If George Floyd death didn’t change the hearts of corrupt police officers’ who abused their power, no black man is safe in America by a flag proclaiming it’s the land of the free.
A viral video of another black man surfaced on social media after multiple shares and outrage. During a peaceful protest in front a police union on public property, Saginaw, Michigan native and activist Cornelius Phelps was another victim in his hometown of what black folks continue to fight against. That is systemic racism in law enforcement and police brutality.
In the video, officers are demanding Phelps to put his hands behind his back. Crowd of protesters by the group name of “Ghost Of George Floyd” surrounding both Phelps and officers were in disbelief of what transpired next. A black officer Tased Phelps for at least six seconds, took his finger off the trigger and Tased for another six seconds.
Phelps rolled on his back and went into a panic attack like a fish out of water. Another five seconds followed by a pause and another four seconds added. That’s a total of four times this man was Tased with no regard for his black life. Not only was Phelps Tased, he was aggressively taken down while restrained with force on his neck by the hands of the black officers.
A black woman recording the incident repeats Phelp’s had a medical problem which was ignored since he allegedly resisted arrest according to the officers. If 50,000 volts with the exception of 1,200 once hitting the skin sends a person into a numb and traumatized position, the claim of resisting arrest should be the least important concern.
As the two black officers held down Phelps, a white female officer placed one of Phelps hands behind his back. The crowd reaction of anger with screams demanded the cops to get off of Phelps. A white male officer who had an issue with the crowds response was captured on video making fearful threats of arresting one of them.
“When I tell you to get back, you better get back or you’re going to get charged, you hear me!”
What exactly would the brave woman who recognized injustice be charged with if she didn’t get back? Would she bet met with force, a different outcome or the same results as Mr. Phelps?
This is a prime reason why the Saginaw Police Department just like many other departments across the United States are failing its tax paying citizens who call for justice yet are ignored when injustice is revived as the new justice. Saginaw residents such as Kevin N. Gregory, who’s an advocate for college education, black economic empowerment and empowering young black men and women spoke on Facebook live keeping it black, real and unfiltered.
“You had a black police officer who is quote on quote the community police officer. You’re the community police officer and when a community person says let’s talk…let’s talk. You had an opportunity to talk but instead you wanted to ensue power.”
Gregory went on with more remarks regarding the incident that took place.
“Yall black police officers instead of talking to the muthaf***** people, yall abuse the damn people. Talking about some who the leader out here. Muthaf**** aint no leader. This a flat line, aint no hierarchy here man. Everybody here. All we want for yall is to protect and serve.
Yall can’t even protect and serve cause we burying two youngsters right now because yall couldn’t protect and serve (a reference to the passing of Saginaw’s track star Tony Martin and Chicago native Ricky Morgan).”
Gregory is a well-respected man in the community of Saginaw. He does his best to put himself in a selfless position for the youth to shine their lights and be great pillars of their community just as himself. What Gregory stated was blatant truth as he hit the nail on it with one of his most powerful comments during the live stream.
“A black officer asking another black officer to Tase a black man. So all my white people watching this aint about race. Quit trying to have all these racial dialogues right now because that aint what it’s about. Yall aint ready to end systemic racism no way. Let’s just be honest about that s***. Yall would let us paint Black Lives Matter on the street and yall would tear down statues before you really say how do we dismantle systemic racism within organizations and systems throughout America.”
Those powerful words are at the root of many black hearts in America who had enough of systemic oppression via white supremacy. The Karen antics by white folks who work for the system don’t really care about black lives. White folks in power concerns for black life is just an illusion of false sympathy.
400 plus years of slavery, re-birthed Jim Crow, mass incarceration and continued racism should tell America or whites in position of power they will never find it in their heart to care about black lives. Phelps is currently incarcerated with no details available on any charges or a bond.
This isn’t the first time a man has been met with a Taser gun in Saginaw, Michigan. According to MLive, Bobby Louis Merill Jr., who was 38-years-old at the time died on April 10, 2012 after he was Tased to death by Saginaw Police officers.
The reality is not even BLM paintings, commercials, endorsements, photo ops or any other stance on black life won’t end the unjust oppression blacks deal with in America.
Further details will be developed as this story unfolds.
For the full version of both videos, flip the pages.