING FOR
POLICE
%TO
STOP
USING
RUBBER
BULLETS
AND
%
TEAR GAS
ON
PROTESTERS,
DOING
%AWAY
WITH
CURFEWS,
WITHDRAWING
%THE NATIONAL
GUARD
AND
SHIFTING
%FUNDS
AWAY
FROM
THE
POLICE
AND
%PUTTING THAT MONEY TOWARD
HEALTH
%AND
HOUSING
INITIATIVES.
%JOINING
ME
NOW
IS
ANGELA
LANG,
%EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
O
F
BLOC.
%SHE JOINS
US
FROM
MILWAUKEE
AND
%THANK YOU SO
MUCH
FOR
DOING
SO.
%>>
THANKS FOR
HAVING ME.
%I
THINK
THIS
CONVERSATION IS
%IMPORTANT.%THANK
YOU
.
%
>>
WHY
HAS
EVERY STATE
IN
THE
%NATION
AND
WISCONSIN
RISEN UP
TO
%PROTEST THE
KILLING
OF GEORGE
%FLOYD?
%>> YEAH.
%I
MEAN,
I
GET
THIS
QUESTION A%LOT.
%I
THINK,
YOU
KNOW,
WE'VE
SEEN
%MURDERS AT
THE
HANDS
OF
POLICE
%FOR
DECADES
NOW.
%YOU
KNOW,
EVE
N
THE RODNEY KING
%BEATING.
%THIS
IS
NOT
SOMETHING THAT'S
NEW
%FOR US.
%BUT
I
THINK, YOU
KNOW,
THE
WAY
I
%KIND
OF
FRAME
IT
AND
THE
WAY
I
%THINK
ABOUT
IT
IS
THAT
IT'S
LIKE%
A
SODA
CAN
THAT'S
JUST
BEEN
%SHAKEN UP
FOR
YEARS
AND
DECADES
%AND
WITH
NO
REAL
TANGIBLE
%SOLUTIONS AND
WAYS
FOR
REAL
TRUE
%POLICY REFORM.
%TO
ME
IT'S
LIKE THIS WAS
ONLY A
%MATTER OF TIME.
%I TELL
PEOPLE ALL
THE
TIME, I
%WAS
IN
COLLEGE
WITH
TRAYVON
%MARTIN WAS
MURDERED
AND
%DR. HAMILTON
IN
2014
IN
%MILWAUKEE
AND
SYLVILE
SMITH.
%IT
FEELS
LIKE
SOCIETY,
WE'RE
ALL
%SAYING
ENOUGH
IS
ENOUGH.
%WE KEEP
SEEING
THESE
THINGS
%HAPPEN.
%THERE
ARE
THESE
OUTCRIES.
%A
COUPLE
MONTHS
LATER
I
T
GOES%BACK
T
O
BUSINESS AS
USUAL.
%I
THINK
WHAT
WE'RE
SEEING
I
S
%REALLY
COMMUNITIES
AND
SOCIETY
%AS A WHOLE
SAYING
ENOUGH I
S
%ENOUGH AND
WE
WANT
REAL
POLICY
%AND LEGISLATIVE
CHANGES.%>>
BECAUSE
WHAT
DOES
FLOYD'S
%DEATH
REPRESENT?%>>
I
THINK
IT
REPRESENTS MURDER
%AT THE
HANDS
OF
POLICE
DUE
TO A
%STRUCTURAL
SYSTEM
THAT'S REALLY
%ROOTED
IN
WHITE
SUPREMACY.
%WHEN WE
THINK
ABOUT LAW
%ENFORCEMENT, WE
CAN
REALLY LOOK
%AT
THE
HISTORY
O
F
SHERIFF'S
%DEPARTMENTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
%'IN
GENERAL THAT
WERE
ENACTED
%DURING
SLAVERY
TO
CATCH
RUN-AWAY
%SLAVES.
%WHEN YOU'RE
FOUNDED ON
THAT
%HISTORY
AND
THE
SYSTEM
EVOLVED,
%IT
STILL
HAS
ITS
ROOTS
I
N
WHITE
%SUPREMACY.
%WE'VE
S
EEN
THESE
KILLINGS
AND
%MURDERS BE
A
T
THE
HAND
OF LAW
%ENFORCEMENT THAT ARE
PRESENT
TO
%PROTECT US.
%IT
REPRESENTS
THE BLACK
AND
%BROWN
BODIES THAT
ARE
BEING
%CRIMINALIZED
MERELY
FOR
%EXISTING.
%YOU
CAN'T
WALK
DOWN
THE
STREET.
%YOU CAN'T
LISTEN
TO
LOUD
MUSIC.
%YOU CAN'T
SLEEP
ON A
PARK
BENCH.
%THERE
ARE SO
MANY
THINGS
THAT
WE
%CAN'T DO
AND
WE'RE
BEING
%CRIMINALIZED JUST FOR
MERELY
%
EXISTING.
%WE
CAN'T RUN
AWAY.
%WE CAN'T
WEAR A
HOODIE.
%THERE'S SO
MANY
DIFFERENT
THINGS%WE
CAN
CRIENLIZED
CRIMINALIZE
ED
.
%THIS IS
ABOUT
THE
STEREOTYPES
%AND THREATS
THA
T PEOPLE
THINK
%AND IMPOSE ON
US.
%>>
HOW
EXHAUSTING IS IT FOR
YOU
%AND
OTHERS T
O
FIGHT
THE
SAME
%FIGHT
OVER
AND
OVER
AGAIN?
%>>
IT'S
INCREDIBLY
EXHAUSTING.
%IT'S
DRAINING.
%IT'S
TRAUMATIZING.
%IT'S
TRIGGERING.
%IT'S
EMOTIONAL.
%IT'S
SOMETHING
THAT
SEEMS
LIKE
%IT'S AN
ONGOING
ISSUE.
%I'VE BEEN
ORGANIZING
FOR
ABOUT
%12 YEARS
NOW,
AND
PRETTY
MUCH
%SINCE
DAY
ONE,
I
HAVEN'T ALWAYS
%ORGANIZED AROUND
THESE
ISSUES,
%BUT
THESE
ISSUES
A
LWAYS
CROPPED%UP AND
REALLY INTERSECTED
IN
THE
%ORGANIZING THAT I WAS
DOING.
%AND IT
SEEMS
THAT
THINGS
AREN'T
%CHANGING.
%AND SO
MUCH
HAS
HAPPENED
IN
OUR
%COUNTRY AND
IN
THIS CITY AND
IN
%THIS
STATE
JUST
IN
THE
LAST
WEEK
%AND A
HALF.
%AND
BEING
HONEST,
I
CRIED A LOT
%THIS
LAST
WEEK
AND A HALF.
%LAST WEEKEND
I
NEEDED
TO
TURN
MY
%PHONE
OFF
AND
TAKE A MENTAL
%HEALTH BREAK.
%I
WOKE
UP
FRIDAY
AT
2
2:00
OR
3:00
%IN
THE MORNING
SEEING DONALD
%TRUMP'S
TWEET
.
%IT'S
FRIGHTENING
FOR
COMMUNITIES
%OF
COLOR TO
HAVE
TO
CONSTANTLY%
BE
IN
THE
STREETS, EITHER
TAKING%A
KNEE
AND
PEACEFULLY
PROTESTING
%OR
ESCALATING, IT SEEMS
THAT
%WE'RE
NOT
BEING
HEARD
AND WE
%HAVE
T
O
REALLY
BEG
FOR
OUR
OWN
%DIGNITY
AND
FOR
OUR
LIVES TO
B
E
%JUST AS
VALUED
A
S
OUR
ALLIES
AND
%AS
WHITE
FOLKS
AND
IT'S
%INCREDIBLY
EXHAUSTING
TO
%CONSTANTLY HAVE
CONVERSATIONS
%AND
TO
CONSTANTLY BE
IN
THIS
%FIGHT
TO
REALLY
JUST AM
AMPLIFY
OUR
%OWN
DIGNITY
THAT
PEOPLE
FOR
%WHATEVER REASON
DON'T
NATURALLY
%SEE.%>>
ONE OF
THE
THINGS
ORGANIZERS
%AND
ADVOCATES HAVE
SIGNED
ON
TO
%IS AN
OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF
%RACISM
AS A
PUBLIC
HEALTH
%CRISIS.
%WHAT WOULD FOLLOW
FROM
THAT
KIND
%OF
DECLARATION?%>> YES.
%I THINK
IT'S
REALLY
I
MPORTANT.
%THAT'S
THE
FIRST
STEP,
I
S
TO
BE
%LABEL
HOW
RACISM
HAS
IMPACTED
%US, WHETHER
IT'S
IN
TERMS
OF
%TRAUMA
O
R
BEING
MURDERED
AT
THE
%HANDS OF
POLICE AND
EVERYTHING%IN
BETWEEN.
%IT
IS A
PUBLIC
HEALTH
ISSUE.
%WHEN
BLACK
GIRLS
ARE
GOING
%MISSING O
R
ARE
BEING
TRAFFICKED,%THAT
IS A
PUBLIC HEALTH
ISSUE.
%WHEN
INDIGENOUS WOMEN
AND
GIRLS
%ARE GOING
MISSING,
THAT'S A
%PUBLIC HEALTH
ISSUE.
%WE
SHOULD BE
TREATING
RACISM
%LIKE THAT
A
S
SUCH.
%WHEN
W
E
SEE
TRANSWOMEN
%SPECIFICALLY BEING
MURDERED
AND
%HATE CRIMES
O
N
THEIR
LIVES, ALL
%OF
THAT,
THOSE
ARE
HATE
CRIMES
%AND
THAT SHOULD BE
TREATED
AS A
%PUBLIC
HEALTH
ISSUE
AND WE
NEED
%POLICIES
TO
PROTECT
ALL OF
THE
%MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
%WE NEED
TO
BE
ABLE
TO
UNDERSTAND
%THE
WHITE
SUPREMACY THAT
IS
%ENTRENCHED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT%
AND OUR
POLICIES.
%HOW
WE'RE
ABLE
TO
EXPRESS
%OURSELVES UNDERSTANDING
OUR
%LIMITATIONS.
%WE'RE
NOT
REALLY
OFFERED
THE
%ABILITY
T
O
THRIVE
AND
DREAM
THE
%WAY OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE.
%I THINK
IT
REALLY
GOES
TO
REALLY
%EVALUATING HOW
MONEY
I
S
%ALLOCATED,
ON A
STATEWIDE
OR
%
LOCAL LEVEL.
%IN
MILWAUKEE,
NEARLY
50% OF
THE
%CITY BUDGET
GOES
TO
THE
POLICE
%DEPARTMENT, WHILE
THE
HEALTH
%DEPARTMENT, WHICH
HOUSES
THE
%OFFICE
OF
VIOLENCE
PREVENTION,
%IS ONLY
FUNDED
AT
ABOUT
2%
TO
%3%.
%THAT
IS AN
INCREDIBLE,
LOPSIDED
%BUDGET
AND
IT
DOESN'T PREVENT
%CRIME AND
PROTECT
OUR
%COMMUNITIES.
%SO
W
E
REALLY NEED
TO
THINK
ABOUT
%HOW
WE'RE
INVESTING.
%IDEALLY
TO
DIVEST
FROM
THE
%CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM.
%WE SPEND
MORE ON
THE DEPARTMENT%OF CORRECTIONS AND
JUSTICE
THA
N
%WE DO
ON
OUR
EDUCATION SYSTEM.
%THAT GOES
TO
SHOW
WHAT
OUR
%VALUES
ARE.
%BUDGETS
ARE
MORAL
DOCUMENTS
AND
%WE NEED
TO
ALLOCATE DOLLARS
T
O
%ACTUALLY DIVESTING
FROM
THE
%POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND
PUTTING
IT
%INTO
RESOURCES
SUCH
A
S MENTAL
%HEALTH,
MAKING
SURE
EVERYONE
HAS
%ACCESS
TO
QUALITY HEALTH
CARE,
%TO QUALITY
EDUCATION,
TO
YOUTH%OPPORTUNITIES IN
THE
SUMMER.
%TRANSPORTATION, SO
PEOPLE
CAN
%GET
TO
LIVING
WAGE
JOBS.
%ALL
OF
THOSE
THINGS
ARE
FACTORS
%
ABOUT A
S
AFE
COMMUNITY
AND WE
%HAVE TO
ACTUALLY
HAVE A
DECREASE
%IN
CRIME
INSTEAD OF
SPENDING SO
%MUCH
MONEY
ON LAW
ENFORCEMENT
%THAT
I
S
ONLY
ESCALATING THE
%CRIME.%>>
I
N
THE
WAKE
OF GEORGE
FLOYD'S
%DEATH, HAS
VIOLENCE
I
N
THE
%STREETS
DURING
PROTESTS
COOPTED
%THE
MESSAGE
AND
TAKEN
ATTENTION
%AWAY FROM THE
DISCUSSIONS OF
%RACISM
AND
DEATH
S OF
BLACK
%PEOPLE AND
THESE
INEQUITIES
O
F
%WHICH YOU SPEAK?
%>>
YOU
KNOW,
I
THINK
THE
%VIOLENCE
OR
THE
LOOTING
IS
BEING
%FRAMED
IN A
DIFFICULT
WAY.
%NO
O
NE
WAKES UP
AND
I
S
SO
ANGRY
%AND
TRAUMATIZED, NO ONE WANTS
TO
%WAKE UP AND
B
E
THAT
ANGRY
AND
%BURN SOMETHING DOWN.
%I THINK
IT'S
NOT
REALLY OUR
JOB
%TO
TELL
PEOPLE
HOW THEY SHOULD
%DEAL
WITH
THEIR
TRAUMA WHEN
%WE'RE
SEEING
PUBLIC
EDUCATIONS.
%PEOPLE
ARE
SAYING
THESE
ARE
%MODERN
LAY
LYNCHINGS.
%WE
SEE
THE
BACKLASH.
%FOR
PEOPLE
TO
KIND
OF,
FOR
LACK
%OF A
BETTER
TERM,
TONE
POLICE
%HOW
PEOPLE
ARE
EXPRESSING
THEIR
%FRUSTRATION, IT'S
TAKING
AWAY
%FROM THE PAIN
AND
THE
HURT.
%IT'S
NOT
IDEAL.
%NO
ONE
WANTS
TO
BE
BURNING
%THINGS DOWN
I
N
ORDER TO BE
%HEARD.
%BUT
I
THINK THERE
ARE
SOME
TIMES
%WHERE
PEOPLE
FEEL THAT
IS
THE
%ONLY WAY.
%YOU
PROTEST
PEACEFULLY, YOU'RE
%FOT BEING
HEARD.
%SO
I
THINK
IT'S
NATURAL
AND
IT'S
%UNDERSTANDABLE
THAT
PEOPLE FEEL
%THE
NEED
TO
LASH
OUT
IN
THIS
WAY
%AND
WE
REALLY
NEED
TO
IN
THAT
%PARTICULAR
CONVERSATION
%CENTERING
PEOPLE'S
LIVES OVER
%THE
VALUE
OF
PROPERTY AT
THE END%OF THE
DAY.
%PROPERTY CAN
B
E
REPLACED.
%PEOPLE'S LIVES
CANNOT.%
>>
MIDWEEK, A
S
YOU
KNOW,
%CRIMINAL CHARGES
WERE
UPGRADED
%AGAINST
THE
MINNEAPOLIS POLICE
%OFFICER WHO
KNELT ON
THE
NECK
OF
%GEORGE
FLOYD
AND
THE OTHER
%OFFICERS ARE
NOW
BEING
CHARGED.
%WHAT'S
YOUR
REACTION TO
THAT?
%>> YOU
KNOW,
I
THINK
IT'S A STEP
%IN
THE
RIGHT
DIRECTION.
%YOU
KNOW,
IT'S
ENCOURAGING.
%WE'LL
SEE
HOW
THE
SYSTEM
PLAYS
%OUT.
%IF
I'M
HONEST,
I'M
NEVER
TOO
%RELIANT
AND
TOO
CONFIDENT ON
THE
%CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM
A
S
HOW
%THINGS PLAY OUT.
%YOU
SEE
HOW
DISPROPORTIONATELY
%IMPACTS OUR COMMUNITY.
%WE'VE SEEN
TIME
AND
TIM
E
AGAIN
%OFFICERS
BEING
ACQUITTED.
%JUST
BECAUSE
CHARGES MAY
BE
%BROUGHT,
W
E
REALLY WANT TO
SEE
%THE CHARGES BE
ABLE
TO
STICK
AND
%PEOPLE
ACTUALLY
BEING
ABLE
T
O
BE
%HELD
ACCOUNTABLE.
%AND
I
THINK
ALSO
I
GET
THIS
%QUESTION,
TOO,
I
S
JUST
BECAUSE
%CHARGES
ARE
BROUGHT,
DO
I
THINK
%THAT
THE
PROTESTS ARE
GOING
TO
%DIE
DOWN?
%AND I
THINK
WE'RE
LIVING
ON
THIS
%PRECIPICE RIGHT
NOW
THAT IT
IS%SO MUCH
BIGGER
THAN GEORGE%FLOYD.
%I
THINK
PEOPLE
ARE
REALLY
%STARTING TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THIS
%IS A SYSTEMATIC
PROBLEM
AND
THIS
%WAS
THE
CATALYST AND
SPARK
FOR
%THAT CHANGE.
%BUT THE
LAYERS
AND
HISTORICAL
%CONTEXT
BROUGHT US TO THIS
%POINT.
%EVEN
IF
EVERYTHING
PLAYS
OUT
THE
%WAY
W
E
WANT
TO
IT, WE NEED
TO
%MAKE
CONCRETE
REFORMS I
N
THE
%FUTURE
TO
MAKE
SURE
THIS
CAN
%NEVER BE ALLOWED
TO
HAPPEN
%AGAIN.%>>
ANGELA